The ancient Greek historian Thucydides called it "a war like no other" -- arguably the greatest in the history of the world up to that time. The Peloponnesian War pitted Athens and her allies against a league of city-states headed by Sparta. Thucydides's eyewitness account of the war has been a classic for 24 centuries and is still studied for its profound truths about the nature of human strife. In The Peloponnesian War, Professor Kenneth Harl draws...

The three centuries following the death of Jesus were a momentous and turbulent era in Western religious thought. During this time, as Christianity began its massive growth, few if any influences on the theological landscape were as significant as the religious movements know as Gnosticism. Gnosticism intersected deeply with early Christian thought, sparking religious ideologies that competed with the theological thinking that came to define Christianity....

Learn how to speak Spanish, one of the world's most useful languages, in this course that helps anyone succeed with a new language.

Presents 24 lectures discussing the flowering of European medieval civilization between 1000 and 1300, with examination of social conditions, intellectual and religious history, and political developments.

"The Smithsonian is a repository of America's history, achievements, aspirations, and identity. It holds the artifacts of great leaders, and those of ordinary Americans. It houses scientific specimens and technological wonders. It is home to art, music, films, writings -- a vast treasure trove of objects of extraordinary beauty and outstanding design. With a collection of some 137 million items in more than two dozen museums and research centers,...

Covers 24 of the great minds of the medieval world.

"This course provides a thorough introduction to the pronunciation, morphology, and syntax of classical Latin to enable you to read Latin prose and poetry with confidence, precision, and pleasure. No prior experience is required."--p. 1.

As explorers and traders, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of Western Europe. In this course the Vikings will be studied not only as warriors, but also in other roles for which they are equally extraordinary: merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas.