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The Modern Scholar: From Troy to Constantinople

The Cities and Societies of Ancient Turkey

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The Modern Scholar: From Troy to Constantinople

By: Jennifer Tobin
Narrated by: Jennifer Tobin
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About this listen

From time immemorial, the region of modern-day Turkey has served as a crossroads between east and west. In this illuminating course, Professor Jennifer Tobin leads a compelling discussion of "Anatolia" from early archaeological sites and the Trojan War up through the Greeks, Persians, Alexander the Great, and the Romans. A land of immense cultural significance, Ancient Turkey has housed an amazing array of peoples - the study of whom shines light on the modern world.

©2011 Jennifer Tobin (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC Ancient World Ancient Greece Ancient History
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I loved listening to Jennifer Tobin talking about the many ancient cultures and treasures of the Anatolian region

Such rich history!

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Someone has told this lecturer she has to speak slowly for audio and she has taken it far too much to heart. Her tone also comes across overly soft and patronising, as though she is explaining difficult concepts to a small child, instead of interested, literate adults.

I made it through the lecture on the history of Troy because I really wanted to know about that, but afterwards I had to stop. Someone tell this person to relax and just talk to her listeners like peers.

beyond that, the content was interesting, but I would have liked a lot more detail.

Content seems fine but the delivery is torturous

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Professor Tobin imparts a wealth of fascinating information in an easily understandable way with her friendly voice guiding you from age to age and city to city. The details of each civilisation and their achievements along with the main characters are rich and enlightening. Highly recommended.

A wealth of fascinating information.

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Lectures an informative and story like account which was what I wanted. Irritation is the constant advertising between chapters-but not a train smash.

Lecture format but informative and listenable

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This is a fascinating topic and I had high expectations- but the structure, handling and narration were so poor I gave up. Ms Tobin stumbles and hesitates, and rarely constructs a fluid sentence. She often repeats a point immediately after having made it and at the same time is unable to make the salient historical points stand out. The lectures aren’t really history, or only incidentally, but a full and over-detailed description of archaeological sites and excavations. I expected an overview of early Turkish history, not a layer by layer account of excavations at what might be Troy. I have listened to many Great Courses lectures and found almost all clear and fluently presented, well designed for students to remember key arguments. This is nothing like that- the individual lectures are not connected by a clear structure and I ended up feeling so had no idea where I was or what the series was trying to say. Plus, unbelievably irritatingly, the lecturer keeps referring to ‘scholars’ who think this or that as though she had no authority. Not worth the time I spent on it.

Unlistenable

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