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The Great Courses
The History of Ancient Egypt - Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4
(48 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)
Course Lecture Titles
1. Introduction
2. Prehistoric Egypt
3. Ancient Egyptian Thought
4. Napoleon and the Beginnings of Egyptology
5. The Rosetta Stone, and Much More
6. The First Nation in History
7. The Rise of the Old Kingdom
8. Sneferu, the Pyramid Builder
9. The Great Pyramid of Giza
10. The End of the Old Kingdom
11. The First Intermediate Period
12. The Middle KingdomDynasty XI
13. The Middle KingdomDynasty XII
14. The Second Intermediate Period
15. Joseph in Egypt
16. The Beginning of the New KingdomThe Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty
17. Queen Hatshepsut
18. Obelisks
19. Tuthmosis IIIKing At Last
20. The Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty Rolls On
21. Akhenaten the Heretic Pharaoh
22. The Discovery of Tutankhamen's Tomb
23. The Murder of TutankhamenA Theory
24. MedicineThe Necessary Art
25. The End of Dynasty XVIII
26. MummificationHow We Know What We Know
27. What Mummies Tell Us
28. Making a Modern Mummy
29. Dynasty XIX Begins
30. Ramses the GreatThe Early Years
31. Ramses the GreatThe Later Years
32. The ExodusDid It Happen?
33. The Decline of Dynasty XIX
34. Dynasty XXThe Decline Continues
35. Ancient Egyptian Magic
36. Dynasty XXIEgypt Divided
37. Dynasty XXIIEgypt United
38. Dynasty XXVThe Nubians Have Their Day
39. Dynasty XXVIThe Saite Period
40. Dynasty XXVIIThe Persians
41. Dynasties XXVIII to XXXIThe Beginning of the End
42. Alexander the Great
43. The First Ptolemies
44. The Middle PtolemiesThe Decline
45. Animal Mummies
46. Cleopatra's Family
47. CleopatraThe Last Ptolemy
48. The Grand Finale
Course Lecture Titles
1. Introduction
2. Prehistoric Egypt
3. Ancient Egyptian Thought
4. Napoleon and the Beginnings of Egyptology
5. The Rosetta Stone, and Much More
6. The First Nation in History
7. The Rise of the Old Kingdom
8. Sneferu, the Pyramid Builder
9. The Great Pyramid of Giza
10. The End of the Old Kingdom
11. The First Intermediate Period
12. The Middle KingdomDynasty XI
13. The Middle KingdomDynasty XII
14. The Second Intermediate Period
15. Joseph in Egypt
16. The Beginning of the New KingdomThe Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty
17. Queen Hatshepsut
18. Obelisks
19. Tuthmosis IIIKing At Last
20. The Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty Rolls On
21. Akhenaten the Heretic Pharaoh
22. The Discovery of Tutankhamen's Tomb
23. The Murder of TutankhamenA Theory
24. MedicineThe Necessary Art
25. The End of Dynasty XVIII
26. MummificationHow We Know What We Know
27. What Mummies Tell Us
28. Making a Modern Mummy
29. Dynasty XIX Begins
30. Ramses the GreatThe Early Years
31. Ramses the GreatThe Later Years
32. The ExodusDid It Happen?
33. The Decline of Dynasty XIX
34. Dynasty XXThe Decline Continues
35. Ancient Egyptian Magic
36. Dynasty XXIEgypt Divided
37. Dynasty XXIIEgypt United
38. Dynasty XXVThe Nubians Have Their Day
39. Dynasty XXVIThe Saite Period
40. Dynasty XXVIIThe Persians
41. Dynasties XXVIII to XXXIThe Beginning of the End
42. Alexander the Great
43. The First Ptolemies
44. The Middle PtolemiesThe Decline
45. Animal Mummies
46. Cleopatra's Family
47. CleopatraThe Last Ptolemy
48. The Grand Finale
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1999
140 people are currently reading
1750 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 326 reviews
August 8, 2024
I feel super smart now.
Don't worry, I'm still me - my dumbassery knows no bounds.
Now, this a fairly long lecture, clocking in at 24 hours and 25 minutes, and you really get your money's worth out of every minute.
I'm not even going to try to go into all the things I learned, but I thought I'd hit some of the fun highlights.
Did you know that Ramesses the Great's mummy was growing fungi due to the initial neglect?
Nobody thought of the mummies as a treasure at first and just sort of stuffed them in the back rooms of museums.
The two easiest ways to get rid of the fungi would have been to freeze it or heat it up, but they couldn't do that because it would have damaged the mummy.
So to save him, they used gamma radiation.
YES.
And that, kids, is the true story of how Ramesses the Great became The Incredible Hulk.
Did you know the Egyptians never lost a battle?
Ok, not really.
But they were big believers in writing, re-writing (re-chiseling?), and leaving out anything they didn't feel made them look good when it came to their own history.
I'm thinking that's something that I need to do when I write my (much anticipated) autobiography.
Did you know that the scene in Fantasia with Mickey Mouse as the sorcerer's apprentice is based on an ancient Egyptian story about a magician who tries to get his brooms to fetch water?
