Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Echo of Greece

Author: Edith Hamilton

Narrator: Nadia May

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-05

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

With the clarity and grace for which she is admired, Edith Hamilton writes of Plato and Aristotle, of Demosthenes and Alexander the Great, of the much-loved playwright Menander, of the Stoics, and finally of Plutarch. She brings these figures vividly to life, not only placing them in relation to their own times but also conveying very poignantly their meaning for our world today.

Members Reviews:

The more brief, political edition of The Greek Way

What did you love best about The Echo of Greece?

This can be a better approach to the ancient Greeks for those looking for a quick review of the philosophical and cultural underpinnings of the brief Greek democratic experiment for which Greece is often lionized in the West. Key philosophers, including one or two lesser knowns, and the gist of the major battles give insights into what Hamilton has claimed is unique amidst the ancient world to which Greece once belonged and helped to define.If, however, you see both titles (Echo of Greece and The Greek Way), and you're wanting to greater treatment, the author herself recommends the revision (The Greek Way) as the fuller accounting. *** Caveat: I do think the current publisher to be remiss in not indicating this important little fact in the title summary.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Echo of Greece?

There are too many to count.

Have you listened to any of Nadia Mays other performances before? How does this one compare?

About the same--which means great, actually.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It directs and sobers the western mind as to the true origins of what we usually call "western culture".

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Lives of the Twelve Caesars

Author: Suetonius

Narrator: Derek Jacobi

Format: Abridged

Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-05

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Suetonius wrote his Lives of the Twelve Caesars in the reign of Vespasian around 70AD. He chronicled the extraordinary careers of Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, and Domitian and the rest in technicolour terms. They presented some high and low times at the heart of the Roman Empire. The accounts provide us with perspicacious insights into the men as much as their reigns, and it was from Suetoniaus that subsequent writers such as Robert Graves drew so much of their material.

Members Reviews:

Translation doubts

Jacobi reads beautifully (he played Claudius, one of the Caesars in question), but Naxos, the publisher, seems strangely coy about the translator--not even in its catalog does it reveal whose English version Jacobi is reading. It's certainly not the celebrated Robert Graves translation (for that go to the Audio Connoisseurs edition) but a far looser one, and, of course, heavily abridged. Information about the translator would seem a basic courtesy to the buyer. This buyer, at least, is disappointed by the lack of it.

Masterful

It felt like I was a contemporary roman listening to a wise and educated man tell the stories of the Caesars.

Reader is distracting

I found myself fixated on the reader's pronounciation rather than the book itself. Think Pontius Pilate/Michael Palin from the movie "Life of Brian", because I do whenever I listen to it.

Perhaps the choice of reader was intentional.

Perfect narrator, great text, poor translation

A sadly wasted opportunity. Unfortunately this audiobook is very abridged. Some unusual and odd choices were also made in Latin pronunciations, which can be off putting or confusing. The translation of the text itself (done by person/s unknown and difficult to discover) is strange and archaic, occasionally making the text difficult to understand (even for a classics scholar!). This includes the bizarre miss-use of technical terms, to give just one example, the term poignard is often repeated (a fairly obscure term for a specific medieval type of dagger) instead of using the generic simple translation of dagger or a specific correct term like the Latin pugio.

The fact that, despite all this, I still think it deserves 4 stars it testament to both the original text of Suetonius and the fantastic narrating of the great Sir Derek Jacobi, but could have been so much better, so easily!

Useful history, but of its time.

3 stars for performance are because of poor presentation. Derek Jacobi's reading is fine, but nowhere is the translator named, even though every bit of intrusive music is detailed in the pdf notes. It is arbitrarily divided into 6 chapters, presumably reflecting the original Naxos recording from pre-digital days. This makes it difficult to locate any individual Caesar - they are 12, after all, some meriting more space than others! - and since Audible on the iPhone tends to lose one's place, it can be confusing trying to get back to where you were before.

I was slightly taken aback when it began with a perky American child announcing "This is Audible KIDS!" this is an abridged version; did that mean all the salacious scandal had been censored and only the politics and warfare left in? (US media have a reputation for being much less squeamish about violence than sex, after all.)

Not so. More outrageous allegations than Robert Graves dared to include in his novels.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Late Roman Empire

Author: Glanville Downey

Narrator: Charlton Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-05

Publisher: Audio Connoisseur

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 72 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

In this brilliant analysis, historian Glanville Downey dissects the social and economic conditions of the late Roman Empire and shows how the military tumult of the dreadful third century led to the reforms of Diocletian, one of the greatest of Roman Emperors. It was Diocletian's stabilizing reforms which were to give Constantine the Great his opportunity. For, with Constantine's conversion, a new era in European history begins.

