I just watched Bettany Hughes' 2 hour examination of ancient Athens on PBS, and was quite pleased with it. I was pleasantly surprised it did not degenerate into the PC feminist harangue I had feared, but it did not gloss over the warts and wallow in the grandeur and glory aspect either. All in all, I felt it was a pretty fair and accurate depiction of what we think we know about those times. There were a few things that I felt could have been more highly emphasized, and a few too much time was spent on, and Hughes pretty much follows the usual positive interpretation of the trial of Socrates and his role in the city's politics and philosophy. I personally prefer I.F. Stone's darker point of view, that Socrates got just what he deserved; but at least she gives a scholarly supporter of this revisionist take an opportunity to make his case for it and which he does so briefly but eloquently, so I can't complain too much. All in all, I highly recommend the show. As they say, check your local listings. They will show it again, I'm sure.

There's nothing in Middle Earth or Arrakis or the Foundation that can touch what happened in the Eastern Mediterranean 2500 years ago, as far as drama and excitement is concerned. These were a remarkable people, not without their flaws, and like their tragedies remind us, they were a flawed people. But they were also magnificent. Even the Romans, no slouches themselves, were in awe of them. To her credit, Hughes makes no effort to draw parallels with modern history, but they are inevitable, and they will no doubt occur to you.