So much for the older generations not being lazy.
Two miles uphill both ways in the snow, my ass...
Did you know that the ancient Egyptians gave colicky babies ground up poppy?
A little dab of opium will do you, dear.
GENIUS! <--where was this when I needed it?
Also, it is entirely worth listening to all 24 hours of this just to hear him pronounce the word "trauma" over and over again in his adorable little New York accent during one of the lectures.
TROW-MAH.
The bottom line was I really enjoyed the way Bob Brier taught this subject.
He's enthusiastic about Egyptology and lets you know up front that his goal isn't to cover everything but to spur you on to want to learn more. He's got a good sense of humor and speaks in a way that someone without a degree can understand.
Highly Recommended.
For those of you who have it, this one is included in your Audible membership.
Don't worry, I'm still me - my dumbassery knows no bounds.
Now, this a fairly long lecture, clocking in at 24 hours and 25 minutes, and you really get your money's worth out of every minute.
I'm not even going to try to go into all the things I learned, but I thought I'd hit some of the fun highlights.
Did you know that Ramesses the Great's mummy was growing fungi due to the initial neglect?
Nobody thought of the mummies as a treasure at first and just sort of stuffed them in the back rooms of museums.
The two easiest ways to get rid of the fungi would have been to freeze it or heat it up, but they couldn't do that because it would have damaged the mummy.
So to save him, they used gamma radiation.
YES.
And that, kids, is the true story of how Ramesses the Great became The Incredible Hulk.
Did you know the Egyptians never lost a battle?
Ok, not really.
But they were big believers in writing, re-writing (re-chiseling?), and leaving out anything they didn't feel made them look good when it came to their own history.
I'm thinking that's something that I need to do when I write my (much anticipated) autobiography.
Did you know that the scene in Fantasia with Mickey Mouse as the sorcerer's apprentice is based on an ancient Egyptian story about a magician who tries to get his brooms to fetch water?
So much for the older generations not being lazy.
Two miles uphill both ways in the snow, my ass...
Did you know that the ancient Egyptians gave colicky babies ground up poppy?
A little dab of opium will do you, dear.
GENIUS! <--where was this when I needed it?
Also, it is entirely worth listening to all 24 hours of this just to hear him pronounce the word "trauma" over and over again in his adorable little New York accent during one of the lectures.
TROW-MAH.
The bottom line was I really enjoyed the way Bob Brier taught this subject.
He's enthusiastic about Egyptology and lets you know up front that his goal isn't to cover everything but to spur you on to want to learn more. He's got a good sense of humor and speaks in a way that someone without a degree can understand.
Highly Recommended.
For those of you who have it, this one is included in your Audible membership.
August 1, 2022
I am someone who loves to read history, especially Egyptian history. This audiobook contains 48 lectures by Bob Brier. He describes everything about Egyptian civilization, including all the dynasties.
He tries to find out how mummies were made many years ago. He also discusses the building of the Pyramids and the treasures hidden within them.
All the great philosophers during the Egyptian civilization are dealt with in detail here. Descriptions about Mummy in the literature and the popular movies are done in an entertaining and informative way.
These lectures about ancient Egypt by Bob Brier might be a little vast, but they still are one of the best in this series.
November 7, 2020
Ancient Egypt, like dinosaur bones and outer space, is one of those things which seem to attract universal curiosity. It certainly did in my case. I remember visiting the Egyptian section in the Met, as a young boy, and marveling over the mummies and the massive sarcophagi, the mysterious hieroglyphs and monumental statues.
There is something curiously foreign, even inhuman, about Egyptian artifacts. For one, they are old beyond anything we are accustomed to think about. To cite one oft-repeated fact, there is more time between construction the Great Pyramid and the life of Julius Caesar, than between Julius Caesar and our own time. Even ancient history seems like yesterday by comparison. Aside from mere time, Egypt’s culture is strikingly unlike our own. God-kings who marry their sisters to keep the blood-line pure, mummified bodies interred in graves full of gold, jackal-headed gods and hieroglyphic script—it is alien indeed.
Yet it is beautiful. Egyptian art is undoubtedly one of the great art traditions in the world—as anyone knows who has examined the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin, the seated scribe in Paris, or the statue of Hatshepsut in New York. It is a unified and coherent aesthetic, permeating everything from the smallest objects to the greatest temples, and lasting for thousands of years with only minor change. Even if it is enchanting, however, the art of Egypt also evokes this sensation of distance. Every image is so stylized, every human form is so rigid and unrealistic, every aesthetic choice pre-determined by tradition, that it is difficult to get a sense of real people behind these objects.
This sense of distance, of foreignness, of mystery, is what makes Egypt so exciting to study. (It is also why people talk about ancient aliens.) And Bob Brier is an ideal guide. I have never loved anything or anyone as much as Brier loves Egypt. This enthusiasm is infectious, and makes his series of lectures a real pleasure. He describes how he climbed into the Bent Pyramid—an early, failed attempt to create a pyramid—and how he traveled to the turquoise mines used by Egyptians themselves. He narrates Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt and explains how the Rosetta Stone was translated. He even describes in detail how to make a mummy—and he should know, since he made one himself.
