Ancient Mesopotamia
Life in the Cradle of Civilization
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Ancient Mesopotamia
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Narrated by:
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Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
About this listen
When we imagine what life might have been like thousands of years in the past, the images we often conjure are primitive ones: reed and mud huts or plain brick dwellings, cooking pits, villagers, and simple farms. That was indeed what life was like in the earliest settlements, but by 5,000 years ago, life in some places had become much more sophisticated than we might think. Impressive achievements - like stepped temples that towered like mountains, elaborate palaces (some with bathrooms and plumbing), and complex houses - were also a part of life for people who lived in cities that arose thousands of years ago, particularly in the fertile region that emerged along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Welcome to Mesopotamia, the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago. In this 24-lecture course taught by Professor Podany, you'll fill in the blanks of your historical understanding as you witness a whole new world opening before your eyes.
Riveting stories about kings and priestesses as well as ordinary people from all walks of life transport you back in time, giving you invaluable insights into the history of a landmark region that has long been known as the cradle of civilization.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLCWhat listeners say about Ancient Mesopotamia
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-04-2023
Loved it.
Detailed history, beautifully read. Very comprehensive and engaging.
Brought a Ling and complex period in history to life. Nice work.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-05-2024
Excellent narration
Dive in to the history of Mesopotamia along with their architectural brilliance, political and religious customs all with an easy to understand language by a great narrator/teacher. She did such an excellent job in creating an enjoyable structure through time with some lighthearted anecdotes sprinkled here and there.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Leanne Beaver
- 16-08-2022
Thumbs up
I found this book very informative and interesting I would recommend this book to any who enjoys ancient history
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 02-04-2023
awesome
great listen!@
very insightful, very informative
excellent narrative !!!
lots of information, will listen again 😁
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anthony C
- 17-06-2020
Stunning
By far the best audio book on Mesopotamian history. This audio book deserves to be highly praised.
Excellent historian, beautifully narrated, puts you in the shoes of ancient Mesopotamians.
I highly recommend it and will listen to it again right now :)
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mark Freeman
- 17-03-2020
It is good but a bit of a re-hash. And mis-named.
This somewhat negative review is probably my fault because I was expecting some new information on Mesopotamian lifestyles. Sadly (for me) it didn't reflect the lifestyles of those 5K BCE people but rather became a recitation of already well known history of the elete.
I was hoping for a 'What the workers ate, how they slept, where they shit, how did they deal with teenager daughters".
If you espouse 'Life in the' ....' you should deal with the life of the locals.
It is a bit like stating a series of "Life in the USA 2020" and concentrating of the life style of Donald Trump.
It is not a bad ancient history series of lectures but miss-named.
Mark freeman.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 27-02-2023
The best audiobook on the subject
I'm almost done and I don't want it to end! I have listened to a handful of audiobooks and podcasts about Mesopotamia and this is easily the best.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- David Rowe
- 02-06-2023
Excellent
Wonderful historical review of a fascinating subject! Very informative, and factual accounting of a sometimes overlooked subject.
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