LONG SHADOW OF THE ANCIENT GREEK WORLD

The title shadow must indeed stretch far, judging by the length of this lecture series—48 half-hour segments that recount the wars and politics of the contentious Greek city states from the 7th century BCE to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE. In this period and place grew democracy, the rule of law, and other seedlings of Western civilization. Professor Worthington glosses over the better-known scientific, cultural, and philosophical achievements. He effectively relates persons, places, and events to one another, thus giving his lectures a kind of evolutionary coherence. While his attempts at humor may fall flat, they nonetheless contribute to the production’s individuality and charm. So does his accent, an eccentric mix of British North Country and Australian dialects. Y.R. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]