The Rise of Greek Civilization
In The Rise of Greek Civilization, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles explains how the Greeks benefitted from the Phoenicians and transitioned from the dark ages to the foundation of a remarkable culture. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Ancient Worlds, an epic series with archaeologist and historian Richard Miles as he explores the roots of civilization from Mesopotamia to the fall of the Roman Empire.
Lesson Express
Q: What was special about the Cup of Nestor?
A: The Cup of Nestor features one of the earliest known examples of Greek writing, a poem scratched onto its side, using an alphabet.
Q: What did the Greeks borrow — and improve on — from the Phoenicians?
A: The Greeks borrowed the Phoenician alphabet and improved it by adding vowels, creating a system with 24 characters that made reading and writing easier.
Q: How did the Greeks use their alphabet?
A: The Greeks used their alphabet for diverse purposes, including writing philosophy, drama, poetry which contributed to their cultural and intellectual legacy, as well as practical tasks like recording cargo manifests.
More Like This
In Oppenheimer’s Atomic Bombs and the End of World War II, host Andrew Marr describes how J. Robert Oppenheimer developed the technology to end World War II with two atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Before the bombs were dropped, Oppenheimer calculated how to drop them to create the most damage. After the war was over, Oppenheimer felt conflicted about the creation of the bombs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Gandhi’s Campaign and the Fall of an Empire, host Andrew Marr details how Gandhi sent a letter to the Viceroy demanding freedom from British rule. When the letter was ignored, Gandhi began his campaign for Indian freedom. Inspired by the Boston Tea Party, and using the media to garner support, Gandhi engaged in protests that led to India’s independence. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In From Cowpox to a Smallpox Vaccine, host Andrew Marr introduces us to Edward Jenner, a young English doctor who was impacted by smallpox as a child. As an adult, he heard a rumor that people who catch cowpox were protected against smallpox. This sparked the idea for the first vaccine and produced a vaccine that would eradicate smallpox from the world, saving millions of lives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In The Death of Socrates, host Andrew Marr explains how Socrates was condemned to death for challenging authority and corrupting the youth of Athens. However, his ideas lived on long after he was forced to drink hemlock. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Oppenheimer’s Atomic Bombs and the End of World War II, host Andrew Marr describes how J. Robert Oppenheimer developed the technology to end World War II with two atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Before the bombs were dropped, Oppenheimer calculated how to drop them to create the most damage. After the war was over, Oppenheimer felt conflicted about the creation of the bombs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Gandhi’s Campaign and the Fall of an Empire, host Andrew Marr details how Gandhi sent a letter to the Viceroy demanding freedom from British rule. When the letter was ignored, Gandhi began his campaign for Indian freedom. Inspired by the Boston Tea Party, and using the media to garner support, Gandhi engaged in protests that led to India’s independence. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In From Cowpox to a Smallpox Vaccine, host Andrew Marr introduces us to Edward Jenner, a young English doctor who was impacted by smallpox as a child. As an adult, he heard a rumor that people who catch cowpox were protected against smallpox. This sparked the idea for the first vaccine and produced a vaccine that would eradicate smallpox from the world, saving millions of lives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In The Death of Socrates, host Andrew Marr explains how Socrates was condemned to death for challenging authority and corrupting the youth of Athens. However, his ideas lived on long after he was forced to drink hemlock. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.