Apart from these entertaining asides, Brier takes the listener through the whole history of Ancient Egypt, from prehistory to the death of Cleopatra. It is a fascinating story, and Brier is a wonderful storyteller. A lifelong resident of the Bronx, his verbal mannerisms may remind one—pleasantly or unpleasantly—of the man in the White House; yet he knows how to dramatize the relevant details enough to make them effortlessly stick in the memory. His love of a good story does lead him astray, at times. For my part, his two lectures on the Biblical stories, Joseph and Exodus, were somewhat too credulous of their veracity. He is similarly generous when it comes to Herodotus. And his theory of Tutankhamun’s murder has now been disproven.
Aside from these mild criticisms, I should note that the series does show its age. A lot has happened in the world of Egyptology since this series was recorded, in 1999, notably the advances in DNA and medical technology which allow us to know more about the lives of Egyptians. For example, we now know far more about Tutankhamun’s many physical ailments, and we also know that he was not the son of Nefertiti.
Nevertheless, these lectures remain a wonderful introduction to the times. I cannot emphasize enough how enjoyable they are. They convert you into an Egypt fanatic. Now I want teach myself hieroglyphics and to go to Egypt myself. It must be incredible to see all of this in person. For now, however, I will have to be content with Brier’s virtual tour and whatever museums I can visit.
There is something curiously foreign, even inhuman, about Egyptian artifacts. For one, they are old beyond anything we are accustomed to think about. To cite one oft-repeated fact, there is more time between construction the Great Pyramid and the life of Julius Caesar, than between Julius Caesar and our own time. Even ancient history seems like yesterday by comparison. Aside from mere time, Egypt’s culture is strikingly unlike our own. God-kings who marry their sisters to keep the blood-line pure, mummified bodies interred in graves full of gold, jackal-headed gods and hieroglyphic script—it is alien indeed.
Yet it is beautiful. Egyptian art is undoubtedly one of the great art traditions in the world—as anyone knows who has examined the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin, the seated scribe in Paris, or the statue of Hatshepsut in New York. It is a unified and coherent aesthetic, permeating everything from the smallest objects to the greatest temples, and lasting for thousands of years with only minor change. Even if it is enchanting, however, the art of Egypt also evokes this sensation of distance. Every image is so stylized, every human form is so rigid and unrealistic, every aesthetic choice pre-determined by tradition, that it is difficult to get a sense of real people behind these objects.
This sense of distance, of foreignness, of mystery, is what makes Egypt so exciting to study. (It is also why people talk about ancient aliens.) And Bob Brier is an ideal guide. I have never loved anything or anyone as much as Brier loves Egypt. This enthusiasm is infectious, and makes his series of lectures a real pleasure. He describes how he climbed into the Bent Pyramid—an early, failed attempt to create a pyramid—and how he traveled to the turquoise mines used by Egyptians themselves. He narrates Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt and explains how the Rosetta Stone was translated. He even describes in detail how to make a mummy—and he should know, since he made one himself.
Apart from these entertaining asides, Brier takes the listener through the whole history of Ancient Egypt, from prehistory to the death of Cleopatra. It is a fascinating story, and Brier is a wonderful storyteller. A lifelong resident of the Bronx, his verbal mannerisms may remind one—pleasantly or unpleasantly—of the man in the White House; yet he knows how to dramatize the relevant details enough to make them effortlessly stick in the memory. His love of a good story does lead him astray, at times. For my part, his two lectures on the Biblical stories, Joseph and Exodus, were somewhat too credulous of their veracity. He is similarly generous when it comes to Herodotus. And his theory of Tutankhamun’s murder has now been disproven.
Aside from these mild criticisms, I should note that the series does show its age. A lot has happened in the world of Egyptology since this series was recorded, in 1999, notably the advances in DNA and medical technology which allow us to know more about the lives of Egyptians. For example, we now know far more about Tutankhamun’s many physical ailments, and we also know that he was not the son of Nefertiti.
Nevertheless, these lectures remain a wonderful introduction to the times. I cannot emphasize enough how enjoyable they are. They convert you into an Egypt fanatic. Now I want teach myself hieroglyphics and to go to Egypt myself. It must be incredible to see all of this in person. For now, however, I will have to be content with Brier’s virtual tour and whatever museums I can visit.
October 9, 2014
BRILLIANT!!
Growing up I had this fascination with all things ancient Egypt. I watched the movies, read the books, and with an obsession that bordered on...well, obsessive, I tuned into all the documentaries I could find. There was a time in my life I had even decided to become an archaeologist! But, as it often does, life got in the way of my dreams and I didn't go down that path.
Anyway, knowing all that about me, it should come as no shock when I tell you that as soon as I saw The History of Ancient Egypt in Audible's The Great Courses, I 1-clicked this baby (though I think it actually takes 3-4 clicks) and listened to all 48 of the 30 minute lectures and loved every one!