This erudite chronicle will tell you how Christianity triumphed over the existing social order, and describe the leaders of the church who made it possible. Follow the convoluted path of acrimonious theological disputes that led to the division of the church into sharply differing Greek and Latin components. Hear how both dealt with innumerable heresies that threatened serious social unrest. Discover the reason why the Latin West developed a distinctive civilization very different from that of Byzantium in the Greek-speaking East. This is a fascinating tale of events whose echoes can still be heard clearly today.

Members Reviews:

Gained Insight

This is a good audio book. The reader is clear and goes at a good pace. I found myself many times saying "aahhhh very interesting". I think the author does a fantastic job of explaining this fascinating period of change. There is a lot of discussion of the Pagan vs. Christian battle that explains how the Church gained certain power and influence. I found the entire production and content to be execeptional!

Very good book

I loved this book. I love Roman history in general, but this book was unbelievable. The narrator has somewhat of an amusing way of narrating. My only complaint was that it wasn't longer than only a few hours. I learned a lot from this book.

Great Expectations (not met)

What would have made The Late Roman Empire better?

I was looking for a more in-depth description of the rulers of the late roman empire and did not find it in this book. The book dealt more in generalities than detail of the chaos of the late empire in the west.

Dry and unimaginative

Perhaps this makes a good read on the page, but as an audio book it is almost unlistenable. The author simply recounts a bunch of dry facts, stringing them together without painting a picture. Its clear that the writing was never intended to be heard out loud, as this listener found herself lost on many occasions when the narration went on too long without reference to the subject. The narrator sounds like an annoyingly odd mix of good ol southern boy crossed with a fake British accent and his loping inflections make the text even more inaccessible.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Jugurthine War & The Conspiracy of Cataline

Author: Sallust, Cicero

Narrator: Charlton Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-05

Publisher: Audio Connoisseur

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 69 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

The Jugurthine War tells the story of the crafty Numidian, Jugurtha, his brutal lunge for power beginning in 118 B.C. and his capture and execution in 106 B.C. It is a tale of pitched battles and savage guerilla warfare, failed peace conferences and corrupt officials, treachery and heroism.

The Conspiracy of Cataline is a gothic tale of revenge, violence, and naked aggression in the pursuit of power. Its most famous participants are Cicero, the young Julius Caesar, and Lucius Sergius Cataline. Cataline is described by Sallust as "a guilt-stained soul at odds with gods and men, who found no rest either waking or sleeping, so cruelly did conscience ravage his overwrought mind".

Hear the peculiar power in the dramatic prose which Sallust employs in these two great works. They are not only a magnificent example of the gravitas of the Latin language in the hands of a master, but also a valuable source for the speeches of some of history's most famous leaders. Translated by Handford, Lord, and Blackistone.

Also included on this volume:

With Cataline himself present in the Roman senate chamber near the end of 63 B.C., Cicero hurled at him one of the most superb examples of oratory ever known, the famous First Oration Against Cataline which was memorized by schoolboys for a thousand years. As the speech continued, the senators who were seated in the vicinity of Cataline quietly got up one by one and moved away from him, leaving him alone on one side of the senate chamber staring at the floor. Upon its completion, with applause for Cicero still ringing in his ears, Cataline walked out of the senate building and left Rome. Listen as this spine tingling example of oratorical bravura engulfs Cataline!

Members Reviews:

Excellent Production

The Publisher's Summary is accurate. The speeches by Cato and Caesar are extremely powerful and relevant to our own time. One wonders how much greater our appreciation of these speeches would be if we could hear and understand the original Latin. Imagine sitting in the Roman Senate as these men spoke, with impending death and slaughter hanging in the balance and permeating every thought. It is curious how certain centuries seem to produce a group of extraordinary individuals. The first century BC was one of these centuries. We have Sallust to thank for recording the lives and times of these people, and it is no exageration to say that we have Charlton Griffin to thank for pulling the work of Sallust into the twenty first century and performing it with such excellence that everyone with an interest in human history will thoroughly enjoy it.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Aristotle's Children

Subtitle: How Christian, Muslims and Jews Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom

Author: Richard E. Rubenstein

Narrator: Nelson Runger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-04-04

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 104 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author Richard E. Rubenstein brings the past to life in this engrossing story of social, religious, and scientific revolution during one of the darkest periods in European history. When a group of Dark Ages scholars rediscovered the works of Aristotle, the great thinker's ideas ignited a firestorm of enlightened thought. This is the endlessly fascinating account of the pivotal period in history when the modern era took root.

