Nike of Samothrace

Nike of Samothrace, c. 190 B.C.E. from Smarthistory Videos on Vimeo.

World Literature series #4: The Bacchae

Next up in the World Lit series from Annenberg Learner is the Greek tragedy The Bacchae by Euripedes. The play is about the conflict between the god Dionysus and the king Pentheus.

Click on the picture of the satyr and maenad below to watch the excellent video about The Bacchae at learner.org featuring the actor Alan Cumming. At their site you can also read excerpts from the play and explore a map, timeline, and slideshow about it.

World Literature series #3: The Odyssey

Next up in the World Lit series from Annenberg Learner is Homer's epic Odyssey about Odysseus's journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

Click on the picture of the Greek vase below to watch the excellent video about the Odyssey at learner.org. At their site you can also read excerpts from the poem and explore a map, timeline, and slideshow about it.

Plus, they show a clip from The Simpsons. :)

Secrets of the Parthenon

This episode of the phenomenal PBS series Nova looks at the Parthenon, icon of ancient Greece's golden age:

For 25 centuries, the Parthenon has been shot at, set on fire, rocked by earthquakes, looted for its sculptures, and disfigured by misguided restorations. Now, a team of architects and engineers is investigating the many mysteries of this icon of Western Civilization: How did the ancient Greeks design and build their masterpiece so quickly?