Watch Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World

2025
1 Season

Get an updated and more complete view of history in Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World. These brilliant engineers, dynamic rebels, accomplished athletes, awe-inspiring military commanders, eloquent orators, meticulous travel writers, and cunning tricksters have long remained in the shadows with limited mainstream recognition.

Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between August 20, 2025 and on The Great Courses

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Seasons

24. Farmers: Antiquity

August 21, 2025

Change gears by focusing not on generals nor queens but on a group of truly unsung heroes: antiquity

23. Alexander of Abonoteichus: The False Prophet

August 20, 2025

Continue your survey of ancient swindlers with the false prophet Alexander Abonoteichus. Follow Alexander's ascent from quack country doctor to influential cult leader, breaking down the high-level illusions and trickery that deceived even powerful Romans into believing in his grift.

22. Percennius and Zenothemis: Ancient Con Men

August 21, 2025

Shift your focus to ancient anti-heroes. Start with Percennius the Mutineer, a master manipulator who could whip up theater audiences and disgruntled Roman soldiers alike. Then, explore just how Zenothemis and Hegestratus, conniving fraudsters from ancient Athens, sought to capitalize on a botched maritime insurance scheme.

21. Hypatia and Sosipatra: Female Philosophers

August 20, 2025

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle dominate ancient philosophy. But women, too, lived the life of the mind in antiquity. Listen to Hypatia's tragic story, from her command of Alexandrian public life to her gory demise at the hand of zealots. And, reconstruct the life of Sosipatra, a woman philosopher and ethicist active in Asia Minor.

20. Zenobia and Artemisia: Warrior Queens

August 21, 2025

Greece and Rome did battle with many queens, the most famous of which was Cleopatra. But what about the lesser-known female leaders who went toe-to-toe with the ancient world

19. Ardashir and Shapur: Stupendous Sassanians

August 21, 2025

Sassanian Kings Ardashir and Shapur are among the only leaders in history to take on Rome successfully. Survey the political history of Ancient Persia, from Alexander the Great

18. Eunus and Bulla: Rebels and Outlaws

August 21, 2025

As the story of Spartacus has shown, the oppressed underclass could pose a potent threat to Rome. See how Eunus, a mere house servant from Syria, incited a brutal slave rebellion in the Roman province of Sicily. And, study the life and impact of Bulla, a roadside bandit who harassed wealthy travelers with Robin Hood-like fervor.

17. Galen the Physician: Medical Pioneer

August 21, 2025

Though seen as arrogant in his personal dealings, the ancient physician Galen excelled in the delicate craft of medicine. Examine his unconventional methods, from opium and cinnamon potions to public vivisection. And, catalog his stint as a practicing physician, first to Rome

16. Quintilian: The Eloquent Professor

August 21, 2025

Cicero

15. Pliny the Elder: 20,000 Things Worth Knowing

August 21, 2025

Pliny the Elder

14. Mousa, Eumachia, and Plancia: Enterprising Women

August 21, 2025

Antiquity was full of enterprising women who catapulted to power in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Learn about Mousa, a slave who ascended to the Parthian throne alongside her teenage son. And, get to know both Eumachia and Plancia Magna, a pair of wealthy Roman priestesses who transformed their communities through patronage.

13. Vitruvius and Frontinus: Master Engineers

August 21, 2025

Shockingly enough, Roman soldiers spent more time building than they did fighting. Meet some of the engineers at the helm of public works projects in ancient Rome. Begin with a deep dive into Vitruvius

12. Turia: A Devoted Wife in Times of Crisis

August 20, 2025

In times of profound military or political crisis, women can find paths to transcend restrictive gender roles. And that's precisely what happened during the Roman Civil War. Investigate how one woman, an aristocrat named Turia, navigated complex legal and political challenges to avenge her parents' murder and protect her husband from persecution.

11. Marcus Agrippa: Augustus

August 21, 2025

Emperor Augustus seized power in Rome after the Second Triumvirate collapsed in 27 BC, but he could not have done it without his childhood best friend, Agrippa. Explore how this unique partnership boosted Augustus

10. Sextus Pompey: He Could Have Been Emperor

August 21, 2025

A brutal power struggle followed the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Among those jockeying for influence was Sextus Pompey, a capable admiral who came dangerously close to seizing control of Rome. Dive into his life, from his illustrious upbringing to the military and political opportunities he failed to grasp in his prime.

9. Clodia Metelli: Scandalous Woman of Rome?

August 21, 2025

In the study of ancient history, women are strikingly absent from the written record. That is largely why Clodia Metelli

8. Strabo and Pausanias: Describers of the World

August 21, 2025

Carefully crafted maps and tourist guidebooks have gotten us where we need to go for centuries. Among the most influential geographers in antiquity were Strabo and Pausanias. What was the role of the travel writer in antiquity? And how did Strabo and Pausanias revolutionize the craft?

7. Mithridates of Pontus: Rome

August 21, 2025

Born under a passing comet and divinely marked by lightning, Mithridates of Pontus contended for power in 119 BC. Survey the Pontic leader

6. Jugurtha of Numidia: African Freedom Fighter

August 21, 2025

One of the most fearsome empires in world history, Rome encountered rebellion and resistance from a host of defiant subjects, with the most potent threat being a charismatic and cunning North African prince named Jugurtha. Examine Jugurtha

5. Olympians: Ancient Athletic Champions

August 21, 2025

Athletes enjoyed near mythic reverence and popularity in the ancient world. Get to know some of the amateur sportsmen who dominated athletics thousands of years ago, like the skilled wrestler Milo of Croton, the powerful boxer Theagenes of Thasos, the Diagoras of Rhodes sports dynasty, and master long-jumper Phayllus of Croton.

4. Ctesibius and Hero: Alexandrian Inventors

August 21, 2025

Turn your attention to two obscure Alexandrian inventors: Ctesibius and Hero. See how the inventions of the pump, improved water clock, and catapult of Ctseibius redefined pneumatics to shape the material world we live in today. And, look closely at the ingenuity behind some of Hero

3. Epaminondas of Thebes: Slayer of Spartans

August 21, 2025

When we think of ancient Greek city-states, we most often think of Athens and Sparta. But in 400 BC, the quiet city of Thebes surged to the top, led by the frugal but fierce Epaminondas. See how Epaminondas organized a potent fighting force in his home region to throw off the yoke of Spartan oppression.

2. Polycrates of Samos: The Tale of a Tyrant

August 21, 2025

Long considered the cradle of democracy, Greece was also home to despotic governments

1. Cimon of Athens: From Glory to Disgrace

August 20, 2025

Alexander the Great and Socrates are household names. But what about antiquity's lesser-known figures-the intellectuals, inventors, queens, and con men who shaped history for better and for worse? Kick off the course by getting to know Cimon, a Greek politician and military general, who helped transform Athens into a world power.

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Where to Watch Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World

Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World on demand at Prime Video and Amazon.