Ancient Civilizations: Athens and Ancient Greece

Rating:
Summary: A Pausanias view of ancient Greece
Review: This is a very enjoyable DVD which is both travelogue and history. It covers not only Athens, but Delphi, Corinth, Olympia, Sparta, Mycenae and other cities of ancient Greece. The viewer is taken to the modern locations of these ancient places and provided with a wealth of information. The real plus for this video however, is the use of graphical reconstructions for each location or monument mentioned -- and the reconstruction is superimposed on its modern ruin. This is a marvelous way to get a sense of the glory of Greek architecture and a sense of place, especially when only a few ruins remain. You won't get a detailed history of ancient Hellas and some of the pronunciations used are eccentric (e.g., the narrator pronounces Zeus as "zay oos"), but it's worth adding to your collection.