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More Fake History – Truth Behind Antiquity’s Legends and Lies:  A Four Part Course with Dr. Thomas Madden

More Fake History – Truth Behind Antiquity’s Legends and Lies: A Four Part Course with Dr. Thomas Madden


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Antiquity is filled with mysteries – pyramids, giant stones, and lost civilizations, just to name a few. In this second installment of four lectures, the distinguished historian, Dr. Thomas F. Madden, tackles some of the best known and most persistent myths of the Ancient World, shedding light on their origins and revealing the truth behind them.

Dr. Thomas F. Madden, a leading historian of the pre-modern world, is an award-winning teacher and scholar and the author of numerous books, including The Concise History of the Crusades, Venice: A New History, and Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World. 

Lecture 1 – Ancient Astronauts:
Begun by Erich van Daniken and his book, Chariots of the Gods?, the theory of alien visitors to Earth in ancient times remains popular today. This lecture will explore some of the claims, as well as the the evidence for these theories, setting them into their proper historical settings.

Lecture 2 – Lost Continents and Forgotten Civilizations:
Atlantis is only the most famous of the continents that are said to have been lost, taking their advanced or mystical civilizations with them. In this lecture we will explore the historical basis for these continents and follow the development of their myths.

Lecture 3 –  Megaliths, Pyramids, and other Big Rocks:
Who built the Pyramids? Stonehenge? The Easter Island statues? How? Why? In this lecture we will examine some of the more outlandish (yet popular) explanations for these mysterious items as well as the methods and purposes of their construction.

Lecture 4 – North America Before Columbus:
Ancient Voyages to the New World It is difficult to hide a whole continent, let alone two. Millions of Native Americans lived in the New World before Columbus arrived in 1492. But was he the first visitor from across the oceans? This lecture will look at the evidence for pre-Columbian voyages from Europe, Africa, and the Far East.

Thomas F Madden is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. As an author and historical consultant, he has appeared in such venues as The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The History Channel. He is the author of "The Concise History of the Crusades," "The Fourth Crusade: The Conquest of Constantinople," and numerous other books and studies. He is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Medieval Academy of America, and was named a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar.

How does it work?
This is a four-part series held weekly and hosted on Zoom. Please check the schedule for the specific dates and times for each lecture. The link to enter the zoom room will be emailed to you thirty minutes before each session begins. 
Is there a reading list in advance?
Though the course is open to participants with no background on this topic, there are suggested readings for further investigation. A reading list will be emailed to you at the course's conclusion.
How long are the lectures?
Each lecture is 60 minutes long, with time for Q&A
How much is the course?
The course is $140 for four lectures.
Is a recording available?
Yes. All registered participants will be sent a recording within 24 hours of each session's conclusion. The recordings are available to re-watch at leisure until 30 days after the course's conclusion.

Where can I find additional details about the first installment of this course -- first offered in August 2022?
Click here. These two courses designed by Dr. Madden can be enjoyed interchangeably – no need to enroll sequentially. 

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

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