The History of the Ancient World cover art

The History of the Ancient World

From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The History of the Ancient World

By: Susan Wise Bauer
Narrated by: John Lee
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $44.99

Buy Now for $44.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

A lively and engaging narrative history showing the common threads in the cultures that gave birth to our own.

This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled. The result is an engrossing tapestry of human behavior from which we may draw conclusions about the direction of world events and the causes behind them.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2007 Susan Wise Bauer (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
Civilisation Greece Rome Greek Mythology Italy

What listeners say about The History of the Ancient World

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    91
  • 4 Stars
    37
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    91
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    77
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

another really good book. read in an engaging and informative way. kept me and my son engaged for hours

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Historical Narrative

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone seeking knowledge about early High Civilisation and Empire.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Must read for ‘fans’ of history.

Excellently written with an engaging narrator with an obvious love for the topic at hand. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an accessible book to provide a glimpse of the ancient past.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Witty and well well balanced

A sweeping tale told with humour and wonder at humanity’s ongoing wackiness. Jumps from place to place in a meanwhile way but well told overall

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absorbing, never-dull narration of our history

Riveting collation and delightful telling of the history of the world. The performance of the narrator - with his articulation, fluency and faultless pronunciation (of some truly gnarly foreign names) - is worth the price alone. The text is made interesting by it's lens: examining archeological and literary sources, adding well founded cultural contexts and delivering it all with a sprightly licence to color in the gaps, the end result is a rich, chronological panorama of peoples, nations and empires. It does unfortunately (perhaps necessarily) depict much of the ugly details of the violence, murders, treachery and war which stain the majority of our history, so be warned. Religion, politics and key personalities are also in the mix, adding depth and showing some of the things which have shaped our race. Personally, I found human corruption to be the major character in the story, which ends up feeling like a rather sobering indictment on our days and ways. But if you're wanting a snapshot of history, look no further. This audiobook had me spellbound in its 'pages' from start to end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I liked it, but it's definitely not my favourite.

A well researched, and beautifully written book with an excellent narrator. I found it hard to get into though; it's certainly structured in a different way. Bauer focuses on ancient Rome, China, India and Persia, and the people who ruled these areas. I prefer my other history books, but I'm a medieval fan. I definitely suggest giving this a listen, if you love ancient civilisations. The details are amazing!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really good piece of work

I Enjoyed this very much. very good narration and superb piece of writing. So many changes of rulers; nepotism galore tinged with a bit of incestuous galivanting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Detailed without the drudgery of many texts

Great narrator. I'll be looking for more of his.
Insightful and articulately written. Very pleased.
I have now bought others in the series and anticipate listening to those.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

GREAT OVERVIEW

I found this book both interesting and informative. Definitely a must for those who are looking for an overview before delving into some more specific areas of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or Chinese history .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent listen for a vrod understanding

Excellent book! Misses a lot about other events that occurred. Yet still great to knowledge. What happened in the past will always repeat itself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.