Ancient Greece and Asia Minor Documentary Film Page

Searching and referencing online educational films and videos

With digital transformations in education, online films and videos bring to light more than just content, we are exposed to – and adapt to – the use of technology in teaching and learning. For example, searching and referencing videos on YouTube suggest an awareness of search strategies one might employ while identifying diverse genres of videos and experts in a given field or topic area.

In the case of searching and referencing Greece and Asia Minor videos – free and available on YouTube – the following genres come to light and are explored.

Academic lectures and presentations
Mainstream documentary films and series
Diverse videos of interest
Animated video presentations
Travel videos and vlogs

Prof. Donald Kagan | Yale Lecture Series

Personal note: my intellectual curiosity and research on ancient Greece and Asia Minor has been greatly influenced by Professor Donald Kagan (1932-2021).

The following playlist offers 24 seperate 1-hour lectures by Yale University Professor Donald Kagan titled Introduction to Ancient Greek History. Kagan, a distinguished professor who specialized in ancient and classical Greek history, is perhaps best remembered for his research and publications on the Peloponnesian War.

MAINSTREAM DOCUMENTARY FILMS AND SERIES

Professionally shot and edited documentary films and series produced by mainstream media organizations, such as the BBC, PBS and Timeline, are increasing available online and offer teachers and students a great deal of educational material and introduce key scholars and experts in the field.

However, one must learn to navigate through mountains of duplicated and reposted videos by nefarious YouTube channels when locating full and original content for referencing.

Rick Steve's Europe

Flamboyant and fact-filled, Rick Steves is among the earliest and most prolific travel show hosts and YouTubers. His work began in the late 1970s with The Experimental College at the University of Washington.

Although catering to the tourism industry, his work is informative and encourages learning and appreciation of ancient history and culture. Since the debut of Travels in Europe with Rick Steves on public television (PBS) in 1991, it was my late Grandmother's favorite weekly show, and her enthusiasm for the program and European history made a lasting impression on me.

University Filmworks | Greece and Turkey

University Filmworks is my personal YouTube channel with fun and original content. Production details are available at UniversityFilmworks.com

While the Greece and Asia Minor Documentary Page is orientated towards searching and organizing free online content found on YouTube, I would like to introduce the idea of creating and posting one's own content. From my experience, creating videos is a dynamic learning experience, including the process of editing shots and correctly labeling locations, dates and details.

Istanbul Time & Tradition

The Hittite Treaty of Kadesh | c. 1259 BCE

As a university lecturer of Asian Studies in anthropology, it was certainly a pleasure to see, and photograph, the original c.1259 BCE Treaty of Kadesh -- a.k.a. the Egyptian/Hittite Peace Treaty -- generally considered to be the world’s oldest peace treaty. One of the most important documents in Near Eastern history, the treaty was made following the infamous 1274 BCE Battle of Kadesh between the Hittites of Asia Minor and the Egyptians led by Ramses II. The battle took place near the current day Lebanon-Syria border.

Two versions of the treaty survive, one engraved in hieroglyphics at the Temple of Karnak, Egypt, the other found at the ancient Hittite capital city of Hattusa (Bogazkale, Turkey) in 1906, inscribed in cuneiform in the Akkadian language. In respective versions, each party claims victory. Today the treaty serves as a global symbol of conflict resolution, with a copy on permanent exhibition at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City.

Museum pic: Treaty of Kadesh interpretation signage

Books and YouTube never really prepared us for the size, detail and grandeur of the Topkapi Palace Conservation Area, part of the Sultanahmet Archaeological Park.

As we walked through 500 years of Ottoman history and got lost in intimate parks, gardens, palaces, rooms, corridors and chambers, what impressed us most was the display of wealth and empire, as if everything the Sultans had collected through centuries of conquest and diplomacy was now protected, available and public. It was all there – an extravaganza of exposition.