From the first King/gods to the building of the pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, the exodus, and finally Cleopatra's heartbreaking but inspiring reign, Bob Brier brings it all to life in a way that made me feel like I was right there as history unfolded. His excitement and passion for Egyptology, coupled with his expertise on all things mummies, made this entire series of lectures absolutely brilliant!
I will definitely he looking for more in The Great Courses!
December 14, 2020
This was a lot of fun.
Ancient Egypt is one of those things that's always been of interest, but it's weirdly difficult to really dig into in school unless you specify in it (and also unless you live in a place where even your college offers courses on it; I do not).
Listening to this was like taking that college class I really wanted to take but couldn't, and I'm grateful.
I liked how things were organized--mostly chronologically but with a few lectures set aside for specific subjects, like mummification--and the speed at which things moved. I felt like I got solid amounts of detail without feeling bogged down.
Bob Brier might be one of my favorite lecturers, too. He's so obviously *excited* about everything he's talking about, and he really wants you to be excited, too. The last lecture with the discussion of where to go from here really drove that home. He recommended lots of different ways to continue learning (including a shout-out to the Amelia Peabody mysteries, which as he rightly points out were written by an actual Egyptologist) whatever you were most interested in, and he genuinely sounds like he's so psyched that you're going to be able to learn more things and pick out what is most interesting to you.
This is my first really in-depth nonfiction book/audiobook on Ancient Egypt, so I can't speak to how much was left out (I presume, given how much history is covered, a lot, simply due to time), but it felt like a really solid basis for continued studies and I've already poked about looking for what else is available to me.
Ancient Egypt is one of those things that's always been of interest, but it's weirdly difficult to really dig into in school unless you specify in it (and also unless you live in a place where even your college offers courses on it; I do not).
Listening to this was like taking that college class I really wanted to take but couldn't, and I'm grateful.
I liked how things were organized--mostly chronologically but with a few lectures set aside for specific subjects, like mummification--and the speed at which things moved. I felt like I got solid amounts of detail without feeling bogged down.
Bob Brier might be one of my favorite lecturers, too. He's so obviously *excited* about everything he's talking about, and he really wants you to be excited, too. The last lecture with the discussion of where to go from here really drove that home. He recommended lots of different ways to continue learning (including a shout-out to the Amelia Peabody mysteries, which as he rightly points out were written by an actual Egyptologist) whatever you were most interested in, and he genuinely sounds like he's so psyched that you're going to be able to learn more things and pick out what is most interesting to you.
This is my first really in-depth nonfiction book/audiobook on Ancient Egypt, so I can't speak to how much was left out (I presume, given how much history is covered, a lot, simply due to time), but it felt like a really solid basis for continued studies and I've already poked about looking for what else is available to me.
August 16, 2017
The lecturer's voice wasn't like trump's, but his verbal mannerisms were, and I found him incredibly annoying to listen to. For example:
He says "right?" or "hmm?" or "you'll see" at the end of about half the sentences. Or more.
I cringe every time I hear "yuge" or "good guy". (Especially when he's describing war-mongering, slave capturing kings. Good?)
Please stop repeating yourself for emphasis omg. This lecture series could have been hours shorter if his echoes were erased. "He was an advisor, okay. An advisor. And what did he do? I'm gonna tell you."
There's very little differentiation between his personal pet theories and actual accepted facts, and sometimes he starts out by saying something is a theory and then expands on it as if it's factual.
There was some good information here and it was cool to learn about the history of Egypt, but I really can't say I'd recommend it.
He says "right?" or "hmm?" or "you'll see" at the end of about half the sentences. Or more.
I cringe every time I hear "yuge" or "good guy". (Especially when he's describing war-mongering, slave capturing kings. Good?)
Please stop repeating yourself for emphasis omg. This lecture series could have been hours shorter if his echoes were erased. "He was an advisor, okay. An advisor. And what did he do? I'm gonna tell you."
There's very little differentiation between his personal pet theories and actual accepted facts, and sometimes he starts out by saying something is a theory and then expands on it as if it's factual.
There was some good information here and it was cool to learn about the history of Egypt, but I really can't say I'd recommend it.
January 23, 2022
Cleopatra did nothing wrong
April 18, 2017
Although I enjoyed the series overall, I had the following issues:
1. Brier was not very unbiased. Many of his ideas and views were treated as facts and he did not provide alternate views or arguments in great depth. I understand the was limited with time but I constantly had to second guess everything he was saying has he wasn't providing balanced arguments.
2. He discussed the Old Testament and the Exodus too much. I did not understand the relevance of discussing information gathered from sources that were not particularly supported by other forms of evidence. Most of this arguments that surrounded the Exodus was speculative and unnecessary.
3. Would like to have had more discussion about themes such as Religion, Military Campaigns, Medicine, Politics etc.
Good points:
1. It was organised in a way that was easy to understand and I enjoyed the lessons that were tangents to the timeline, this broke up the monotony from going from one Pharoah to another.
