Listen free for 30 days
-
Athens
- A History
- Narrated by: Mark Elstob
- Length: 19 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: History, Ancient History
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £29.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Persians
- The Age of the Great Kings
- By: Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
- Narrated by: Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
- Length: 18 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Our understanding of the Persian Empire has traditionally come from the histories of Greek writers such as Herodotus—and as such, over many centuries, our perspective has been skewed by ancient political and cultural agendas. Professor Llewellyn-Jones, however, calls upon original Achaemenid sources, including inscriptions, art and recent archaeological discoveries in Iran, to create an authentic 'Persian Version' of this remarkable first great empire of antiquity—the Age of the Great Kings.
-
-
Fascinating new history of ancient Persia
- By HistoryLover on 01-05-22
-
The History of the Peloponnesian War
- By: Thucydides
- Narrated by: Mike Rogers
- Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The rivalry between two of the dominant city states of Ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta, erupted into a war lasting nearly 30 years and was to have a dramatic effect on the balance of power in the area. Between 431 and 404 BCE, the two cities battled it out on land and sea, aided by their alliances with neighbouring states: Athens’ Delian League vigorously opposed Sparta’s Peloponnesian League in a conflict which effectively involved the whole region.
-
The Histories
- Penguin Classics
- By: Herodotus, Tom Holland - translator
- Narrated by: Frank Laverty
- Length: 27 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Histories of Herodotus, completed in the second half of the fifth century BC, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of non-fiction writing. Joined here are the sheer drama of Herodotus' narrative of the Persian invasions of Greece, and the endless curiosity - turning now to cannabis, now to the Pyramids - which make his book the source of so much of our knowledge of the ancient world.
-
-
Narrated in Irish not in English
- By Anonymous User on 15-07-21
-
The Colour of Magic
- Discworld, Book 1
- By: Terry Pratchett
- Narrated by: Nigel Planer
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Colour of Magic, the first novel in Terry Pratchett's wildly imaginative Discworld series, takes the listener on a remarkable journey. The magical planet of Discworld is supported by four massive elephants who stand on the back of the Great A'Tuin, a giant turtle swimming slowly through the mysterious interstellar gulf. An eccentric expedition sets out to explore the planet, encountering dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and, of course, 'The Edge' of the planet.
-
-
Sub standard
- By Gillian Morgan on 23-11-16
-
The Making of Oliver Cromwell
- By: Ronald Hutton
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) - the only English commoner to become the overall head of state - is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell's speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria, and, for those seeking to understand him, he has usually been taken at his word. In this remarkable new work, Ronald Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction.
-
-
With God in his side
- By Rachel Redford on 20-09-21
-
Egypt, Greece and Rome
- Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean
- By: Charles Freeman
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 32 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long sources of mystery, imagination, and inspiration, the myths and history of the ancient Mediterranean have given rise to artistic, religious, cultural, and intellectual traditions that span the centuries. In this unique and comprehensive introduction to the region's three major civilizations, Egypt, Greece, and Rome draws a fascinating picture of the deep links between the cultures across the Mediterranean and explores the ways in which these civilizations continue to be influential to this day.
-
-
Great content poor choice of narrator
- By M N R on 03-01-19
-
Persians
- The Age of the Great Kings
- By: Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
- Narrated by: Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
- Length: 18 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Our understanding of the Persian Empire has traditionally come from the histories of Greek writers such as Herodotus—and as such, over many centuries, our perspective has been skewed by ancient political and cultural agendas. Professor Llewellyn-Jones, however, calls upon original Achaemenid sources, including inscriptions, art and recent archaeological discoveries in Iran, to create an authentic 'Persian Version' of this remarkable first great empire of antiquity—the Age of the Great Kings.
-
-
Fascinating new history of ancient Persia
- By HistoryLover on 01-05-22
-
The History of the Peloponnesian War
- By: Thucydides
- Narrated by: Mike Rogers
- Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The rivalry between two of the dominant city states of Ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta, erupted into a war lasting nearly 30 years and was to have a dramatic effect on the balance of power in the area. Between 431 and 404 BCE, the two cities battled it out on land and sea, aided by their alliances with neighbouring states: Athens’ Delian League vigorously opposed Sparta’s Peloponnesian League in a conflict which effectively involved the whole region.
-
The Histories
- Penguin Classics
- By: Herodotus, Tom Holland - translator
- Narrated by: Frank Laverty
- Length: 27 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Histories of Herodotus, completed in the second half of the fifth century BC, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of non-fiction writing. Joined here are the sheer drama of Herodotus' narrative of the Persian invasions of Greece, and the endless curiosity - turning now to cannabis, now to the Pyramids - which make his book the source of so much of our knowledge of the ancient world.