(P)2003 Recorded Books

Members Reviews:

Interesting story of the rediscovery of Aristotle

This is a well-written narrative of how the rediscovery of Aristotle's writings in the West (they were never really lost in the East) around 1150 to 1200 had a huge effect on Western thinking. If you are interested in ethics, history of religion, the early Middle Ages, or simply want to be understand the relationship between Greek Civilization and Western Civilization, this is a great book. Because it goes into some depth on Aristotle and philosophy, it takes some patience to get through. However, this was the most entertaining overview of this rather dry topic I have come across. Much of this may be old news to historians and philosophers, but the overall story of how Aristotle's key writings were lost and then rediscovered and the effect this had on university life around 1200 to 1250 is fascinating. Highly recommended.

Excellent survey

This book delivers exactly what it promises. The subject is difficult and the author makes it as lively as it can be, very well written. It helps to have basic background in 13th century European history, many of the main characters and events from the period are discussed within the context of the books subject revealing interesting stories and details. It helps to have a hard copy and take certain theological passages slowly, pausing to digest, not a good car book IMO. Overall, he de-mystifies the process that took place from re-discovery of Aristotle to the split of theology and reason. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in medieval history, and/or theology.

Aristotle's reception through the ages.

Very well done! If you like this kind of history--following one thread through history to see the role it plays in the panorama of culture, politics and society--you'll like this very much. This is a story of reason--in the form of Aristotle's life and work--in European history (up to the Renaissance). It's serious, entertaining without giving the complexity of the subject matter short shrift, well-written and well-narrated; however, if you don't like history, or if you just want a quick cruise through the middle ages, this book will bore you.

Outstanding

This is not an easy listen, even if you are familiar with Aristotle and some of the main 'players.' It commands your full attention and is worth it! An excellent synthesis and interpretation of the interplay between spirit and reason from antiquity on. I keep recommending this book to my friends so I'll have people to discuss it with--it's that good.

A Good

You never know how an audiobook will go. Some look interesting and turn out to be a complete waste of time. This is not one of those. I have avoided philosophy for years, but it's presented very well here. I am not very familiar with this period of history, so I have been listening to each chapter twice.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: A History of Rome, Volume 1

Author: Cyril Robinson

Narrator: Charlton Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-06-02

Publisher: Audio Connoisseur

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 292 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

This is Volume 1 of A History of Rome (Unabridged). Don't miss

.

Members Reviews:

A superb survey of Ancient Roman History

I was looking for a reasonably comprehensive history not just of the "decline and fall" of Rome, but of its rise as well. I was particularly interested in the final years of the republic, which occurred prior to the zenith of Roman power.

In this book, I hit the jackpot. The writing is clear, the narration spirited. I found this survey to be just the right level of detail in order to permit the reader to see similarities with events of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Don't miss Volume 2, either, which was just as good.

Excellent work!

I went into this audiobook with barely more than a rudimentary knowledge of Roman history. I had a basic grasp of certain emperors, various conflicts, and the like, but certainly nothing on a remotely academic scale.

This recording is excellent. It's beginnings are rather dry- lots of names, rivers, mountain ranges, tribes, and the like- but once everything is in place, it picks up dramatically. The telling of the Punic Wars will honestly keep you on the edge of your seat. Thanks to these tapes, I have a new interest in the General Hannibal. The tales of politics and intrigue is sure to fascinate any student of history.

The narration is eloquent and well-done. The chapters are organized in good fashion, though you will most likely need to rewind at certain places to get all the names and events in order.

All in all, excellent work. Ten hours of engaging history- and definetly relevant to current events. Check it out.

A Real History

If youre looking for a detailed look at the History of rome, then this is it.

Vocally it does take a little getting used to but stick with it because you'll be amazed at just how much you didn't know about the Romans!

I've listen to both volumes one and two. Highly reccomended.

Impressive

Professor Cyril Edward Robinson (1884-1981) is a well known classical historian and author of many books on ancient Greece and Rome. In this book Robinson provides an introduction to ancient Roman history. The book covers the history from the beginning of Roman history around 700 B.C. and end just before the final chaos. The main emphasis of the book is on the last two centuries of the Republic to 264 B.C... The author skims over the problems of early Roman history and the complexities and difficulties that had bearing on later developments.

It appears that Robinson maintained a high level of accuracy and provided excellent footnotes and documentation. The book is extremely well written. Robinson interprets the character of the outstanding figures on strictly conventional lines. The simplicity of his narrative is easy to read and his proper British grammar a delight to behold. Robinson has a lively style with an ear for a good phrase, and a sense of the drama of his subjects. He conveys his own enthusiasm of the subject to his readers.

