The subjects are the ideas of democracy, the best and worse of athens. We love the thought that in the dim anddistant past we achieved absolute perfection, and that if as a species we didit once, we can do so again. One of the recurring themes here on the hannibal blog is the tension between two distinct concepts that we in the west usually conflate nowadays 1 democracy and 2 freedom. Dawn of democracy, hughes paints a complete portrait of athens both as the glorious cradle of art and philosophy, and as a dark imperial power fueled by slavery and divided by.
Jul 21, 2007 bettany hughes searches for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the east and west became the first democracy 2,500 years ago. Aug 31, 2014 bettany hughes presents this documentary looking at life and democracy in ancient athens. Make your own fling the teacher quiz at first create a user name here and then download fling the teacher here or multichoice 10 questions here. The hemlock cup socrates, athens and the search for the good life ebook. Historian bettany hughes goes on search of the real truth about democratic athens, 2500 years ago. Bettany mary hughes obe fsa born may 1967 is an english historian, author and. Bettany hughes the ancient worlds 6 of 7 athens the.
Hughes asserts that the wests establishment of athens as the platonic ideal of democracy is hugely ironic, for that classical society in fact employed rules, regulations and. Her first book, helen of troy, jonathan cape, 2005 was published to great critical acclaim. If contemporary views of ancient athens, greece emphasize the peaceful and harmonious nature of that poliss democratic system, historian bettany hughes begs to differ. Democracys roots are far from liberal the telegraph. The giver of democracy to western civilisation, the athenians, disqualified women from voting. This first episode charts the epic story of athens victory in one of the greatest. Over thirty years ago i sat and watched a programme on british television about tutankhamen. Democracy, liberty and the freedom of speech are trumpeted as the bedrock of western civilization, but what was athens really l. This essay serves to introduce students to the institutions of the democratic constitution of ancient athens, during its flowering in the fifth and fourth centuries bce. The truth about democracy, channel 4, part of the ancient world.
Her published books cover classical antiquity and myth, and the history of istanbul. This was a democratic city built on slave labour, manipulated by. She is active in efforts to encourage the teaching of the classics in uk state schools. It has been portrayed as a golden age, almost too good to be true. I tire so of hearing people say, let things take their course. Despite its recent popularity in the west, democracy in ancient athens did not flourish but quickly died. Socrates, athens and the search for the good life by bettany hughes mobipocket. International school history european school history and. History documentary hosted by bettany hughes and published by channel 4 in 2004 english narration cover informationthe ancient worlds with bettany hughes.
The truth about democracy, documentary broadcast on more4, april 28. Bettany goes deep underground to explore a treasure trove of prehistoric. Hughes is a patron of the iris project, a charity that promotes the teaching latin and greek in uk state schools. Posts about bettany hughes written by andreas kluth. Bettany hughes searches for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the east and west became the first democracy 2,500 years ago. A tale of three cities by bettany hughes paperback 425,00. They often appear together, but they are not the same, and indeed they can on occasion become enemies. Jun 27, 2007 in a new twopart channel 4 series, athens the truth about democracy, and in articles and video clips exclusive to the telegraph, historian bettany hughes travels to the ancient grecian city to. Democracy, liberty and the freedom of speech are trumpeted as the bedrock of western civilisation, but what was athens really like. It is a twopart series on the contribution the muslims made to modern europe during their 700year reign in spain, which ended with the spanish inquisition in the 14th century. Bettany hughes describes julius caesar crossing the river thames. Cds, user manual, warranty cards, scratch cards, and other accompaniments in.
I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my two feet and own the land. Bettany hughes reveals the truth about the birth of democracy in athens 2500. Socrates, athens and the search for the good life by bettany hughes ebook pdf download. When the moors ruled in europe cosmolearning history. By the end of hughes 500page book on socrates, we can almost see and smell the man, with all of his quirks and foibles and questioning brilliance, said walter isaacson in the new york times. The truth about democracy, documentary broadcast on more4, april 28, 2010. Part one democracy, liberty and the freedom of speech are trumpeted as the bedrock of western civilisation, but what was athens really like.
British museum website on athens includes games and flash interactivities on life in athens. Sort by popularity most popular movies and tv shows with. Bettany hughes the ancient worlds 6 of 7 athens the truth. Pdf the best books on athenian democracy james kierstead. Athens had given birth to democracy, and become a hotbed of new. In silver mines and tombs she uncovers evidence for what this society was really like.