2. It was good to hear about research he had done and his findings such as his experiment with the mummy.
1. Brier was not very unbiased. Many of his ideas and views were treated as facts and he did not provide alternate views or arguments in great depth. I understand the was limited with time but I constantly had to second guess everything he was saying has he wasn't providing balanced arguments.
2. He discussed the Old Testament and the Exodus too much. I did not understand the relevance of discussing information gathered from sources that were not particularly supported by other forms of evidence. Most of this arguments that surrounded the Exodus was speculative and unnecessary.
3. Would like to have had more discussion about themes such as Religion, Military Campaigns, Medicine, Politics etc.
Good points:
1. It was organised in a way that was easy to understand and I enjoyed the lessons that were tangents to the timeline, this broke up the monotony from going from one Pharoah to another.
2. It was good to hear about research he had done and his findings such as his experiment with the mummy.
November 9, 2020
24 ساعة ونصف من المحاضرات عن تاريخ مصر القديمة، من عصور ما قبل التاريخ وحتى وفاة كليوباترا. المُحاضر عالم مصريات أمريكي شهير متخصص في التحنيط والأمراض القديمة. أحببت الرجل للغاية على مدار هذه الرحلة الطويلة. أسلوبه ممتع ولطيف للغاية. المحاضرات مصحوبة بكتاب رقمي صغير (حوالي 150 صفحة)، يمكن الرجوع إليه لاحقاً للمراجعة أو لتفقد معلومة ما دون الرجوع للمحاضرات مرة أخرى. أرشحها بشدة لكل من يبحث عن مدخل للقراءة عن حضارة مصر القديمة.
October 15, 2019
I'm not really a person who goes "WOO, EGYPT." I mean, it's interesting, and I like learning about it, but what interests me more than pharaohs and pyramids and stuff is all the weird inbreeding and backstabbing done by the Ptolemies (They really took "keep it in the family" seriously.). Color me weird. Anyway, I've been on a bit of a "Great Courses" binge this year, and I ran across this one. It had great reviews and I figured "Why not."
Brier is really passionate about his topic, and he knows so much about it. He's been on some television shows. I believe he says in one lecture that he's the first person to mummify a body in our modern times... or something to that effect? I mean, dude really enjoys the topic. The lecture series is mostly linear, though he does sometimes go off the timeline to discuss one thing or another, like, for example, we're going along and then BAM, there's two or three lectures about hieroglyphics and all the details of them/reasons behind them, and while that was interesting I kind of wanted to get back to the point.
Anyway, this lecture series covers everything you could ever want covered, by a man who probably knows more about the stuff than I ever thought possible. If he does get a little sidetracked occasionally, it's usually worthwhile. I left the lecture with a new, broader understanding of Ancient Egypt, and a new appreciation for it.
Brier is really passionate about his topic, and he knows so much about it. He's been on some television shows. I believe he says in one lecture that he's the first person to mummify a body in our modern times... or something to that effect? I mean, dude really enjoys the topic. The lecture series is mostly linear, though he does sometimes go off the timeline to discuss one thing or another, like, for example, we're going along and then BAM, there's two or three lectures about hieroglyphics and all the details of them/reasons behind them, and while that was interesting I kind of wanted to get back to the point.
Anyway, this lecture series covers everything you could ever want covered, by a man who probably knows more about the stuff than I ever thought possible. If he does get a little sidetracked occasionally, it's usually worthwhile. I left the lecture with a new, broader understanding of Ancient Egypt, and a new appreciation for it.
May 9, 2023
Who amongst us doesn't love Ancient Egypt? I know I do, and I found these lecture series the best overview on Egypt I've come across, and Bob Brier knows how to tell the story such that one can't wait to hear the next part of the story. Facts makeup history, but story telling is why we keep coming back, and Brier hooks the listener with his story telling.
Outstanding Great Course Lecture and everyone should put this one in their queue.
Outstanding Great Course Lecture and everyone should put this one in their queue.
March 3, 2024
Fascinating history delivered in quite an entertaining manner.
January 18, 2022
The thing I really like about Brier is how much his love for his subject matter comes though his lectures. This is a great overview. While Brier does follow the historic Pharoah narrative, he also gives in depth talks about magic and mummies among other things. This was a pretty good overview, really good.
Want to read
May 1, 2022Putting this back on my TBR for now, since Audible is taking it off their Plus catalog at midnight tonight. Reminder to self: If it ever comes back, or if I decide to use a credit on it, I got through Lecture 19.
October 28, 2024
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/the-...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/the-...
January 7, 2025
The History of Ancient Egypt is one of my favourite of the Great Lectures. Dr. Bob Brier, an Egyptologist from Long Island University, has to be one of the most charming and energetic professors the Teaching Company has ever drafted for their learning series.
His knowledge is compelling, and he makes me want to move on from his overview and dive into multiple ages of Egyptian history. Never have Cleopatra and Sneferu, or Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great been so fascinating, and they are the most famous of a civilization that stretched for 3000+ years and is still alive today, albeit in altered fashion.