-
-
Narrated in Irish not in English
- By Anonymous User on 15-07-21
-
The Colour of Magic
- Discworld, Book 1
- By: Terry Pratchett
- Narrated by: Nigel Planer
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Colour of Magic, the first novel in Terry Pratchett's wildly imaginative Discworld series, takes the listener on a remarkable journey. The magical planet of Discworld is supported by four massive elephants who stand on the back of the Great A'Tuin, a giant turtle swimming slowly through the mysterious interstellar gulf. An eccentric expedition sets out to explore the planet, encountering dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and, of course, 'The Edge' of the planet.
-
-
Sub standard
- By Gillian Morgan on 23-11-16
-
The Making of Oliver Cromwell
- By: Ronald Hutton
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) - the only English commoner to become the overall head of state - is one of the great figures of history, but his character was very complex. He was at once courageous and devout, devious and self-serving; as a parliamentarian, he was devoted to his cause; as a soldier, he was ruthless. Cromwell's speeches and writings surpass in quantity those of any other ruler of England before Victoria, and, for those seeking to understand him, he has usually been taken at his word. In this remarkable new work, Ronald Hutton untangles the facts from the fiction.
-
-
With God in his side
- By Rachel Redford on 20-09-21
-
Egypt, Greece and Rome
- Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean
- By: Charles Freeman
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 32 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long sources of mystery, imagination, and inspiration, the myths and history of the ancient Mediterranean have given rise to artistic, religious, cultural, and intellectual traditions that span the centuries. In this unique and comprehensive introduction to the region's three major civilizations, Egypt, Greece, and Rome draws a fascinating picture of the deep links between the cultures across the Mediterranean and explores the ways in which these civilizations continue to be influential to this day.
-
-
Great content poor choice of narrator
- By M N R on 03-01-19
-
The Odyssey
- By: Homer, Emily Wilson - translator
- Narrated by: Claire Danes
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed actress Claire Danes burnishes an epic story of heroes, gods, and monsters in a groundbreaking translation of The Odyssey, the first great adventure story in the Western literary tradition. When the wily warrior-king Odysseus sets off for home after the Trojan War, he doesn’t realize this simple undertaking will become a perilous journey of 10 years. Beset at every turn, he encounters obstacles, detours, and temptations—both supernatural and human—while his wife Penelope fends off would-be suitors desperate to take the throne.
-
-
Line by Line Translation of Homer's Odyssey
- By IM1 on 28-11-18
-
Greece and Rome: An Integrated History of the Ancient Mediterranean
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 18 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Integrated approaches to teaching Greek and Roman history are a rarity in academia. Most scholars are historians of either Greek or Roman history and perform research solely in that specific field, an approach that author and award-winning Professor Robert Garland considers questionable.In these 36 passionate lectures, he provides and impressive and rare opportunity to understand the two dominant cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world in relation to one another-a relationship that has virtually no parallel in world history.
-
-
Good but hard as a pure audio book
- By Iain G. on 01-02-19
-
The Last Great War of Antiquity
- By: James Howard-Johnston
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 20 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The last and longest war of classical antiquity was fought in the early seventh century. It was ideologically charged and fought along the full length of the Persian-Roman frontier, drawing in all the available resources and great powers of the steppe world. The conflict raged on an unprecedented scale, and its end brought the classical phase of history to a close. Despite all this, it has left a conspicuous gap in the history of warfare. This book aims to finally fill that gap.
-
-
A Superb History of a Monumental Conflict
- By Connor Sampson on 29-06-22
-
Powers and Thrones
- A New History of the Middle Ages
- By: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: Dan Jones
- Length: 24 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the best-selling author of The Templars, Dan Jones' epic new history tells nothing less than the story of how the world we know today came to be built. Across 16 chapters, blending Dan Jones' trademark gripping narrative style with authoritative analysis, Powers and Thrones shows how, at each stage in this story, successive Western powers thrived by attracting - or stealing - the most valuable resources, ideas and people from the rest of the world.
-
-
A stunning recounting of the past (and probable lesson for the future)
- By Myh on 10-10-21
-
The Greek World
- A Study of History and Culture
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert Garland
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ancient Greeks, more than any other early culture, have given us the template for Western civilization, as seen in their superlative achievements in the fields of architecture, political theory, philosophy, science, and art - not the least of which are their inventions of democracy and drama. In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Garland guides you in a richly illuminating exploration of what the ancient Greeks have given us, and why they’re still important to us today.
