Includes biography of the author, a course scope, glossary, index and bibliographical references.

"This series of twenty-four lectures introduces the student to the work of Herodotus, the first Greek historian. We consider Herodotus` work in its cultural context, as a work of history, and as a literary achievement.
This first lecture sets the stage for the course by considering key issues of definition and terminology, including the definition of history; introducing Herodotus himself; and discussing the political organization of ancient Greece. The lecture provides context for the course by discussing important events that occurred during the late 5th and early 6th centuries B.C.E. The lecture closes by discussing the course`s format and approach.
Lectures two through five provide essential background and contextual information. Lecture two discusses the kinds of writing about the recent past that existed before Herodotus wrote and possible influences on him. This lecture analyzes Herodotus` opening sentence in close detail to demonstrate his creation of a new genre. Lecture three considers the importance of myth and oral tradition for Herodotus` work and lecture four looks at Homeric epic and its influence on Herodotus` choice of subject matter and organization for the Histories. In lecture five, we discuss the crucial 6th century intellectual movement known as the Ionian Enlightenment and its exploration of philosophical and scientific concepts of causation.
In lectures six and seven, we turn to the importance of Athens for Herodotus` thoughts and achievement. Lecture six sketches Athenian history through the 6th century, placing particular emphasis on those events that laid the groundwork for democracy. Lecture seven turns to the 5th century itself, Athens` "Golden Age, " and discusses the frequent "digressions" in the Histories, with special focus on the ethnographic and geographical digressions. In particular, we look at Herodotus` discussion of the Nile. Finally, the lecture discusses the work`s division into nine "books".
Lectures nine through eleven focus on Book I of the Histories and Herodotus` account of the beginnings of Greek-Asian enmity, in rationalized versions of famous Greek myths about the abductions of women. The lecture surveys some possible interpretations of this passage, then examines Herodotus`statement that he will begin his own account with the first barbarian he knows to have wronged the Greeks, Croesus of Lydia. Lecture ten continues out examination of Croesus, paying close attention to Herodotus` account of the Athenian sage Solon`s visit to Croesus` court. We see how Herodotus uses this encounter to underline his portrayal of the differences between Greeks and Asians. The lecture the discusses Herodotus` account of Croesus`downfall and notes this story`s structural and thematic affinities with Greek tragedy. Lecture eleven covers Herodotus` treatment of the man who conquered Croesus, Cyrus the Great of Persia. The lecture summarizes modern scholarship on ancient Persia and Cyrus, outlines the most important episodes of Cyrus` reign, and discusses the legendary account Herodotus gives of his birth and childhood.
Lecture twelve highlights Herodotus` longest "digression" his account of Egypt, which occupies the entire second book of the History. The lecture discusses Herodotus` treatment of the geography marvels, customs, and history of Egypt. We pay special attention to Herodotus` treatment of Egyptian religion, because he makes some of his most interesting and important statements about Greek theology and mythology here.
Lectures thirteen and fourteen resume the discussion of the beginnings of the Persian Empire. Lecture thirteen summarizes the career of Cyrus` son Cambyses and the ascension of his successor, Darius to the Persian throne. We look carefully at the famous "Constitutional Debate" over the best form of government, which Herodotus ascribes to the Persian Magi. The lecture also examines the Bisitun Inscription and compares its account of Darius` ascension to that of Herodotus` portrayal of the Scythians themselves and their origins, customs, and history. The lecture looks carefully at Herodotus` strange story in which the Scythians` ancestry is attributed to Heracles`mating with a snake-woman and discusses some of its possible implications. The lecture then summarizes modern historical and archaeological scholarship about the Scythians.
In lecture fifteen, we turn to an examination of Athens` great rival for hegemony in Greece, Sparta. The lecture discusses Sparta`s cultural and political history and the ways in which all elements of Spartan society were focused on militarism and the production of the best possible soldiers.
Lecture sixteen through nineteen discuss the Persian Wars themselves. In lecture sixteen, we consider the events leading up to the first invasion of Greece in 490 B.C.E. and the invasion itself. The lecture describes the Ionian Revolt of 499-494 B.C.E. , the role that Athens played in helping the rebellious Ionian cities, and Darius` consequent desire for vengeance against Athens. The lecture then turn to a discussion of the Battle of Marathon, in which the Athenians defeated Darius` troops. Lecture seventeen opens out discussion of the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480-479 B.C.E. The lecture summarizes the aftermath of Marathon and describes the ascension of Darius` son Xerxes and his decision to continue his father`s campaign against Greece. The lecture discusses Herodotus` description of the size and composition of Xerxes` army and compares Herodotus` figures to the views of modern historians. The lecture also details some of the narrative methods by which Herodotus focuses attention on the important symbolic or emotional elements of his account.
Lecture eighteen details Herodotus` accounts of two crucial battles: Thermopylae and Artemisium. These two battles took place simultaneously: Thermopylae, on land under the leadership of King Leonidas and Artemisium, at sea. The lecture concentrates on Herodotus` portrayal of the Spartan King Leonidas and of the famous epitaph that was written for the Spartan dead. In lecture nineteen, we turn to three more crucial battles, Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale, and to the final siege of Sestos in Ionia. The lecture concentrates on Herodotus` account of the events leading up to the Battle of Salamis. The lecture discusses the divergence between Herodotus` account and that of the "Troezen Decree" and the implications for our evaluation of Herodotus` accuracy. The lecture then looks quickly at the last two important battles of the Persian Wars, the Battles of Plataea and Mycale. Finally, the lecture discusses the Athenian siege of Sestos and the final chapters of the Histories.
Lectures twenty through twenty-two turn to interpretative issues. Lecture twenty discusses Herodotus` use of individuals and their actions as explanations for historical events. The lecture examines some of the types of individuals who recur throughout the Histories, such as the "wise advisor, " and notes how, in Herodotus` presentation the events of history are driven not by sweeping political or economic factors but by individuals. This lecture also examines Herodotus` treatment of whole peoples and nations and his statements about the importance of nomos (custom). Lecture twenty-one turns from human to divine causation, looking at Herodotus` treatment of gods, oracles, visions, and dreams. The lecture examines Herodotus` discussion of Heracles as an Egyptian god and argues that this shows the seriousness with which Herodotus view theological matters. The lecture then examines Herodotus` treatment of divine retribution in the Histories. Lecture twenty-two poses the question "history, literature, or both?" about Herodotus` work. The lecture discusses Herodotus` use of elements normally associated with literature, such as careful balancing of motifs and characters, recurrent themes, and the sense of an overall pattern in the work. W examine several of these elements through a discussion of Darius` and Xerxes` violations of physical and symbolic boundaries and the results of these violations. Finally, the lecture provides a careful reading of the final chapters of the Histories and addresses the question of whether Herodotus intended the work to end as it does.
Lecture twenty-three considers the political context in which Herodotus probably wrote the Histories. During the 420s B.C.E., Athens and Sparta were enemies in a conflict called the Peloponnesian War; the lecture summarized the most important events of the early years of that war. The lecture discusses the question of when Herodotus` work may have been published, then turns to the vexing question of Herodotus` attitude toward Athens. We consider whether Herodotus was pro-Athenian, pro-Spartan, or a nonpartisan who regretted the conflict of these two great cities. The lecture concludes by introducing Herodotus` successor, Thucydides, who wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.
The final lecture beings by considering some of the major differences between Thucydides` work and Herodotus` and discusses the degree to which the two historians` methodologies differ. We then turn to an examination of later writers` views of Herodotus, including the historian Plutarch`s statement that Herodotus was the "father of lies", not the "father of history", an idea that has its adherents even today. The lecture then discusses the partial rehabilitation of Herodotus` reputation in the Renaissance and the lowering of his prestige again in the 19th century. Finally, the lecture discusses the recognition of Herodotus` achievement that took place in the 20th century and his influence on genres other than history".