Yet I think my favourite thing about Dr. Brier's lectures was the almost total lack of "um." There was only one lecture out of the entire series wherein Bob (I felt like I could call him Bob by the end) resorted to an "um" when he was thinking of the next thing to say. It was astounding. Bob's go to is to repeat himself. Whatever cool point he's just made, he'll repeat until he has a grasp on what needs to come next. It is an amazing trick, and it makes both his lessons stick with you and makes you happy to go along for the ride.
I wish I could take a class with this man live and in person.
His knowledge is compelling, and he makes me want to move on from his overview and dive into multiple ages of Egyptian history. Never have Cleopatra and Sneferu, or Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great been so fascinating, and they are the most famous of a civilization that stretched for 3000+ years and is still alive today, albeit in altered fashion.
Yet I think my favourite thing about Dr. Brier's lectures was the almost total lack of "um." There was only one lecture out of the entire series wherein Bob (I felt like I could call him Bob by the end) resorted to an "um" when he was thinking of the next thing to say. It was astounding. Bob's go to is to repeat himself. Whatever cool point he's just made, he'll repeat until he has a grasp on what needs to come next. It is an amazing trick, and it makes both his lessons stick with you and makes you happy to go along for the ride.
I wish I could take a class with this man live and in person.
June 22, 2023
Like any young kid, I think everyone, at some point in their lives, was fascinated by mummies. For me, the introduction was horrible histories, The Mummy (1999), Museums (that are vague in my memories) and others. I’m not sure why I embarked on this journey, but I assume it has a lot to do with Cleopatra. She was a leader who always fascinated me and still fascinates me. So much literature or some history I've consumed often has interesting information about Egypt that makes me instantly want to learn more from it. I read one review on Audible by Nassir, and his experience is the reason why this became a must-consume. Like being amazed by sarcophagi, the mysterious, temples, statues and so forth and having context behind it is a wonderful thing.
The beauty of Egypt comes from its rich 3,000-year-plus history. It has culture, drama, and generally everything. These were the people that the Greeks admired; for example, Plato admires the art of the Egyptians. To the Greeks, Egypt is how we view Ancient Rome; it’s that old. There’s so much we don’t know, yet plenty we do, so there’s this air of mystery everywhere. Bob Brier is the ideal man to present this history; by the end of the course, you will come to love Egypt and learn more beyond the 48 lectures he provides. He balances conveying a right amount of depth without seeming superficial but doesn’t get bogged down in the nitty gritty. These side tangents that are not part of the linear timeline are brilliant because they give you a sense of the greater picture.
I’ve listened to and read about ancient history within these two years, but never has Ancient Egypt come alive so vividly. From Sneferu, to the various dynasties, Hatshepsut, Tuthmosis III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, and the wonderful Cleopatra, it gives these figures so much life. Anyways it’s wonderful.
Criticism: Because of its age (it was released in 1999), certain information appears to be very outdated. Firstly, his theory of Tutankhamen's "murder" has proven to be false, and the man was faced with many diseases. I also think his idea of the difference between religion and myth is very flawed. He states definitively that certain myths were not religious because religion includes stories believed to be historical (like Mosses), whereas myth has a prime message but can’t be taken literally, and states the Egyptians "probably" didn’t literally believe the story of Isis and Osiris to be taken literally despite their entire religion, which the priest was preaching and the people would say otherwise. Which is a poor argument because one could state this about the Old Testament, but people do believe in it, and so the reality that Egyptians also believed in the stories of their gods from the writings, practices, and values seemed to be the case. Another one would probably be the biblical lecture, a lot of it was educational, like some historical truths that seemed to align with that era. However, despite being mostly unbiased, I think he goes a tad too far with the biblical comments, trying to convince you this might have taken place despite no real archaeological evidence, as he admits. Again, this is pretty minor, and you can brush most of this aside, but I feel like it should be acknowledged.
In conclusion, this was a wonderful Great Course series and might be the best one yet. By the end, I was simply enraptured by Egypt, which makes me excited to dive even deeper into this fascinating period in history. Thank you, Bob Brier, for being one hell of a lecturer!
The beauty of Egypt comes from its rich 3,000-year-plus history. It has culture, drama, and generally everything. These were the people that the Greeks admired; for example, Plato admires the art of the Egyptians. To the Greeks, Egypt is how we view Ancient Rome; it’s that old. There’s so much we don’t know, yet plenty we do, so there’s this air of mystery everywhere. Bob Brier is the ideal man to present this history; by the end of the course, you will come to love Egypt and learn more beyond the 48 lectures he provides. He balances conveying a right amount of depth without seeming superficial but doesn’t get bogged down in the nitty gritty. These side tangents that are not part of the linear timeline are brilliant because they give you a sense of the greater picture.
I’ve listened to and read about ancient history within these two years, but never has Ancient Egypt come alive so vividly. From Sneferu, to the various dynasties, Hatshepsut, Tuthmosis III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, and the wonderful Cleopatra, it gives these figures so much life. Anyways it’s wonderful.
