Take an innovative look at some of the world s most fascinating, iconic, and ruthless leaders as this series cuts through the folklore to present precise portraits of characters from history. Using the latest historical discoveries, forensic science tests, archaeological finds, analysis of torture instruments, and battlefield dynamics, this series sheds light on these leaders and how they really came to power. Episode 1 Caligula – Documentary revealing the location where Caligula met a bloody death, and investigating the childhood trauma that left the Roman ruler with a serious personality disorder.
Decisive Battles of the Ancient World presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. It is a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Herman the German 9 A.D. Teutoburg Forest – The patrician leader Arminius, or Herman the German, was at the helm of one of the darkest ambushes in the history of Rome, dispelling the aura of invincibility that had long marched ahead of the vaunted legions.
After thousands of years of debate and question this series explores many of the greatest tales of Scripture. Filmed on location throughout the Holy Land and utilizing modern scientific techniques and newly found archaeological discoveries Mysteries of the Bible reveals surprising facts and theories behind the legendary figures and fabled stories of the Bible. Episode The Last Revolt – Since the days of King David, the Jewish people have claimed the rocky hillsides of Judea as their Promised Land. And no structure better symbolized that covenant than the majestic Holy Temple on Jerusalem’s sacred mountain. Six hundred years after its construction, the Temple was the scene of an unlikely battle for freedom, as Jews fought impossible odds to repel legions of Roman soldiers. Of all of the peoples of the Near East, why did the Jews alone dare challenge the greatest imperial power the world had ever known? Why was Rome determined to prevail at any cost? And what happened to the sacred Temple when the siege finally broke through Jerusalem’s walls? Join the world’s leading archeologists and scholars as they unravel the riddles of the Holy Temple, and the great Jewish revolt that destroyed it.
Monty Python’s Terry Jones invites you on an entertaining expedition through Roman history from an entirely different perspective – that of the Barbarians. Far from the uncivilized savages they have been believed to be, many of these non-Romans were not barbaric at all. They were, in fact, highly organized and intelligent societies that had no intentions of overthrowing Rome or its Empire.
From Wales to Timbuktu is a two part series about the meeting of two cultures through the eyes and words of teenagers from mid Wales. In February 2009, four specially selected students travelled to Mali in Africa, on a 10 day literary adventure. Their aim was to immerse themselves in the culture of Timbuktu, Hay-on-Wye’s twin town. They recorded their experiences, observations and revelations by keeping diaries and writing notes. Key to their experience was the guidance of a writing mentor Tom Bullough a published author from Powys. Hay-on-Wye and Timbuktu are twinned not just as municipalities but also through their fundamental association with literature and the world of books. Timbuktu is the oldest home of the written word in Africa.
It is unique in the Roman World. A spectacular and complex stone barrier measuring 74 miles long, and up to 15 feet high and 10 feet thick. For 300 years Hadrian’s Wall stood as the Roman Empire’s most imposing frontier and one of the unsung wonders of the ancient world. Almost 2,000 years after it was built, Hadrian’s Wall is proving to be a magical time capsule – a window into the human past. Archaeologists have properly excavated less than 1per cent of it, but they have unearthed extraordinary findings. With presenter Julian Richards Timewatch journeys back through time to unlock the secrets of a lost world.
In this two-part series, Boris Johnson investigates the early beginnings of what some call the “clash of civilizations.” The theory that Christianity and Islam are locked into a never-ending cycle of mutual antipathy, distrust and violence. Is this really true? There have been many “clashes” between Christianity and Islam in the period Boris Johnson examines in this series, 632 A.D. to 1492 A.D. But the real historical picture is far more subtle, interesting and optimistic than the cliches of a clash of civilization might suggest. Episode 2 – Boris Johnson begins by looking at the crusades, and the way they are viewed in the west and in the Muslim world today. But Boris finds that the realities of the crusades are far more subtle than modern attitudes to them would have us believe. Boris looks at the Sack of Constantinople, when Latin Christians fought eastern Christians, leading eventually to the fall of the city to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. He looks too at the Reconquista in Spain, which culminated in the wholesale expulsion of Jews and Muslims. At every turn of his journey, Boris Johnson finds that the real history is a good deal more subtle and interesting than the fictions that have grown up around it.
