Roman Civilization: Did you mean...?

EPISODE 3: EMPIRE OF THE MIND The final segment describes how Athens, at the height of her glory, engaged in a suicidal conflict with her greatest rival, Sparta. Through the eyes of Socrates, Athens' first philosopher, viewers see the tragic...

Part one of Dr. David Neiman's nine-part lecture outlines the rise of the earliest civilizations in the Near East geographically and with reference to the development of writing.

In the fifth part of his lecture, Dr. Neiman explains that as the writing system developed, the Sumerian and Akkadian civilizations start describing their world. The autobiography of the Akkadian King Sargon of Akkad is recounted.

Dr. Neiman continues his nine-part lecture, discussing the agricultural revolution that leads to a sedentary lifestyle for human beings and the growth of the first cities in the Tigris and Euphrates valley.

In part six of his nine part lecture on the Near East, Dr. Neiman discusses the importance of Sumer's influence on Egypt. Further, he details how the building of the temple towers, named "Ziggurat" lead to the development of the Egyptian...

EPISODE 2: GOLDEN AGE The second part recounts the Greeks' heroic victory against the mighty Persian empire through the life of Themistocles, one of Athens' greatest generals.The episode opens in 490 B.C. when tiny Athens prepares to safeguard...

In this third segment from Dr. David Neiman's lecture series, he describes how humans first developed the concept of the written word in Mesopotamia.

Dr. David Neiman discusses the development of hieroglyphs and the use of papyrus and ink in Egypt. Further, he describes how the Phoenicians revolutionized writing with the invention of the alphabet, and that even though the scribes resisted...

King Hammurabi of Babylon practices the art of diplomacy and war. In the second installment of lecture two, Dr. Neiman reads through the "Year List" which catalogs Hammurabi's accomplishments.

In the fourth part of his lecture, Dr. Neiman explains that writing is invented in the Mesopotamian region of Sumer. He describes that once a writing style is developed, literature flourishes. He then describes the first (probably) literary...