It is a pleasure to listen to Charlton griffins highly trained voice of a British stage actor. I believe he enhances the will written text and the audio book and enjoyable listen.

A Great audio book

I have always wanted to know more about Rome, than the simple 1 or 2 pages they usually put in the history books. This book and part2 are extremely detailed in their coverage of Rome's History from beginning to end.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: A History of Britain, Volume 1

Subtitle: At the Edge of the World, 3000 B.C. - 1603 A.D.

Author: Simon Schama

Narrator: Timothy West

Format: Abridged

Length: 8 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-00

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 269 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Simon Schama's narrative moves from the early tribes and invasions of the British isles to the Norman Conquest; through the religious wars and turbulence of the Middle Ages to the sovereignties of Henry II, Richard I, and King John; through the outbreak of the Black Death, which destroyed nearly half of Europe's population; through the reign of Edward I and the growth of national identity in Wales and Scotland; to the turbulent religious and dynastic conflicts of the Tudor age, culminating in the glorious reign of Elizabeth I. The theme of change - sometimes gentle and subtle, sometimes shocking and violent - emerges as the narrative's most powerful dynamic change that washes over custom and habit, transforming loyalties and boundaries.

A History of Britain also poses questions that have universal timeless resonance. What makes or breaks a nation? To whom do you give your allegiance and why? Where do the roots of your community lie - in your hearth and home, your village or city, your tribe, your faith? And, finally, what is Britain? One country or many, one culture or several? This is a touchstone for the present that reintroduces you to the past with stunning energy and clarity.

This is Volume 1 of A History of Britain. Don't miss

.

Critic Reviews:

Potent and compelling. (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Accessible to the lay-person.

I found it to be very helpful in understanding the recent history of Britain of which I am more familiar. To an American such as myself, British history as it is taught over here is extremely dull. This book is quite the opposite and has helped me to understand such issues as Ireland, the split from the Catholic Church and the formation of the Anglican Church. As a student of American history and politics, I enjoyed seeing the roots of what is so often taken for granted in our political institutions.

I wish it were unabridged!

As a U.S. reader, I found this very accessible. I suspect those more familiar with Great Britain and its history would like it even better, particularly many of the geographic references that were lost on me.

I generally steer clear of abridged versions, and this book certainly confirms me in that general rule of thumb, because I was disappointed at several points to realize that we were picking up the story a century or more after the period we had just been discussing. On the other hand, I learned a great deal about what was happening in England before the Battle of Hastings (a period I had previously known almost nothing about) and I really enjoyed the discussions of Tudor England, the main outlines of which were already familiar. Thus, while I remain disappointed that the work is only offered in an abridged format, I recommend it anyway and I do plan to buy all three volumes.

Excellent and interesting

The book proved to be very interesting and quite detailed in its telling of early British history. Its focus stays squarely on England (its Kings, politics, and religious conflicts) and does not deviate for a broader view of Europe. The whole series is a must listen to book.

Good overview

British history is very dense, and Schama does a great job of weaving the story together through pertinent events that ultimately unfurl into momentous changes for the country.

Schama is a very good writer, and keeps the audience in mind.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1

Author: Edward Gibbon

Narrator: Philip Madoc, Neville Jason

Format: Abridged

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-01-00

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 93 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is one of the greatest texts in the English language. In magisterial prose, Gibbon charts the gradual collapse of the Roman rule form Augustus (23 BC - AD 14) to the first of the barbarian kings, Odoacer (476- 490 AD). It is a remarkable account, with the extravagant corruption and depravity of emperors such as Commodus, Caracalla, and Elagabalus contrasted by the towering work of Constantine, Julian, and other remarkable men. It remains the standard work of scholarship on the subject two hundred years after it is written; yet equally important, in its sheer accessibility, it is an unforgettable story.

Members Reviews:

A Triumph

How often does one hear of someone admitting to have tried and failed to get through Gibbon's "Decline and Fall"? I have heard it several times and I include myself in the statistic. This abridged audio version is exquisitely done and makes Gibbon accessible enough to enjoy and be inspired by this timeless masterpiece. Philip Madoc reads Gibbon beautifully and earnestly, while Neville Jason provides background and context. Both are first rate. I happened to listen to a sample of the other Decline and Fall version offered by Audible. I respectfully prefer this one (However, I'm intrigued by the other because it looks much less abridged than this one). I would also recommend Cyril Robinson's "A History of Rome" as a companion. Charlton Griffin is an excellent narrator.

