CF

The Foundations of Western Civilization

24h 40m
English
Paid

In this sweeping course, you get the classic grand tour of ancient Western civilization, taught by an award-winning professor of history at Notre Dame.

You can discover the essential nature, evolution, and perceptions of Western civilization from its humble beginnings in the great river valleys of Iraq and Egypt to the dawn of the modern world. This broad, sweeping series helps you cover an enormous amount of historical material as you see how Western civilization evolved. Concentrating on the period 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1600, Professor Thomas F. X. Noble unfolds for you the fascinating story of how the global reach of the West came to exist, what makes it distinctive and unique, and its possible future.

About the Authors

Dr. Thomas F. X. Noble

Dr. Thomas F. X. Noble thumbnail

Dr. Thomas F. X. Noble is a US history professor emeritus (University of Notre Dame) specialising in late antiquity and early medieval European history. His teaching material has been published as on-demand video courses for general adult audiences through The Great Courses / Wondrium.

His CourseFlix listing carries The Foundations of Western Civilization — the first part of a comprehensive lecture series on Western civilisation, covering the development from the ancient Mediterranean civilisations through the late medieval period.

Material is paid and aimed at general adult learners interested in world history. The course sits in the broader History and Culture catalog on CourseFlix.

Wondrium (The Great Courses)

Wondrium (The Great Courses) thumbnail

Wondrium (formerly The Great Courses Plus and originally The Great Courses) is a US online education platform that has been publishing university-level video lecture series since 1990. The platform's distinctive contribution is the depth and production quality of its courses — each is taught by a tenured university professor with the production values of a documentary series, not a YouTube tutorial.

The catalog covers academic disciplines rather than technical-skill training: history, philosophy, science, mathematics, literature, music theory, religion, economics. Material is taught by faculty from Stanford, Yale, Princeton, the University of Chicago, MIT, and similar institutions. Wondrium is typically used by intellectually-curious adult learners filling in the liberal-arts side of their education.

The CourseFlix listing under this source carries over 19 Wondrium / Great Courses titles spanning that range — sitting in the broader CourseFlix catalog as general-interest reference rather than as a software-engineering track. Material is paid; Wondrium itself runs on a monthly / annual subscription on the original platform.

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#1: 1 "Western", "Civilization", and "Foundations"
All Course Lessons (48)
#Lesson TitleDurationAccess
1
1 "Western", "Civilization", and "Foundations" Demo
32:41
2
2 History Begins at Sumer
30:28
3
3 Egypt - The Gift of the Nile
31:10
4
4 The Hebrews - Small States and Big Ideas
30:45
5
5 A succession of Empires
30:40
6
6 Wide-Ruling Agamemnon
30:09
7
7 Dark Age and Archaic Greece
30:35
8
8 The Greek Polis-Sparta
30:26
9
9 The Greek Polis-Athens
30:33
10
10 Civic Culture - Architecture and Drama
30:37
11
11 The Birth of History
30:54
12
12 From Greek Religion to Socratic Philoshophy
30:47
13
13 Plato and Aristotle
31:15
14
14 The Failure of the Polis and the Rise of Alexander
30:46
15
15 The Hellenistic World
30:49
16
16 The Rise of Rome
30:50
17
17 The Roman Republic-Government and Politics
30:12
18
18 Roman Imperialism
30:01
19
19 The Culture of the Roman Republic
30:17
20
20 Rome - From Republic to Empire
30:26
21
21 The Pax Romana
30:32
22
22 Rome's Golden and Silver Ages
31:04
23
23 Jesus and the New Testament
30:44
24
24 The Emergence of a Christian Church
30:43
25
25 Late Antiquity-Crisis and Response
30:45
26
26 Barbarians and Emperors
31:02
27
27 The Emergence of the Catholic Church
31:40
28
28 Christian Culture in Late Antiquity
30:13
29
29 Muhammad and Islam
30:02
30
30 The Birth of Byzantium
30:48
31
31 Barbarian Kingdoms in the West
30:50
32
32 The World of Charlemagne
30:49
33
33 The Carolingian Renaissance
30:44
34
34 The Expansion of Europe
30:43
35
35 The Chivalrous Society
30:50
36
36 Mediaval Political Traditions, I
30:41
37
37 Medieval Political Traditions, II
31:12
38
38 Scholastic Culture
30:33
39
39 Vernacular Culture
30:56
40
40 The Crisis of Renaissance Europe
30:45
41
41 The Renaissance Problem
30:53
42
42 Renaissance Portraits
31:20
43
43 The Northern Renaissance
31:17
44
44 The Protestant Reformation - Martin Luther
31:12
45
45 The Protestant Reformation - John Calvin
31:10
46
46 Catholic Reforms and "Confessionalization"
31:21
47
47 Exploration and Empire
29:44
48
48 What Challenges Remain?
33:06
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Books

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Frequently asked questions

What prerequisites should I have before enrolling in this course?
There are no specific prerequisites for this course. However, a general interest in history and Western civilization would be beneficial. Familiarity with basic historical periods might enhance your learning experience, but it is not mandatory.
What historical periods does the course cover?
The course covers a broad range of historical periods from 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1600. It begins with ancient civilizations such as Sumer and Egypt, explores Greek and Roman history, and progresses through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation.
What key figures or thinkers are discussed in the course?
The course discusses influential figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Jesus, Muhammad, Charlemagne, Martin Luther, and John Calvin, highlighting their impact on Western civilization.
How does this course compare in depth to other history courses?
This course offers a grand tour of Western civilization, providing a broad overview rather than an in-depth focus on any single period or event. It is well-suited for those seeking a comprehensive understanding of Western history up to the dawn of the modern world.
Does the course cover non-Western civilizations?
The primary focus is on Western civilization. However, there is some discussion on how Western civilization interacted with and was influenced by non-Western cultures, such as during the rise of Islam and the expansion of Europe.
How much time should I expect to dedicate to this course?
The course consists of 48 lessons, with each lesson likely requiring additional study time for note-taking and deeper exploration. It's advisable to allocate several hours per week to engage with the material thoroughly.
How can knowledge from this course benefit my career or further studies?
Understanding the foundations of Western civilization can enhance careers in education, history, archaeology, and related fields. It also provides a solid background for further studies in history, cultural studies, and international relations.