Feb 08, 2011 bettany hughes is an awardwinning historian, author and broadcaster. Historian bettany hughes travels to india, greece and china, on the trail of three giants of. Its principal purpose is to enable students to compare the athenian democracy with the system established by the u. When the moors ruled in europe is a documentary movie presented by the english historian bettany hughes. It has been revered as the birthplace of philosophy, art, science and the greatest political idea of all time. The video discusses the people, citizens, and life of athens. Jan 25, 2011 bettany hughes is an awardwinning historian, author and broadcaster who has devoted much of the last twenty years to the vibrant communication of the past. It unpicks the facts and myths surrounding one of the most enigmatic figures of. Bettany hughes looks for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, is investigating how a barren rock located between east and west became the first democracy 2,500 years ago. Documentary films classical studies libguides at michigan. Bettany searches for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the east and west became the first democracy 2,500 years ago. She has written and presented numerous documentaries for the bbc, pbs, the discovery channel, the history channel and national geographic, which have been seen by more than 100 million viewers worldwide. We take the term from ancient athens, but athenian democracy, the product of an age remembered as egalitarian and highminded, bore almost no. Bettany hughes athens the truth about democracy youtube.
Democracy by langston hughes democracy will not come today, this year nor ever through compromise and fear. Hughes evokes a city steeped in change, looking past the golden age of democracy, new wealth and power to the reality of a century tempered by war and infighting. Hughes, takes us on a wonderful journey through the ancient world and at each stop on this journey providing us with extensive insight into what it would have been like to be alive at this period in time and how. It would be another 2,000 years before society was once again able to tolerate the idea of democracy rule by the people. It was a city devastated by war, but, at the same time, transformed by the burgeoning process of democracy, and hughes recreates this fifthcentury b. Bettany hughes presents this documentary looking at life and democracy in ancient athens. In this timely and fascinating film, historian bettany hughes goes in search of the real truth about democratic athens, 2500 years ago. This extraordinary figure emerges into an athens still roiling in change social and political democracy is just now taking root bursting with new. Bettany hughes obe is a cultural and social historian, writer and television presenter. Program presenter bettany hughes, who won a scholarship to read ancient and modern history at oxford university, lectures throughout the world. The hemlock cup, by bettany hughes the independent. Dawn of democracy directed by timothy copestake alibris.
And yet, for twentyfive centuries, he has remained an enigma. Bettany goes deep underground to explore a treasure trove of prehistoric bones and ancient artefacts. Nice to see a history of the athens that shows the dark side of democracy, and that with power of the people some peoples say doesnt matter. It will serve equally well to meet the needs of anyone who is interested in the athenian democracy for its own sake. Et historian bettany hughes explores the contradictions of the golden age of ancient athens against the glorious backdrop of ancient greece, classical historian bettany hughes the spartans, helen of troy explores the truth about the golden age of ancient athens. Jun 16, 2011 democracy, liberty and the freedom of speech are trumpeted as the bedrock of western civilisation, but what was athens really like. Her first book, helen of troy, has been translated into ten languages. Bettany hughes biography is far more than just that. Movie does a good job of explaining the foundations for their new form of government, and how democracy unchecked turns a society into the very thing it wished to move away from.
The empire withered, eventually to be crushed by alexander the great. With bettany hughes, sue blundell, paul cartledge, michael cosmopoulos. Historian bettany hughes gives her personal take on the diverse cultures of the ancient world in this 2010 documentary series on more 4. Bettany searches for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the east and west. It has been portrayed as a golden age, almost too good to be true and maybe it was. Bettany hughes searches for the truth about the golden age of ancient athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the east and west became the first democracy. Bettany hughes project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Athens the truth about democracy part 1 legendado athens the truth about democracy part 2 legendado. The ancient world is a seven part documentary series presented by historian bettany hughes, it was originally aired by british tv station channel 4 over the course of an 8 year period. Hughes asserts that the wests establishment of athens as the platonic ideal of democracy is hugely ironic, for that classical society in fact employed rules, regulations and traditions deemed unthinkable, even barbaric, in our modern age from the widespread practice of black magic.
Golden ages arecomforting, bettany hughes writes in thehemlock cup. Goddess,princess, whore, was published to great critical acclaim and has now been translated into ten languages. Bettany hughes searches for the truth about the golden. Socrates, athens and the search for the good life by bettany hughes doc. Introduction to athenian democracy of the fifth and fourth. Introduction to athenian democracy of the fifth and fourth centuries bce john a. Despite its recent popularity in the west, democracy in ancient athens was not successful, but died quickly. Bettany hughes digs beneath the surface of golden age athens to explore the bloody but exhilarating truth about the worlds first democracy. Socrates, athens, and the search for the good life. International planning congress on the pulsar effect planning with peaks, athens. Bettany mary hughes obe fsa born may 1967 is an english historian, author and broadcaster, specialising in classical history.
1477 1438 1319 1000 289 183 211 10 466 1306 657 972 658 429 1692 1744 1502 1338 1120 936 1369 1637