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  3. Television

  4. History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age

TELEVISION

History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age

Series: Great Courses
4.1
(42)
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Episodes
24
Rating
TVPG
Year
2017
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

It is nearly impossible to overstate the power and importance of the crucial 500-year history of the Abbasid Empire. This is your opportunity to get to know the story and the accomplishments of this great period in human civilization. Taught by acclaimed lecturer Eamonn Gearon, these 24 remarkable lectures offer brilliant insights into an era too often overlooked.

Related Subjects

  • History
  • Educational

Episodes

1. From Camels to Stars in the Middle East

30m

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Step back to one of the most important yet overlooked periods in human history. Your tour of the Golden Age of Islamic Civilization begins with the who, what, why, where, when, and how of this great period and its impact. Explore the Abbasid Empire and see how it bridged the ancient world and the Renaissance.

2. Ibn Battuta's Search for Knowledge

30m

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As a truly international, intercultural, interracial, and even intercontinental era, great travelers abound. Here, you will meet the Moroccan wayfarer Ibn Battuta and trace his journey across Northern Africa and the Middle East in the century after the Mongol sack of Baghdad. Gain new insights into the era - including whether it ever truly come to an end.

3. Arabian Nights Caliph: Harun al-Rashid

30m

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Get to know the great Caliph Harun al-Rashid and Baghdad's House of Wisdom, which was the largest depository of books in the world at that time - and served as the engine that drove much of the Golden Age. Then shift your attention to the Arabian Nights collection of stories and legends to discover the source of al-Rashid's enduring fame.

4. The Arab World's Greatest Writer: al-Jahiz

30m

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Considered by many scholars to be the finest writer of Arabic prose who ever lived, al-Jahiz was a brilliant stylist and author of more than 200 works, many of which survive today. In this lecture, you will uncover the origins of Arabic writing before turning to the life and works of al-Jahiz.

5. Algebra, Algorithms, and al-Khwarizmi

30m

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The field of mathematics owes a tremendous debt to the Islamic Golden Age. Mathematicians such as Omar Khayyam (who is perhaps better known today as a poet) and al-Khwarizmi built on the work of Babylonian, Greek, and Indian mathematicians to systematize and explain algebra and symbolic algorithms. Survey this critical period of mathematics history.

6. Baghdad's House of Wisdom

30m

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During the Abbasid Empire, Baghdad's House of Wisdom was the world's preeminent center for translation and original research. Find out why translation flourished in this era, and meet two of the Golden Age's most important translators: Hunayan Ibn Ishaq and al-Kindi. Then consider the intellectual legacy of the Arabic translation movement.

7. Muhammad, the Hadith, and Imam Bukhari

30m

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Hadith refers to the collected sayings of Muhammad outside of the Quran, all of which were gathered and sifted in an amazing feat of research by Iman al-Bukhari 200 years after Muhammad's death. Journey with al-Bukhari as he wrestles with the authenticity of hundreds of thousands of hadith - and how his work continues to impact Islam today.

8. Interpreting and Defending the Quran

30m

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Delve into the realm of Quranic exegesis from the year 750 until about 1258. By considering the life of al-Tabari, one of the most important commentators in Islamic history, you will uncover the method and implications of tafsir, or exegesis. Your study will take you into controversial territory with a look at the infamous Satanic Verses.

9. The Arab Herodotus: al-Masudi

30m

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Examine the life and times of one of the era's great travel writers. Following the journey of al-Masudi gives you a broad tour of the Islamic Golden Age and its history. After reviewing his biography and reflecting on his reasons for traveling, you will survey the many subjects he wrote about, from geography and geology to the strategy of backgammon.

10. Cairo, al-Haytham, and the Book of Optics

30m

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Al-Haytham's seven-volume Book of Optics is one of the most fascinating works of scientific enquiry in the Golden Age. After reviewing the wider context of Cairo in the 10th century, delve into al-Haytham's experimentation with optics and the eye. Find out why many modern scholars have called him the world's first true scientist.

Extended Details

  • SeriesGreat Courses
  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

Eamonn GearonWriter
Eamonn GearonActor

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