CONTENTS:
Disc 1
Lecture 1: Herodotus and History
Lecture 2: "Inquiry" and the Birth of History
Lecture 3: Myth, Legend and Oral Tradition
Lecture 4: Homeric Epic and the East-West Conflict
Lecture 5: The Ionian Enlightenment
Lecture 6: Athens in the Archaic Age
Disc 2
Lecture 7: Politics and Culture in Fifth-Century Athens
Lecture 8: Scope, Design and Organization of the Histories
Lecture 9: The Beginning of Conflict
Lecture 10: Croesus, Solon and Human Happiness
Lecture 11: Cyrus and the Foundation of the Persian Empire
Lecture 12: Herodotus' Account of Egypt
Disc 3

Lecture 13: The Ascension of Darius
Lecture 14: Darius and the Scythians
Lecture 15: Sparta and the Spartan Way of Life
Lecture 16: The Ionian Revolt and the Battle of Marathon
Lecture 17: Xerxes & the Threat to Greece
Lecture 18: The Battles of Thermopylae and Artemisium
Disc 4
Lecture 19: The Victory of Greece
Lecture 20: Persons, Personalities, and Peoples
Lecture 21: The Gods, Fate and the Supernatural
Lecture 22: History or Literature, or Both?
Lecture 23: Herodotus, the Peloponnesian War, and Thucydides
Lecture 24: Aftermath and Influence

