TELEVISION

Rise of Rome

Series: Great Courses
4.7
(44)
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Episodes
24
Rating
TVPG
Year
2018
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

The Roman Republic was one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years. The Rise of Rome offers you the chance to find out what made this state so powerful.

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Episodes

1 to 3 of 24

1. The City on the Tiber

30m

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Begin with a simple question: "How did Rome become so powerful?" This core theme will run through much of this course. Here, Professor Aldrete considers the role of the city's geography and the republic's unique political structure, both of which allowed Rome to flourish.

2. The Monarchy and the Etruscans

30m

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The rise of Rome begins with a monarchy, though much of the city's early years are shrouded in mystery. Unpack some of the key myths, including the epic of Aeneas and the story of Romulus and Remus, to gain insight into the city's founding. Then reflect on neighboring civilizations such as the Etruscans.

3. Roman Values and Heroes

30m

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Tales and literature from early Rome give us only partial insight into factual history, but they give us great insight into Roman values - what the Romans themselves identified as qualities of ideal citizens. Examine how a few Roman heroes, like Mucius, Horatius, Lucretia, and others embody values of courage, resourcefulness, determination, and more.

4. The Early Republic and Rural Life

30m

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Witness the transition from the monarchy to the republic - a new era of government that would carry the city through half a millennium. Wade through the mythology and propaganda, as well as Roman historical sources such as the author Livy, to reconstruct how the transition happened, and what the new republic looked like.

5. The Constitution of the Roman Republic

30m

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One of the most lasting facets of the Roman Republic is its constitution, which inspired America's founding fathers, among others. Continue your exploration of the early republic with a look at its system of government and its different classes of people - citizens and noncitizens, patricians and plebeians, senators, soldiers, and more.

6. The Unification of the Italian Peninsula

30m

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What distinguished Rome from neighboring city-states was the republic's dogged persistence in matters of war. Watch as the Romans conquered neighboring territories to gain control of the entire Italian peninsula - and witness defeats against the Gauls to the north and the Greeks to the east. See how the Romans treated those it conquered.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

Gregory S. Aldretewriter
Gregory S. Aldreteactor

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