Bible Mysteries is a series of programs exploring great figures and events from biblical times. Historical, archaeological and anthropological evidence combined with stylish drama re-enactments, CGI graphics and expert opinion offers a comprehensive exploration into some of the Bible’s most compelling people and stories and gives fresh insights into the historical realities of the times. Episode Revelations aka The Revelation The End of the World? – The Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, has fascinated and puzzled Christians for centuries. With its vivid imagery of disaster and suffering the Battle of Armageddon, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the hideous Beast whose number is 666 many have seen it as a map to the end of the world. Some say it predicts global warming, AIDS and even the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. But Biblical scholars, having studied the text and the social and political history of the time, have a different interpretation.
Each turning point in history has behind it a story and a set of principal characters whose dilemmas and conflicts form its dramatic core, and whose unique personalities influenced the outcome of events. History’s Turning Points provides a fascinating and intriguing new perspective on the significant moments that have changed the world. The Battle of Actium – 31 BC If the battle of Actium had been won by Cleopatra and Antony, there would have been no Roman Empire. Yet Octavius Caesar’s victory in 31 BC created an absolute dictatorship that sparked one of the greatest imperial and cultural expansions the world has ever known.
It is 114 B.C. and the Republic of Rome is a small empire clinging to the rim of the Mediterranean. Suddenly, terror grips the Romans as the first barbarian attack smashes through the imperial boarder, paving the way for what would become one of the most tumultuous eras in the history of mankind. Filled with dramatic re-enactments and action packed battle scenes, Rome Rise and Fall of an Empire chronicles the dramatic story of one of history’s greatest empires from its first major battle to its remarkable military feats and through its eventual fall. This is the History Channel series, not BBC. Spartacus – When Roman generals Pompey and Crassus lead their mighty legions of soldiers and mercenaries into the lands surrounding Italy, neither could anticipate the turmoil caused by one bold mercenary Spartacus.
It was perhaps the most spectacular flourishing of imagination and achievement in recorded history. In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries B.C., the Greeks built an empire that stretched across the Mediterranean from Asia to Spain. They laid the foundations of modern science, politics, warfare and philosophy, and architecture. This series, narrated by Liam Neeson, recounts the rise, glory, demise and legacy of the empire that marked the dawn of Western civilization. Told through the lives of heroes of ancient Greece. The latest advances in computer and television technology rebuild the Acropolis, recreate the Battle of Marathon and restore the grandeur of the Academy, where Socrates, Plato and Aristotle forged the foundation of Western thought. Episode 3 Empire of Mind – The final segment describes how Athens, at the height of her glory, engaged in a suicidal conflict with her greatest rival, Sparta. Through the eyes of Socrates, Athens’ first philosopher, viewers see the tragic descent of Athenian democracy into mob rule. The episode opens in 399 B.C., after the great philosopher Socrates has been sentenced to death and Athens lies in ruins after a war with Sparta.
Coloseum A Gladiator’s Story, aka Colosseum Rome’s Arena of Death travels back in time to the brutality and glamour of ancient Rome, to shed light on the true manner in which gladiators fought and trained. Throughout the special, historical facts about gladiators and the Colosseum are told via the true story of the gladiator Verus. He forges friendships with other trainee gladiators and learns that life as a gladiator can be nasty, brutish and short. But he also learns that, with luck, skill and sheer courage, a star gladiator can become rich, attract admiring hordes of women and ultimately earn his freedom. Coloseum follows Verusrise to fame and relives his spectacular fight during the inaugural games at the Colosseum.
This is the 6 episode BBC docudrama with voiceover, not the 13 episode History channel documentary with recreations. The rise and fall of Ancient Rome through six key turning points. Factually accurate and based on extensive historical research, it reveals how the greed, lust and ambition of men like Caesar, Nero and Constantine shaped the Roman Empire. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles. Episode 4 Revolution – In an age before Rome was ruled by emperors young Tiberius Gracchus had been brought up to respect his father’s principles of honour and justice, but in just 20 years he will die defending his father’s ideals, murdered by the aristocrats standing behind him, his crime, starting a revolution so powerful it changed Rome forever, setting on the path to its greatest triumphs and worst excesses.
