Professor Jeffrey Burds of Northeastern University delves into the history of espionage in this eye-opening lecture series. The course opens with espionage activity in the ancient world and the Roman Empire and continues with the American Revolution, the Age of Napoleon, and the American Civil War. Throughout this compelling discussion, it becomes evident that spying is not only a never-ending source of fascination but also a major contributor to world history and the development of nations.
Lecture 1 A "Wilderness of Mirrors"
Lecture 2 Espionage Among the Ancients
Lecture 3 The Roman Empire
Lecture 4 Spies of the Vatican
Lecture 5 Espionage in the Time of the Religious Wars
Lecture 6 The Gunpowder Plot, 1605
Lecture 7 The Age of Discovery
Lecture 8 Spies in the American Revolution: Domestic Operations
Lecture 9 Spies in the American Revolution: Foreign Operations
Lecture 10 Spies and the French Revolution
Lecture 11 Spies in the Age of Napoleon
Lecture 12 Disturbing Implications
Lecture 13 The American Civil War: Domestic Operations
Lecture 14 The Great Game: The Russian-British Confrontation in Central Asia