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The Modern Scholar

Classical Mythology: The Romans

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About this listen

 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 25 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.

©2005 Peter Meineck (P)2005 Recorded Books Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics Collections Rome Mythology
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This is an excellent introduction to the mythology of the Greeks and Romans; they have had such a profound effect on the Europe of the past, especially from Medieval times to the modern day, though we may sometimes forget that today. For that reason, and the fact that these stories are still so fresh and relevant, the course and the whole series is well worth listening to.

Myths and their meaning

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I enjoyed the lectures though I found them a little brief and, I think deliberately, the focus was on understanding the Aeneid, rather than necessarily the precursors to it. Overall, an enjoyable series of lectures but I'll have to track down some more in depth studies of the earlier myths. Would recommend, but won't cover all the bases!

Enjoyable but too brief!

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The subject is thrilling and you get a lot of valuable information. Besides, I enjoyed very much the rithm and pronunciation. But, professor Meineck rambles too much and frequently loss the thread. I recommend his much better Greek myths and Greek tragedy.

Not as good as the other lectures

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