Cambridge historian Dr Richard Miles traces one of history’s darkest and most compelling stories, the superpower rivalry between Carthage and Rome that radically transformed the ancient world. For the victor, the prize was unchallenged imperial domination, for the loser, it was obliteration. Richard Miles, reveals the truth about the Carthaginians, the remarkable and forgotten people. In 146 BC Roman General Scipio Destroyed the city of Carthage so painstakingly and utterly that not a single building was left standing. A new archaeological dig by Dr. Richard Miles of Cambridge University, penetrates the burned layer of the Roman holocaust and uncovers fresh evidence.
Dig into the sands of time with this exploration into lost civilizations. Scientists, archaeologists, and historians alike search for evidence of cities that may have forever been lost to time. Some are ancient while some are surprisingly recent. Extensive archaeological research and cutting edge visual technology come together in this series that aims to bring ancient cultures and civilizations to new life on screen. Episode 2 Jesus Jerusalem – Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel to Jerusalem to trace Jesus’ footsteps. But since his death, the city has been destroyed and rebuilt more than 20 times. So what did it look like when Jesus was alive? Lost Worlds draws on the expertise of a cadre of archaeologists, historians and computer graphics professionals to find out. They rebuild Herod’s Temple Mount, in its time the world’s largest man-made structure. They explain the manipulation of light and stone that let the Holy Sanctuary “sparkle like a snow capped mountain in the sun.” They explore the network of aqueducts, pipes, tunnels, and pools that kept this desert city from thirst and enabled it to handle an influx of pilgrims that routinely swelled its population from 30,000 to 300,000. They seek the places where Jesus performed miracles. And they map his final hours, including the real route of the “Via Dolorosa.” Jesus’ Jerusalem reveals a world hidden for more than 20 centuries.
It is 114 B.C. and the Republic of Rome is a small empire clinging to the rim of the Mediterranean. Suddenly, terror grips the Romans as the first barbarian attack smashes through the imperial boarder, paving the way for what would become one of the most tumultuous eras in the history of mankind. Filled with dramatic re-enactments and action packed battle scenes, Rome Rise and Fall of an Empire chronicles the dramatic story of one of history’s greatest empires from its first major battle to its remarkable military feats and through its eventual fall. This is the History Channel series, not BBC. Episode 13 The Last Emperor – In the middle of the fifth century, as the Empire fights a losing battle against its formidable barbarian opponents, one Roman named Orestes finds service in the court of Attila the Hun. Schooled in the strategy of his enemy, Orestes eventually makes his way back to Italy, determined to resurrect Rome. Naming his young son emperor, Orestes attempts to purify Rome of her barbarian influences. Yet he soon learns the sad truth, that without barbarians, there is no Rome. Though Orestes fights valiantly, he meets his end at the hands of the leader of the barbarian mercenaries, Odacer. The last emperor, just a boy, is sent into exile, and Odacer proclaims there is no need for a new emperor, as the Roman Empire is no more.
A team of scientists joins forces with religious scholars to take a look at biblical tales of murder, miracles and mystery. The Bible is a repository for tales of miracles and divine interventions. But did any of the miraculous events described in this sacred book really happen as recorded? This remarkable series examines the great biblical stories and the passionate quests to understand them. This is the National Geographic Series. The Apocalypse – Is the Apocalypse at hand? Millions of Americans believe so, including scientists and members of Congress. Using the latest science, we examine the biblical prophecies of doom.
Pompeii The Last Day is a dramatized documentary that tells of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on 24 August 79 AD.This eruption covered the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash and pumice, killing all those trapped between the volcano and the sea. The documentary portrayed the different phases of the eruption, although the digitally created images of the city itself are not entirely accurate. Step back in time and visit the vanished city on its last day, as the mighty volcano Vesuvius explodes in a 24 hour reign of terror.
