History of the World through Music: Sacred and Profane

This pop song from the '80s is by the Bangles, called "Walk Like an Egyptian". Presumably, that meant "like an Egyptian '80s band". In any event, it is a song you can dance to.

This song by the Statler Brothers tells the story of Noah's Ark and the Great Flood, an event recorded in the Epic of Gilgamesh as well as the Bible. As it happened.

Verdi's grand "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves" is sung in preparation for the Olympics in Turino, Italy, showing that children can be conscripted for their labor 3200 years after the Hebrews quit Egyptland

Metallica introduces heavy metal into the Old Testament by telling the story of the 10th plague cast by Moses on the Egyptians, the one that finally broke Pharaoh's nerve, from the plague's POV

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and back to the Promised Land, they obtained the Law known as the Ten Commandments. Here the Statler Bros. sing about them and the long trek home.

During the Babylonian Captivity in the 500s BC, Emperor Nebuchadnezzar threw three Jews into a pit of fire, and according to the Bible, they did not die. Here is their song by the Statler Bros.

Iron Maiden, who would think would sing more about Medieval times, here tell the story of Homo Erectus man discovering fire, and the ongoing quest for fire throughout the Paleolithic age

Aristotle's Seventh Book of Politics discussed an idea called "Western Civilization" (Occident) and contrasted it to the Persian East (Orient). The designation stuck and Alexander became its champion