As Egypt becomes a great nation led by a single all-powerful ruler, traditions arise that will last for millennia: a capital city, separate burial places (and eventually mighty pyramids) for the kings, solar boats for the trip to the next world, and more.

This lecture will present a portrait of the founder of the "Fabulous Fourth" Dynasty, Sneferu. Using trial and error, he figured out how to build a true pyramid. His reign also saw Egypt's blossoming as an international power and the setting of artistic standards that would last for thousands of years.

There is a bit of a mystery about Ramses's reign. Its last 40 years were rather sedentary. In considering what might have happened, you will see how a pharaoh with the resources of Ramses prepared himself and his family for the next world.

A TV show about the Middle Ptolemies might be called "Lifestyles of the Rich and Murderous." With few exceptions, the members of this dysfunctional dynasty were violent, debauched, and generally neglectful of the country they ruled. The Egyptians hated them and frequently rebelled, forcing some to flee for their lives. With each Ptolemy, Egypt sank deeper, making a return to greatness impossible.

Although Cleopatra is one of the most famous women who ever lived, she remains an enigma--we don't even know her mother's name. History is written by the victors, and Cleopatra lost. Can ancient records help fill out her story?

In this set of 24 lectures, Professor Elizabeth Vandiver, University of Maryland, introduces the student to the primary characters and most important stories of classical Greek and Roman mythology. She also surveys some of the leading theoretical approaches to understanding myth in general and classical myth in particular.

Examines the life and works of Igor Stravinsky.

Twenty-four lectures of thirty minutes each on Dante's famous poem. Includes portraits, photographs, maps, and diagrams.

A series of 12 half-hour lectures on a college course level. Covers the rise of the Nazi party and the Third Reich in power.

A study of the Byzantine Empire from earliest times to the fall of Constantinople in 1453.