Civilization #21: The Apology of King David of Israel
Who wrote the Bible, and why?In this lecture to Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues that the Bible was originally written as an apology for King David of Israel to establish his legitima...
8 Apr 1h 11min
Civilization #20: The Proto-Buddhists of the Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization
Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley were the three great civilizations of the Bronze Age. What made the Indus Valley Civilization distinct? Why did they decline? What is their legacy?In this lec...
8 Apr 1h 1min
Civilization #19: Gilgamesh and Mesopotamia's Quest for Immortality
In this lecture to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains why Mesopotamia became the cradle of civilization. He explains that geography determined the destinies and mythologies of Egy...
8 Apr 53min
Civilization #18: The Great Pyramid as Ancient Egypt's Manhattan Project
For thousands of years, the Great Pyramid of Giza has captivated and captured the imagination of the world. Why was it built?In this lecture to Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues agains...
8 Apr 54min
Civilization #17: Homer, Vergil, and the War for the Soul of Rome
In this talk to Chinese high school students Jiang Xueqin explains why Vergil's "The Aeneid" is such brilliant propaganda.In 27 BCE, the Roman Senate declared Octavian "Augustus," making him effective...
8 Apr 1h 2min
Civilization #16: Julius Caesar's Will and Octavian's Birth of Empire
In 44 BCE, an eighteen-year old Octavian arrived in Rome without an army and without political alliances, and seventeen years later he became Rome’s first emperor. How did he do it?In this lecture to ...
8 Apr 51min
Civilization #15: The Myth-Making Genius of Julius Caesar
In this talk to his Chinese high school students Jiang Xueqin examines the life and times of Julius Caesar. What motivated him? What made him so successful? Why was he assassinated? In 100 BCE, Juli...
8 Apr 1h 6min
Civilization #14: Hannibal Barca, Lucius Brutus, and the Triumph of Rome
In 216 BCE, Hannibal Barca of Carthage defeated Rome at the Battle of Cannae. After three devastating defeats to Hannibal, Rome had lost twenty percent of its adult male population, and one-third of i...
8 Apr 1h 13min