Criticism: Because of its age (it was released in 1999), certain information appears to be very outdated. Firstly, his theory of Tutankhamen's "murder" has proven to be false, and the man was faced with many diseases. I also think his idea of the difference between religion and myth is very flawed. He states definitively that certain myths were not religious because religion includes stories believed to be historical (like Mosses), whereas myth has a prime message but can’t be taken literally, and states the Egyptians "probably" didn’t literally believe the story of Isis and Osiris to be taken literally despite their entire religion, which the priest was preaching and the people would say otherwise. Which is a poor argument because one could state this about the Old Testament, but people do believe in it, and so the reality that Egyptians also believed in the stories of their gods from the writings, practices, and values seemed to be the case. Another one would probably be the biblical lecture, a lot of it was educational, like some historical truths that seemed to align with that era. However, despite being mostly unbiased, I think he goes a tad too far with the biblical comments, trying to convince you this might have taken place despite no real archaeological evidence, as he admits. Again, this is pretty minor, and you can brush most of this aside, but I feel like it should be acknowledged.
In conclusion, this was a wonderful Great Course series and might be the best one yet. By the end, I was simply enraptured by Egypt, which makes me excited to dive even deeper into this fascinating period in history. Thank you, Bob Brier, for being one hell of a lecturer!
November 7, 2015
Fantastic. Informative, exciting, and pretty much like having Woody Allen lecture you on Egyptology - this guy is hilarious.
June 26, 2022
I love it when a professor seems excited when talking about a subject, and in this course, Professor Brier seems very excited about the subject, so it makes for a very entertaining listen. From prehistoric times to Cleopatra, this course has the whole story of ancient Egypt.
July 11, 2011
One of the many Great Courses series offered by The Teaching Company. This one is in 4 sets. Each set contain 6 CD'S with usually 2 lectures on each CD. Of the courses offered on DVD, the # of discs may vary. I usually get the CD courses from my library, and so far I've enjoyed almost all the ones I've ordered. This is one of the best. One of the best features is that each set contains a very complete lecture guidebook. You can always backtrack, and re-listen as you wish.
A real winner. I got this series even though I didn't think I was all that interested in Egypt, but it was in the news and I had enjoyed almost all of the Great Courses. It was absolutely fascinating and throughly enjoyable due no in small part to Bob Brier's exuberant lecture style. He's fascinated and engaged by his topics and you are too. I learned much about things Egyptian that I didn't even know I wanted to know about! Such as how to make a mummy and that Egyptians had bad teeth because sand blew into their flour.
A real winner. I got this series even though I didn't think I was all that interested in Egypt, but it was in the news and I had enjoyed almost all of the Great Courses. It was absolutely fascinating and throughly enjoyable due no in small part to Bob Brier's exuberant lecture style. He's fascinated and engaged by his topics and you are too. I learned much about things Egyptian that I didn't even know I wanted to know about! Such as how to make a mummy and that Egyptians had bad teeth because sand blew into their flour.
March 17, 2020
Really 4 1/2 stars, but I rounded up. I watched this in anticipation of a trip to Egypt, but didn't quite finish it before the trip. Which is a pity, because several of the sites we visited were Ptolemaic. But it was incredibly comprehensive - almost too much so. (But then, I had the same reaction to the trip, so maybe that's just in the nature of ancient Egypt!)
I lopped off half a point because Brier is over-prone to repetition. He's obviously enamored of his subject, though, and is engaging to watch (or listen to, as the case may be).
It's also a little outdated by now (the copyright is 1999), but I don't think that it makes an enormous difference.
I lopped off half a point because Brier is over-prone to repetition. He's obviously enamored of his subject, though, and is engaging to watch (or listen to, as the case may be).
It's also a little outdated by now (the copyright is 1999), but I don't think that it makes an enormous difference.
July 19, 2022
I am always hesitant to pic non fiction book about certain topics and this is one of them. In these 48 lectures the narrator discuss a 3000 years of a civilisation. The journey was epic. For some time its like those kings are walking here right now. But its nice to get to know so much about egypt the history, culture their belief etc. I was so shocked to know that no egypt leave their country because they think it will take tgeir chance of being immotal or their mummification. It started from when language wasn't a thing and ended with a tragedy. I wanna read more about cleopetra since the narrator say that the history was written by Romans and they view her as intelligent seductress (which is I guess some men's view on the women they are terrified of) so kudos to her and she died while protecting her children and taking poison since she don't wanna be a prisoner the women fought battles more than some greek rulers.
This lecture series also clears the concept of greek and egypt for me and I am just sad now that my journey for egypt has ended.
The narrator gets a lot of credit for my enjoyment it was like listening about egypt from an admirer
This lecture series also clears the concept of greek and egypt for me and I am just sad now that my journey for egypt has ended.
The narrator gets a lot of credit for my enjoyment it was like listening about egypt from an admirer
Read
December 30, 2022Will finish later
July 21, 2022
Whew, that was a bit beastly to get through but I learned so much and enjoyed it, even if I could only handle one lecture at a time.
Some of my favorite takeaways:
-Padawan braids come from Egyptian history.
-Egyptian women were far more powerful than other ancient, and some current, civilizations.
-The Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra movie is pretty historically accurate.
