Audiobooks Narrated by Peter Meineck

Classical Mythology: The Romans

"Rome grew from a tiny community of small hill villages near the River Tiber in central Italy to one of the most powerful empires the world has seen. The Romans themselves believed that their great city was founded in the middle of the eighth century BCE. By the middle of the second century CE, Rome had a population of 1.5 million; Alexandria, in Egypt, 500,000; and Londinium, in Briton, 30,000. Not counting locally recruited forces, this vast empire was subjugated and policed with only around twenty-five legions, or the equivalent of only three and a half times the entire police force of New York City. How was this possible? Military power, colonial organization, superior technology, a well-organized infrastructure, and a cohesive economic system. These elements of Roman genius are well known, but it was the very idea of Rome that proved so persuasive and this Roman ideal was born from mythology."

Peter Meineck (Author), Peter Meineck (Narrator)

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Classical Mythology: The Greeks

"In Classical Mythology: The Greeks, widely published Professor Peter Meineck examines in thrilling detail the far-reaching influence of Greek myths on Western thought and literature. The nature of myth and its importance to ancient Greece in terms of storytelling, music, poetry, religion, cults, rituals, theatre, and literature are viewed through works ranging from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the writings of Sophocles and aeschylus. Through the study of these time-honored myths, the Greek heroes and gods-including Heracles, Zeus, Achilles, Athena, Aphrodite, and others-leap from the page in all their glorious splendor. The following lectures are not only an entertaining guide to Greek mythology, but a fascinating look into the culture and time that produced these eternal tales."

Peter Meineck (Author), Peter Meineck (Narrator)

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Greek Drama: Tragedy and Comedy

"The plays of one ancient city 2,500 years ago by just four playwrights have had a profound effect on the development of all subsequent Western drama, not only on the theatrical stage, but on opera, film, television, stand-up comedy, and dance-in fact, most, if not all, of the live arts owe a debt to the theatre of ancient Greece and the city of Athens. This course will examine the social, historical, and political context of ancient Greek drama and equip listeners with a set of critical analytical tools for developing their own appreciation of this vitally important genre. The course will focus on the four extant playwrights, aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, and examine each of their plays closely."

Peter Meineck (Author), Peter Meineck (Narrator)

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