It can be argued that one simple idea - the concept of freedom - has been the driving force of Western civilization and may be the most influential intellectual force the world has ever known. But what is freedom, exactly? These 36 lectures tell freedom's dramatic story from ancient Greece to our own day, exploring a concept so close to us we may never have considered it with the thoroughness it deserves. What does it take to be free? What does democracy have to do with freedom? Is there a dichotomy between public and private morality in a free society? You'll ponder these and other eye-opening questions in these moving lectures that combine a fine actor's captivating presence with the broad learning of a seasoned classics scholar. With Professor Fears leading the journey, you'll explore the six crucial epochs in the history of freedom, including the story of Athens, the world's first democracy; the role of Christianity in the flowering of freedom and human liberation; and the struggles of free peoples against foreign dictatorships during the 20th century. To illustrate thought-provoking accounts of freedom's triumphs and travails, Professor Fears draws on Sophocles, Aristotle, Cicero, Paul, Machiavelli, Lincoln, and many others. Accept this intellectual invitation with enthusiasm and intellectual anticipation, and your perspective on politics, society, and history - or your place in them - may never be the same.