"This series of twenty-four lectures introduces the student to the work of Herodotus, the first Greek historian. We consider Herodotus` work in its cultural context, as a work of history, and as a literary achievement.
This first lecture sets the stage for the course by considering key issues of definition and terminology, including the definition of history; introducing Herodotus himself; and discussing the political organization of ancient Greece. The lecture provides context for the course by discussing important events that occurred during the late 5th and early 6th centuries B.C.E. The lecture closes by discussing the course`s format and approach.
Lectures two through five provide essential background and contextual information. Lecture two discusses the kinds of writing about the recent past that existed before Herodotus wrote and possible influences on him. This lecture analyzes Herodotus` opening sentence in close detail to demonstrate his creation of a new genre. Lecture three considers the importance of myth and oral tradition for Herodotus` work and lecture four looks at Homeric epic and its influence on Herodotus` choice of subject matter and organization for the Histories. In lecture five, we discuss the crucial 6th century intellectual movement known as the Ionian Enlightenment and its exploration of philosophical and scientific concepts of causation.
In lectures six and seven, we turn to the importance of Athens for Herodotus` thoughts and achievement. Lecture six sketches Athenian history through the 6th century, placing particular emphasis on those events that laid the groundwork for democracy. Lecture seven turns to the 5th century itself, Athens` "Golden Age, " and discusses the frequent "digressions" in the Histories, with special focus on the ethnographic and geographical digressions. In particular, we look at Herodotus` discussion of the Nile. Finally, the lecture discusses the work`s division into nine "books".
Lectures nine through eleven focus on Book I of the Histories and Herodotus` account of the beginnings of Greek-Asian enmity, in rationalized versions of famous Greek myths about the abductions of women. The lecture surveys some possible interpretations of this passage, then examines Herodotus`statement that he will begin his own account with the first barbarian he knows to have wronged the Greeks, Croesus of Lydia. Lecture ten continues out examination of Croesus, paying close attention to Herodotus` account of the Athenian sage Solon`s visit to Croesus` court. We see how Herodotus uses this encounter to underline his portrayal of the differences between Greeks and Asians. The lecture the discusses Herodotus` account of Croesus`downfall and notes this story`s structural and thematic affinities with Greek tragedy. Lecture eleven covers Herodotus` treatment of the man who conquered Croesus, Cyrus the Great of Persia. The lecture summarizes modern scholarship on ancient Persia and Cyrus, outlines the most important episodes of Cyrus` reign, and discusses the legendary account Herodotus gives of his birth and childhood.
Lecture twelve highlights Herodotus` longest "digression" his account of Egypt, which occupies the entire second book of the History. The lecture discusses Herodotus` treatment of the geography marvels, customs, and history of Egypt. We pay special attention to Herodotus` treatment of Egyptian religion, because he makes some of his most interesting and important statements about Greek theology and mythology here.
Lectures thirteen and fourteen resume the discussion of the beginnings of the Persian Empire. Lecture thirteen summarizes the career of Cyrus` son Cambyses and the ascension of his successor, Darius to the Persian throne. We look carefully at the famous "Constitutional Debate" over the best form of government, which Herodotus ascribes to the Persian Magi. The lecture also examines the Bisitun Inscription and compares its account of Darius` ascension to that of Herodotus` portrayal of the Scythians themselves and their origins, customs, and history. The lecture looks carefully at Herodotus` strange story in which the Scythians` ancestry is attributed to Heracles`mating with a snake-woman and discusses some of its possible implications. The lecture then summarizes modern historical and archaeological scholarship about the Scythians.
In lecture fifteen, we turn to an examination of Athens` great rival for hegemony in Greece, Sparta. The lecture discusses Sparta`s cultural and political history and the ways in which all elements of Spartan society were focused on militarism and the production of the best possible soldiers.
Lecture sixteen through nineteen discuss the Persian Wars themselves. In lecture sixteen, we consider the events leading up to the first invasion of Greece in 490 B.C.E. and the invasion itself. The lecture describes the Ionian Revolt of 499-494 B.C.E. , the role that Athens played in helping the rebellious Ionian cities, and Darius` consequent desire for vengeance against Athens. The lecture then turn to a discussion of the Battle of Marathon, in which the Athenians defeated Darius` troops. Lecture seventeen opens out discussion of the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480-479 B.C.E. The lecture summarizes the aftermath of Marathon and describes the ascension of Darius` son Xerxes and his decision to continue his father`s campaign against Greece. The lecture discusses Herodotus` description of the size and composition of Xerxes` army and compares Herodotus` figures to the views of modern historians. The lecture also details some of the narrative methods by which Herodotus focuses attention on the important symbolic or emotional elements of his account.
Lecture eighteen details Herodotus` accounts of two crucial battles: Thermopylae and Artemisium. These two battles took place simultaneously: Thermopylae, on land under the leadership of King Leonidas and Artemisium, at sea. The lecture concentrates on Herodotus` portrayal of the Spartan King Leonidas and of the famous epitaph that was written for the Spartan dead. In lecture nineteen, we turn to three more crucial battles, Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale, and to the final siege of Sestos in Ionia. The lecture concentrates on Herodotus` account of the events leading up to the Battle of Salamis. The lecture discusses the divergence between Herodotus` account and that of the "Troezen Decree" and the implications for our evaluation of Herodotus` accuracy. The lecture then looks quickly at the last two important battles of the Persian Wars, the Battles of Plataea and Mycale. Finally, the lecture discusses the Athenian siege of Sestos and the final chapters of the Histories.
Lectures twenty through twenty-two turn to interpretative issues. Lecture twenty discusses Herodotus` use of individuals and their actions as explanations for historical events. The lecture examines some of the types of individuals who recur throughout the Histories, such as the "wise advisor, " and notes how, in Herodotus` presentation the events of history are driven not by sweeping political or economic factors but by individuals. This lecture also examines Herodotus` treatment of whole peoples and nations and his statements about the importance of nomos (custom). Lecture twenty-one turns from human to divine causation, looking at Herodotus` treatment of gods, oracles, visions, and dreams. The lecture examines Herodotus` discussion of Heracles as an Egyptian god and argues that this shows the seriousness with which Herodotus view theological matters. The lecture then examines Herodotus` treatment of divine retribution in the Histories. Lecture twenty-two poses the question "history, literature, or both?" about Herodotus` work. The lecture discusses Herodotus` use of elements normally associated with literature, such as careful balancing of motifs and characters, recurrent themes, and the sense of an overall pattern in the work. W examine several of these elements through a discussion of Darius` and Xerxes` violations of physical and symbolic boundaries and the results of these violations. Finally, the lecture provides a careful reading of the final chapters of the Histories and addresses the question of whether Herodotus intended the work to end as it does.
Lecture twenty-three considers the political context in which Herodotus probably wrote the Histories. During the 420s B.C.E., Athens and Sparta were enemies in a conflict called the Peloponnesian War; the lecture summarized the most important events of the early years of that war. The lecture discusses the question of when Herodotus` work may have been published, then turns to the vexing question of Herodotus` attitude toward Athens. We consider whether Herodotus was pro-Athenian, pro-Spartan, or a nonpartisan who regretted the conflict of these two great cities. The lecture concludes by introducing Herodotus` successor, Thucydides, who wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.
The final lecture beings by considering some of the major differences between Thucydides` work and Herodotus` and discusses the degree to which the two historians` methodologies differ. We then turn to an examination of later writers` views of Herodotus, including the historian Plutarch`s statement that Herodotus was the "father of lies", not the "father of history", an idea that has its adherents even today. The lecture then discusses the partial rehabilitation of Herodotus` reputation in the Renaissance and the lowering of his prestige again in the 19th century. Finally, the lecture discusses the recognition of Herodotus` achievement that took place in the 20th century and his influence on genres other than history".

