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mikaylareads's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
A lot of very intestinal information is packed into this. Garrett is very passionate about the subject and speaks very clearly. He gives a lot of information in very little time but it also feels important - he does little rambling and when he does it's full of fun tidbits.
The only reason this isn't a 4 is because he felt too time constrained to truly give all the details and information he wanted.
The only reason this isn't a 4 is because he felt too time constrained to truly give all the details and information he wanted.
annelives's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this survey into Ancient Roman History. A really great lecturer!
I do wish though that the Julio-Claudian period was discussed more.
I do wish though that the Julio-Claudian period was discussed more.
matthewcpeck's review against another edition
4.0
Last year I took on Ancient Egypt; this year it's Rome. Next year? My search for a general, newbie-friendly history of the Roman Empire led me the audio version of this Great Courses selection, and it seems to be fine place to start. The late Garret Fagan is a compelling and dry-humored guide, and the whole course is never, ever boring – even when the subject is the structure of popular assemblies and voting blocs. Many of my preconceived notions of the time were, shall we say, decimated. My only disappointment derives from the broader, thematic shape that the course takes once the Imperial Period takes off, after the detailed chronology that precedes it. I realize that it might have taken another 23 hours to properly go through everything, but the shift in focus was still a bit jarring. Apart from that, it's a thorough, cohesive, and entertaining history of a civilization that seems at once so alien and so familiar.
nytephoenyx's review
informative
slow-paced
2.0
The Great Courses are hit or miss, not because of the quality of the information, but because of the listenability of the professors involved. I thought THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME was loaded with interesting information, but the professor seemed constantly pressed for time. Constant repetition of phrases like "we don't have time to go into that" or "that's a topic for another course" became monotonous.
This is a decent overview of Ancient Rome, particularly those interested in the military history of the civilization. Topics were skated over quickly, but if something interested me I could note it and dig deeper on my own. For the most part, the materials in chronological order, but there were a few lectures at the end where he went into broad overviews of a handful of culturally significant aspects of roman life. Each of these were in a single lecture - women, the Coliseum, Paganism, Christianity - before returning to the last handful of emperors.
All in all, this hasn't been my favorite. I could listen to the individual lectures, but nothing inspired me. And I'm deeply interested in ancient Rome, so I don't think it was the subject matter so much as it was the dismissive delivery. Definitely not my favorite.
This is a decent overview of Ancient Rome, particularly those interested in the military history of the civilization. Topics were skated over quickly, but if something interested me I could note it and dig deeper on my own. For the most part, the materials in chronological order, but there were a few lectures at the end where he went into broad overviews of a handful of culturally significant aspects of roman life. Each of these were in a single lecture - women, the Coliseum, Paganism, Christianity - before returning to the last handful of emperors.
All in all, this hasn't been my favorite. I could listen to the individual lectures, but nothing inspired me. And I'm deeply interested in ancient Rome, so I don't think it was the subject matter so much as it was the dismissive delivery. Definitely not my favorite.
bbnut45's review
4.0
This just was not as good as the other Great Courses. The speaker was not very exciting and if I heard "I could tell you but we don't have the time" again, I would go crazy!
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