-
-
Magisterial
- By Michele Zanobini on 15-10-20
-
Thebes
- The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece
- By: Paul Cartledge
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Continuously inhabited for five millennia and at one point the most powerful city in ancient Greece, Thebes has been overshadowed by its better-known rivals, Athens and Sparta. According to myth, the city was founded when Kadmos sowed dragon’s teeth into the ground and warriors sprang forth, ready not only to build the fledgling city but to defend it from all-comers. It was Hercules’ birthplace and the home of the Sphinx, whose riddle Oedipus solved, winning the Theban crown and the king’s widow in marriage, little knowing that the widow was his mother, Jocasta.
-
-
Excellent general account, poor reading
- By Arkhidamos on 22-11-20
-
The King in the North
- The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria
- By: Max Adams
- Narrated by: Hamilton McLeod
- Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The magisterial biography of Oswald Whiteblade, exiled prince of Northumbria, who returned in blood and glory to reclaim his birthright. A charismatic leader, a warrior whose prowess in battle earned him the epithet Whiteblade, an exiled prince who returned to claim his birthright, the inspiration for Tolkien's Aragorn. Oswald of Northumbria was the first great English monarch, yet today this legendary figure is all but forgotten.
-
-
Great book but really annoying narration
- By Ms N York on 29-12-20
-
The "Hitler Myth"
- Image and Reality in the Third Reich
- By: Ian Kershaw
- Narrated by: George Cunningham
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few, if any, 20th-century political leaders have enjoyed greater popularity among their own people than Hitler did in the decade or so following his rise to power in 1933. The personality of Hitler himself, however, can scarcely explain this immense popularity or his political effectiveness in the 1930s and '40s. His hold over the German people lay rather in the hopes and perceptions of the millions who adored him. Based largely on the reports of government officials, party agencies, and political opponents, Kershaw's study charts the creation, growth, and decline of the Hitler myth.
-
-
What's new to say about Hitler
- By Ed berns on 26-07-21
-
The Hitler Conspiracies
- The Third Reich and the Paranoid Imagination
- By: Richard J. Evans
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The idea that nothing happens by chance in history, that nothing is quite what it seems to be at first sight, that everything is the result of the secret machinations of malign groups of people manipulating everything from behind the scenes - these notions are as old as history itself. But conspiracy theories are becoming more popular and more widespread in the 21st century. Nowhere have they become more obvious than in revisionist accounts of the history of the Third Reich.
-
-
Interesting book, very informative on Fake History
- By osheaf01 on 10-06-21
-
Athenian Democracy: An Experiment for the Ages
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert Garland PhD University College London
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roughly 2,500 years ago, the Athenian people established a radical democracy in which power derived from the votes of everyday citizens. At a time when local governments ranged from oligarchy to tyranny, the elite classes of Athens gradually ceded power to the inexperienced masses, whose votes served as referendums for everything from taxation to war to welfare. The sequence of events that led to this development is astonishing, and the society that flourished under Athenian democracy is one of the greatest - even if greatly flawed - achievements in world history.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Cristina on 02-01-20
-
24 Hours in Ancient China
- By: Yijie Zhuyang
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Travel back to AD 17, during the fourth year of the reign of Wang Mang of the Han dynasty, a vibrant and innovative era full of conflicts and contradictions. But as different as the Han culture might have been to other great ancient civilisations, the inhabitants of ancient China faced the same problems as people have for time immemorial: earning enough money, coping with workplace dramas and keeping your home in order.
-
-
very exciting
- By ReddSha on 30-12-20
-
World War Two: Behind Closed Doors
- Stalin, the Nazis and the West
- By: Laurence Rees
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If the end of the war was supposed to have brought 'freedom' to countries that suffered under Nazi occupation, then for millions it did not really end until the fall of communism. In the summer of 1945 many of the countries in Eastern Europe simply swapped the rule of one tyrant, Adolf Hitler, for that of another: Joseph Stalin. Why this happened has remained one of the most troubling questions of the entire conflict and is at the heart of Laurence Rees' dramatic book.
Summary
A sweeping history of Athens, telling the 3,000-year story of the birthplace of Western civilisation.
Even on the most smog-bound of days, the rocky outcrop on which the Acropolis stands is visible above the sprawling roofscape of the Greek capital. Athens presents one of the most recognisable and symbolically freighted panoramas of any of the world's cities: the pillars and pediments of the Parthenon - the temple dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, that crowns the Acropolis - dominate a city whose name is synonymous for many with civilization itself.
It is hard not to feel the hand of history in such a place. The birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy and theatre, Athens' importance cannot be understated. Few cities have enjoyed a history so rich in artistic creativity and the making of ideas, or one so curiously patterned by alternating cycles of turbulence and quietness. From the legal reforms of the lawmaker Solon in the sixth century BCE to the travails of early 21st-century Athens, as it struggles with the legacy of the economic crises of the 2000s, Clark brings the city's history to life, evoking its cultural richness and political resonance in this epic, kaleidoscopic history.