-Egypt is the only civilization that fell and rose again hundreds of years later still maintaining it's culture and religion.
-Ancient Egypt had scholars and archeologist discovering and learning about ancient Egypt! That's how long their civilization lasted.
-The lectures about Joseph and Moses were especially fascinating.
Some of my favorite takeaways:
-Padawan braids come from Egyptian history.
-Egyptian women were far more powerful than other ancient, and some current, civilizations.
-The Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra movie is pretty historically accurate.
-Egypt is the only civilization that fell and rose again hundreds of years later still maintaining it's culture and religion.
-Ancient Egypt had scholars and archeologist discovering and learning about ancient Egypt! That's how long their civilization lasted.
-The lectures about Joseph and Moses were especially fascinating.
May 26, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical survey of ancient Egypt. The 24 hours felt short. Brier is a great lecturer and brings history to life.
November 2, 2025
Mainly a chronology of dynasties and pharaohs.
February 21, 2024
Be right back. Booking a trip to Egypt.
March 17, 2019
Dr. Brier’s dedication and enthusiasm for his subject is plain, and he obviously feels the same about teaching. It’s a vivid and entertaining account. I came back each day to his next lecture with pleasure, even though he accepts the traditional Egyptian timeline with no questions – he has no problem saying that 26th Dynasty Egypt loved “the good old days” of Sneferu so much that they spoke the language of the 4th Dynasty. Nevertheless, Dr. Brier is a likeable lecturer. I enjoyed without reservation his overview of the Ptolemies.
This course was produced in 1999, which means that several recent lines of research are not included. I had read the professor’s THE MURDER OF TUTANKHAMEN in 2001. His theory has since been disproven by the CT scan he wanted to have done.
We now have on papyrus the construction journal of an architect of the great building period, something Dr. Brier mentioned more than once that we did not have. Significant advances in Egyptology in the 21st century have been 1) DNA testing, which enables us to establish family groupings; 2) Depth scanning, which uses aerial photography to find ruins; and 3) Ultrasounds that suggest a hidden, as yet unexplored doorway in the tomb of Tutankhamen.
It would be good to get an extension of the course to cover these advances.
This course was produced in 1999, which means that several recent lines of research are not included. I had read the professor’s THE MURDER OF TUTANKHAMEN in 2001. His theory has since been disproven by the CT scan he wanted to have done.
We now have on papyrus the construction journal of an architect of the great building period, something Dr. Brier mentioned more than once that we did not have. Significant advances in Egyptology in the 21st century have been 1) DNA testing, which enables us to establish family groupings; 2) Depth scanning, which uses aerial photography to find ruins; and 3) Ultrasounds that suggest a hidden, as yet unexplored doorway in the tomb of Tutankhamen.
It would be good to get an extension of the course to cover these advances.
December 22, 2019
24 часа чистого наслаждения.
Если бы можно было, поставила бы 10 звёзд.
Боба Брайера начала слушать в эмоциональном тумане, закончила в абсолютной ясности. Это прекрасный аудиокурс, который можно слушать в любом состоянии, настроении и с любым бэкграундом, потому что лектор своим настроем и своими знаниями покорит каждого.
По правде говоря, перед началом курса тема меня не так уж интересовала. А под конец каким-то образом у меня на столе выросла стопка книг по истории и культуре Древнего Египта на двух языках. В каждой лекции профессор рассказывает не нудную историю с датами, а историю такую, какую прожили люди. Самые маленькие, но любопытные детали про жизнь древних египтян прекрасно переплетены с философскими и религиозными концепциями, которые при этом остаются доступны для понимания совершенно любому человеку. В общем, мне не хватает хвалебных слов, советую всем. Особенно подходит для периодов в жизни, когда нужно отвлечься от своих проблем, и навести в голове порядок.
Если бы можно было, поставила бы 10 звёзд.
Боба Брайера начала слушать в эмоциональном тумане, закончила в абсолютной ясности. Это прекрасный аудиокурс, который можно слушать в любом состоянии, настроении и с любым бэкграундом, потому что лектор своим настроем и своими знаниями покорит каждого.
По правде говоря, перед началом курса тема меня не так уж интересовала. А под конец каким-то образом у меня на столе выросла стопка книг по истории и культуре Древнего Египта на двух языках. В каждой лекции профессор рассказывает не нудную историю с датами, а историю такую, какую прожили люди. Самые маленькие, но любопытные детали про жизнь древних египтян прекрасно переплетены с философскими и религиозными концепциями, которые при этом остаются доступны для понимания совершенно любому человеку. В общем, мне не хватает хвалебных слов, советую всем. Особенно подходит для периодов в жизни, когда нужно отвлечься от своих проблем, и навести в голове порядок.
July 8, 2019
Bob Brier is amazing. I love my job and my family, but listening to his lectures on Egypt makes me want to step on a plane to become an Egyptologist and never look back. His emphasis on people and their impact leaves me craving more. And as a pastor who was first a history teacher, the way he connects historical evidence for events like Joseph in Egypt and the Exodus is awesome.
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