Beautifully written and narrated

This is one of those classics that, sooner or later, all educated people manage to get around to. I had attempted reading it in my youth, but never finished it. I was pleased to find an abridged version that would not strain my attention span. This is a very well narrated version by two British readers who are skillful in the craft. It is elegantly done, and the voices match the baroque style of Gibbons' flowery style. If ancient Rome is a subject that interests you, you must hear this. However, this history does NOT include the origins and history of republican Rome. In fact, the vast bulk of the subject matter is the corruption and fall of the Roman Empire, starting approximately with the events of the first half of the 2nd century A.D. and proceeding from there. I recommend this work without hesitation to lovers of ancient history.

Getting Through the Book

When I was in grade nine, I was told by my grandfather that this was one of the best written books in the English language. I began to read it on the bus, its corners became tattered as I poured over the words. I memorized passages and adopted its language in my high-school essays and was promptly reprimanded by my english teacher.

I never managed to place the book in a narrative that I could describe to myself.

This recording helped me get through the book in its entirety and absorb it as a narrative.

Great book, great reading, read experience.

Do you want to know what period volume 1 covers?

Any additional comments?

Volume 1 of this audiobook, after some general discussion, begins in some depth with the reign of Augustus (27 B.C - A.D. 14). Only a very cursory account is given of the period comprising the reigns of the next several emperors, through Antoninus Pius (A.D.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Stories from Xenophon

Author: Xenophon

Narrator: Nelson Runger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

Stories from Xenophon is a valuable, firsthand historical account of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), a bitter struggle between Athens and Sparta for the control of Greece. Born to a wealthy Athenian family, Xenophon joined the war in its latter stages. After Sparta's victory, Xenophon grew disenchanted with Athens and joined Cyrus on his expedition against his brother, the King of Persia. When Cyrus was killed in the Battle of Cunaxa, Xenophon suddenly became leader of the Ten Thousand Greeks in their historic march homeward through miles of enemy territory - a journey that demonstrated the possibility of defeating Persia and later paved the way for Alexander the Great. While historians have debated some of its omissions, Stories from Xenophon remains a fascinating document about democracy in crisis, civil war, and the beginning of the decline of one of the world's great cultures.

(P)1992 by Recorded Books, Inc.

Editorial Reviews:

It's tempting to view the Greek historian Xenophon as a fifth-century Hemingway - a one-time student and friend of Socrates, he left Athens to sign on as a mercenary for Cyrus of Persia, and went on to write a famous, no-frills account of that mission that has endured for centuries. That book, The Anabasis, or "The Upward March" is featured in Stories of Xenophon

. Whether you're looking for military history, a window into the character of one of the world's great civilizations, or a rip-roaring adventure story, Xenophon has a story to tell you. This audiobook, narrated with a gravelly vigor by hall-of-fame narrator Nelson Rungren, is essentially the pocket Xenophon, and makes for a perfect companion to a literate traveler's leisurely weekend "upward drive".

Members Reviews:

Essential Reading

A great way to access an essential classic without the pain. The historical notes are excellent for context and the reader reads the elegant translation beret well. Must read for the serious history buff.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Phoenicians: The History and Culture of One of the Ancient World's Most Influential Civilizations

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Jack Nolan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-14-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 44 votes

Genres: History, Ancient

Publisher's Summary:

"These people, who had formerly dwelt on the shores of the Erythraean Sea, having migrated to the Mediterranean and settled in the parts which they now inhabit, began at once, they say, to adventure on long voyages, freighting their vessels with the wares of Egypt and Assyria...." - Herodotus

Of all the peoples of the ancient Near East, the Phoenicians are among the most recognizable but also perhaps the least understood. The Phoenicians never built an empire like the Egyptians and Assyrians; in fact, the Phoenicians never created a unified Phoenician state. Instead, they existed as independent city-state kingdoms scattered throughout the Mediterranean region. However, despite the fact there was never a "Phoenician Empire", the Phoenicians proved to be more prolific in their exploration and colonization than any other peoples in world history until the Spanish during the Age of Discovery.

The Phoenicians were well-known across different civilizations throughout the ancient world, and their influence can be felt across much of the West today. This is because they are credited with inventing the forerunner to the Greek alphabet, from which the Latin alphabet was directly derived. Nonetheless, the Phoenicians left behind few written texts, so modern historians have been forced to reconstruct their past through a variety of ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman sources. It's not even clear what the Phoenicians called themselves, because the name "Phoenician" is derived from the Greek word "phoinix", which possibly relates to the dyes they produced and traded.

Members Reviews:

Monotone

Like most charles rivers editors audiobooks, the information is well researched. However the way it is presented does not make it easy to follow and it is easy to zone out.

a wiki

fairly brief overview of the Phoenicians. not worth a credit. pay for it instead (5$) and save the credit for a fuller volume