Origins of Great Ancient Civilizations

The familiar virtues of the video courses offered by The Teaching Company are on display in this set of 12 lectures on the ancient civilizations of the eastern Mediterranean. Roughly covering the period from 3500 to 500 B.C.—the Bronze and Early Iron Ages—this well-organized series opens with an introductory overview, before segueing into presentations on early Mesopotamian culture, Egypt, other notable peoples of the Bronze Age, the Jews, the Assyrians, and concluding with a look at the rise of the Persian Empire. All are lucidly delivered by Professor Kenneth W. Harl of Tulane University (who has taught previous courses, including The Vikings [VL-3/06]), with maps and illustrations intelligently employed throughout. The result is the equivalent of a solid textbook or introductory-level college survey on the subject. Of course, due to the sheer volume of material, particularly in terms of personal and place names, most will want to pick up the separately available course book, which includes lecture outlines and transcripts as well as maps, a timeline, glossary, and bibliography. While Harl's habit of drawing comparisons to Roman analogues presupposes an acquaintance with the history of Rome that some students may not have, this is a minor shortcoming, overall, in an otherwise fine introduction to the birth of civilization in the ancient Middle East. Suitable for both high schools with AP history programs and academic libraries (wishing to supplement their own regular or distance-ed courses), as well as public libraries serving adult learners, this is definitely recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)