Introduction to Ancient Greek History (CLCV 205)
In this lecture, Professor Kagan addresses what scholars call the Homeric question. He asks: what society do Homer's poems describe? He argues that in view of the long oral transmission of the poems, the poems of Homer probably reflect various ages from the Mycenaean world to the Dark Ages. More importantly, close scrutiny of the poems will yield historical information for the historian. In this way, one is able to reconstruct through the poems, to a certain extent, the post-Mycenaean world. Finally, Professor Kagan says a few words on the heroic ethic of the Greek world.
00:00 - Chapter 1. The Importance of Homeric Poems
13:08 - Chapter 2. The Society Described in Homer's Poems
35:49 - Chapter 3. Political Structures
52:26 - Chapter 4. Ethics and Values
Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: open.yale.edu/courses
This course was recorded in Fall 2007.