DVD CONTENTS:

Disc 1
Lecture 1: Herodotus and History
Lecture 2: "Inquiry" and the Birth of History
Lecture 3: Myth, Legend and Oral Tradition
Lecture 4: Homeric Epic and the East-West Conflict
Lecture 5: The Ionian Enlightenment
Lecture 6: Athens in the Archaic Age

Disc 2
Lecture 7: Politics and Culture in Fifth-Century Athens
Lecture 8: Scope, Design and Organization of the Histories
Lecture 9: The Beginning of Conflict
Lecture 10: Croesus, Solon and Human Happiness
Lecture 11: Cyrus and the Foundation of the Persian Empire
Lecture 12: Herodotus' Account of Egypt

Disc 3
Lecture 13: The Ascension of Darius
Lecture 14: Darius and the Scythians
Lecture 15: Sparta and the Spartan Way of Life
Lecture 16: The Ionian Revolt and the Battle of Marathon
Lecture 17: Xerxes & the Threat to Greece
Lecture 18: The Battles of Thermopylae and Artemisium

Disc 4
Lecture 19: The Victory of Greece
Lecture 20: Persons, Personalities, and Peoples
Lecture 21: The Gods, Fate and the Supernatural
Lecture 22: History or Literature, or Both?
Lecture 23: Herodotus, the Peloponnesian War, and Thucydides
Lecture 24: Aftermath and Influence