How did an Indian Buddhist shrine influence a Japanese pagoda? How are Italian pigs and cowry shells related to porcelain? These intriguing questions are investigated in Artifacts, a series that explores the origins and hidden connections among the art and artifacts of the great cultures and belief systems across Asia to understand the impact of calligraphy, porcelain, architecture, metallurgy, wood block printing and silk on Asian history and on the history of the world in general. Episode 1 A Brush with Wisdom – Enter the hidden world of Chinese painting. In China, they say to understand painting you need to understand calligraphy – the art of writing Chinese characters with a brush.
Decisive Battles of the Ancient World presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. It is a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Boudicca Warrior Queen 60 A.D. Boudicca’s Revolt – In the farthest flung province of the Roman Empire Britain a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt.
After thousands of years of debate and question this series explores many of the greatest tales of Scripture. Filmed on location throughout the Holy Land and utilizing modern scientific techniques and newly found archaeological discoveries Mysteries of the Bible reveals surprising facts and theories behind the legendary figures and fabled stories of the Bible. The acclaimed A & E series Mysteries of the Bible provide a wealth of astonishing discoveries and unforgettable revelations. Episode The Lost Years of Jesus – looks at the nearly 30-year gap in the Gospels regarding the life of Christ. Included is speculation on whether Jesus may have traveled outside of Palestine during those three decades. Incredibly, the Bible says almost nothing about Jesus from the time of His birth until nearly thirty years later. These three decades, the major portion of His life, have been called by scholars the “lost years”.
The life story of a remarkable language. Melvyn Bragg and a host of experts explore the vibrant 1,500 year history of the English language. How did it grow from a relatively insignificant Germanic dialect to become the premier language of culture, commerce, and diplomacy around the globe? The answer involves bloody conquest, political intrigue, and plenty of creativity. Episode 1 Birth of a Language – The modern Frisian language is the closest sounding language to the English used approximately 2000 years ago, when the people from what is now the north of the Netherlands travelled to what would become England, and pushed the Celtic language, ancestor of modern Welsh, to the western side of the island. Words like “blue” can be recognised in the Frisian language. Bragg then discusses how English dialects in certain areas of the United Kingdom were heavily influenced by historical events such as the invasion of the Vikings in the east, contributing words such as “sky” to the English language.
From Wales to Timbuktu is a two part series about the meeting of two cultures through the eyes and words of teenagers from mid Wales. In February 2009, four specially selected students travelled to Mali in Africa, on a 10 day literary adventure. Their aim was to immerse themselves in the culture of Timbuktu, Hay-on-Wye’s twin town. They recorded their experiences, observations and revelations by keeping diaries and writing notes. Key to their experience was the guidance of a writing mentor Tom Bullough a published author from Powys. Hay-on-Wye and Timbuktu are twinned not just as municipalities but also through their fundamental association with literature and the world of books. Timbuktu is the oldest home of the written word in Africa.
What is known about the trial and execution of Jesus? Despite the familiar gospel stories of the new testament, much of the historical account remains a mystery. What most historians can agree on is this: around the year 30 of the first century, a Jewish man named Jesus, leaves his home in the Galilea and does something in the Jewish temple that causes him to be arrested. Then the occupying Roman authorities execute him by crucifixion. Beyond that crucial facts remain unclear. Why is he arrested? What charges are brought against him and by whom, and why is he given the cruelest of punishments, death by crucifixion? Eminent scholars sift through Roman, Jewish and early Christian documents searching for answers.
Throughout the ages, civilizations have risen up and then disappeared. Traditionally, the disappearance of certain ancient civilizations has been left to the theologians and historians to explain. Now scientists have entered the fray. In this series geologists, archaeologists and climatologists explain their findings. Ancient Apocalypse seeks to explain how human achievements were destroyed by the forces of nature. Series using science to solve riddles of the ancient past. Episode 4 The Maya Collapse – The ancient Mayan culture left behind some of the world’s largest pyramids, but the mystery remains unsolved of why the tribe suddenly disappeared around 800 A.D., with no evidence to suggest what happened to 11 million people. For decades, archaeologists have been searching for an explanation of the Maya collapse. Many theories have been put forward, ranging from warfare and invasion to migration, disease and over farming or with a combination of these factors. But none of the controversial theories were good enough for Dick Gill. He believed that what had devastated the Maya was drought, however drought as the only explanation of the Maya collapse was highly controversial.
