The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World

By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Garland

Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.

The past truly comes alive as you take a series of imaginative leaps into the world of history's anonymous citizens, people such as a Greek soldier marching into battle in the front row of a phalanx; an Egyptian woman putting on makeup before attending an evening party with her husband; a Greek citizen relaxing at a drinking party with the likes of Socrates; a Roman slave captured in war and sent to work in the mines; and a Celtic monk scurrying away with the Book of Kells during a Viking invasion.

Put yourself in the sandals of ordinary people and discover what it was like to be among history's 99%. What did these everyday people do for a living? What was their home like? What did they eat? What did they wear? What did they do to relax? What were their beliefs about marriage? Religion? The afterlife?

This extraordinary journey takes you across space and time in an effort to be another person - someone with whom you might not think you have anything at all in common - and come away with an incredible sense of interconnectedness. You'll see the range of possibilities of what it means to be human, making this a journey very much worth taking.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Ancient Western Civilizations maybe

This lecture series was every bit as good as the to Western Civilization courses that I took at Miami University.

Overall Interesting

I enjoyed the information on the lives of the poor and average individuals throughout history.

Sometimes the details were sparse and not very vivid (which was disappointing), other times a fuller picture was portrayed. A lot of that depended on the information and details available, remembering that the underclasses were largely ignored in writings and literature and histories.

I appreciated that the author was clear in what was 'known' and what is 'conjecture' throughout the lectures as he pieced the stories together.

A Must for History Lovers

The vast majority of all of human kind both past and even present are those people who make up "the other side of history". Dr. Garland gives an excellent perspective on the common people's daily lives. He makes their stories accessible to the modern day person and even tells us how he and other historians have come to these conclusions about their daily lives. all 48 lectures do a great job of giving us a glimpse into our ancestors past and he even ties it altogether with us in the modern age in his final lecture.

If I had any complaint it would be that the lectures are really only focused on the "Western World" but at 48 lectures as it is I can understand partly why and given Dr. Garland's expertise in this particular field.

I have listened to many of the Great Courses and to date this is by far my favorite. If you are interested in history this is a must listen.

Interesting but narrator detracts.

This is an interesting lecture series. It is unfortunate that the author has such a staccato manner of speaking. His homophobic beliefs are obvious and insulting to many but if one can put aside his prejudice, the material is good. He certainly is not misogynistic.

The clapping (canned) and music between each lecture is an absolute pain. WHY was this necessary?

I won't buy another by this lecturer, his manner and narration preclude this. But if you can ignore all that, listen to it.

Easily Five Stars !

Would you consider the audio edition of The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World to be better than the print version?

No - the presentation by the professor is outstanding and that would be missing from the book. However a book on the same topic would be interesting in its own right.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World?

One of the theme throughout the whole 48 lesson course was how the common people were remarkably similar in that they shared the same hardships and threats throughout history. Indeed history does seem to repeat itself.

Which scene was your favorite?

There really aren't any scenes as course in the great course series -

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Again this course could never be made into a film.

Any additional comments?

Your can tell that this was a labor of love by Professor Garland whose knowledge and passion for the subject bring alive an insight to the other side of history, that of the common people. His presentation is perfectly pitched to provide interesting education together with that spark which brings to life his subject. This is only the second in the Great Courses series where I have awarded 5 stars and I don't do so lightly - all 48 lectures were a truly enjoyable experience.

Incredible, one-of-a-kind course

This is a truly original audiobook course which delves into the lives of "ordinary people" throughout prehistoric, ancient and medieval history.

The professor states at the outset that this very course is his life's passion, and you can really tell that he's not lying.

The course brilliantly focuses only on common folks and eschews dwelling on grand historical figures who we all know by name. Garland takes careful steps to put you in the shoes of the people he is talking about, discussing the subtleties around lifestyle customs which we might otherwise find abhorrent, but which Garland takes special care to not blindly criticize.

Why Weren't My Professors This Interesting?

What did you love best about The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World?

I am about 2/3 of the way through this audiobook and have found it to be extremely interesting throughout. I look forward to listening every day.

What other book might you compare The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World to and why?

I am not familiar with any similar books. Perhaps some of the Feynman lectures could be a rough comparison. Think back to a professor whose class was enjoyable to attend, with lectures that were fluid, who could effortlessly recall interesting facts. From my perspective, this is a more reasonable analogy than any other books with which I am familiar.

What does Professor Robert Garland bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The overall experience is much more interesting, and the words are pronounced much more precisely by Professor Garland than my "inner voice" if I had read the book myself. Also, I can safely drive while listening. I cannot say the same for reading a book. :)

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My extreme reaction is two-fold: 1) Wow, it is good to live in the present! 2) The ancients were really not that much different than us. Obviously general cultural and societal expectations were a bit different, but not as much as I had expected.

Really interesting!

I so enjoyed the glimpses into the daily lives of so many cultural groups in history. My take-away insights include a deep sense of gratitude for how well I have it in this century, and the realization that, as a woman, I would have been imprisoned, raped, tortured, burned at the stake, or fed to lions (if I even made it to adulthood) for thinking, acting, and believing the way I do today. This Great Course is definitely worth a listen!

Awesome

The lecturer is one of my favorites in the the great courses and the look into everyday life was a refreshing change from big names and events.

Excellent Course

Dr Garland does an excellent job of bringing to life the everyday struggles and experiences of ancient peoples in a course that is fascinating and very thorough, covering the day-to-day experiences of people at every level of the ancient societies he covers.

He presents the material with enthusiasm, humility, and a deep respect for the people he speaks about.

I previously listened to his integrated history course on Greece and Rome which I also really enjoyed and strongly recommend.

I hope to see more courses from Dr Garland in the future!