The Long Shadow of the Ancient Greek World

Anyone looking for a solid introduction to the history of ancient Greece, from the earliest period to the conquests of Alexander the Great, can find it in this series of 48 lectures given by Professor Ian Worthington of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Widely published in the field, Worthington provides coherent, well-organized presentations, announcing early on that his specific emphases will be on democracy, law, and imperialism. Not surprisingly, Worthington focuses much of his attention on the political and institutional history of the Greek world from the eighth century B.C. to the beginning of the Hellenistic era, with Athens and Sparta predictably taking center stage. Although Worthington skims over the Mycenaean period and so-called Dark Ages (and some will be disappointed at the comparatively short amount of time allotted to cultural matters), this is a fine effort, overall, with maps, illustrations, and definitions appropriate for a beginning-level course. Featuring separately available course books (with lecture outlines, transcripts, maps, a timeline, glossary, and bibliography), this is recommended for high school, university, and public library collections. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)