This playlist presents a structured course on Greek history from roughly 700 BC to AD 500, covering the emergence, development, transformation, and eventual absorption of the Greek world into the Roman Empire.
The course does not idealise Greek civilisation. Instead, it examines the Greeks as they actually were: politically fragmented, often violent, deeply unequal, and frequently brutal. Women were excluded from public life, slavery was central to the economy, and violence against children was institutionalised.
At the same time, Greek civilisation produced forms of thought and expression that continue to shape the modern world, including philosophy, history, mathematics, science, realistic art, and political argument.
Each lecture in the course focuses on a major theme or period. Individual lectures are divided into shorter sections for clarity and accessibility.
The series is intended for students, teachers, and serious general readers who want a historically grounded account of Greek civilisation without romanticism or modern sentimentality.
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