World History with Professor Rohl

A (very) basic introduction to the history of the Early Medieval world, designed to supplement assigned reading for students in my HIST151: History of the World to AD 1500 course at Calvin University. This episode offers a summarized view of some key aspects of the early middle ages, specifically from the perspective of continental western Europe and the Byzantine Empire.

A (very) basic introduction to the history of Central Asia, designed to supplement assigned reading for students in my HIST151: History of the World to AD 1500 course at Calvin University. This video offers a summarized view of the geography, key animals, social structure, and select key developments in Central Asia from prehistory to around 1400 CE.

This episode offers a very basic introduction to Ancient Egypt, designed to supplement introductory learning with an open-access world history textbook (https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/history-textbooks/2/). This episode offers a summarized view of the key periods for Ancient Egypt, from prehistory to the Roman period, but also emphasizes the danger of over-simplifying a 3,000+ year-long society in a single snapshot image.

This episode offers a very basic introduction to world prehistory, designed to supplement introductory learning with an open access world history textbook (https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/history-textbooks/2/). Learn what the terms "prehistory," "paleolithic," and "neolithic" mean, and some of the main reasons why the Neolithic Revolution was so significant in the development of human societies.

This episode, prepared as a basic introduction for students in several of my History courses at Calvin University, defines and distinguishes between the terms "history" and "the past." While many people use the word "history" to refer to old times, "the past" is really more accurate. "History," on the other hand, should more accurately be understood as humanity's documentation of the past, which is something quite different from the past itself. The episode ends with a short summary of four key "historical reading skills," drawn from the Stanford History Education Group's "Historical Thinking Chart."

A 35-minute lecture introducing the Byzantine emperor Justinian and his military campaigns against the Sassanid Empire and to reclaim lost Western Roman territory in North Africa (from the Vandals) and Italy (from the Ostrogoths). Produced for my Calvin University HIST 262: "Early Medieval Worlds" course.

A very brief introduction to the Maginot Line, the extensive border defense system established by France in the aftermath of the first World War. This short lecture was produced for students in my spring 2020 HIST 153 "Borderlands in World History" course at Calvin University.

In this episode, Professor Rohl briefly outlines some highlights from the wider history of Africa up to AD 1500, mentioning ancient Ethiopia, the Western Sudanic Empires, Great Zimbabwe, and the Swahili City-States. The textbook mentioned within this episode can be downloaded from: https://ung.edu/university-press/books/world-history-cultures-states-societies-to-1500

In this episode, Professor Rohl provides a very brief overview of the Islamic World, from the initial foundation of the faith through its expansions up to the end of the Mamluk period. Links to resources mentioned within the episode include: 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets (video starring Sir Ben Kingsley): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZDe9DCx7Wk 1001 Inventions Website: http://www.1001inventions.com World History open access textbook: https://ung.edu/university-press/books/world-history-cultures-states-societies-to-1500

In this episode, Professor Rohl provides an overview of the Roman Empire (with an emphasis on the Principate), it's fall, and the aftermath in Late Antique/Early Medieval Europe and Byzantium.