Herman the German 9 A.D. Teutoburg Forest

They are the moments when history was writ in blood when armies determined the fate of empires and men became myths. They are the Decisive Battles of the Ancient World. This groundbreaking series presents the 13 defining points of ancient warfare moments that altered the course of history and shaped the modern world. Decisive Battles of the Ancient World narrates a comprehensive account of the famed leaders that commanded victory and the brilliant military tactics that swayed destiny as it travels the globe to examine every aspect of these legendary encounters. The show used the game engine from Rome: Total War to present 3-D versions of the battles. Witness recreations of the crucial battles of Rome and beyond from Cannae to Marathon to Thermopylae and follow some of the greatest warriors of all time, including Hannibal, Spartacus, and Attila the Hun. Decisive Battles of the Ancient World offers the ultimate survey of the colossal conflicts that determined the fate of the Western world.
The Gothic Invasion of Rome 378 A.D. Adrianople – Corruption drove the hungry horde of Visigoths to rebel against Rome and pride drove the Emperor Valens, heading a fractured Roman Empire, to take them on without support.
Hail Caesar 48 B.C. Pharsalus – Of all Rome’s many battles, perhaps the most important was internal. When Julius Caesar went head to head, with Gnaeus Pompey, the outcome would change the fate of the Western world.
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.
Athenians 490 B.C. Marathon – Marathon, the first great invasion of the Persian Empire was not thwarted by the Spartans, but by the Athenians. In a heroic effort, the hoplite warriors of the city state triumphed in a fight against both greater numbers and the march of time.
Ramses II 1274 B.C. Kadesh – As one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs, Rames II confronted the biggest menace to his reign as the Hittite Wing Muwwitallah threatened to break away from the hegemony of the Egyptian empire.
Spartacus and the Slave Revolt 73 B.C. – Spartacus has long been one of the most famous figures of the ancient world. A Thracian gladiator with a gift for leadership, he led a huge revolt against Rome at the height of its power.
Spartans 480 B.C. Thermopylae – In one of history’s greatest displays of military heroism, 300 Spartans outside Thermopylae held off the vengeful Persians until the last Spartan had been killed.
Attila the Hun 451 A.D. Battle of Chalon – No ruler in history represents the barbarian brutality as much as Attila the Hun, who swept through 5th-century Europe and emerged holding its future in his grasp.
The Birth of the Roman Empire 197 B.C. Cynoscephalae – In a classic military conflict between two Ancient World superpowers, the great Macedonian phalanx clashed mightily against the heavily fortified Roman legion.
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.
Hannibal 216 B.C. Cannae – In a classic example of double-envelopment manoeuvre, an under-fortified Hannibal inflicted the greatest ever defeat on the forces of Rome, who marched eight legions strong into their surprising defeat.
Crassus Rich Man Poor Man 53 B.C. Carrhae – Although he may have been the richest man in Rome, Crassus was the political poor relation in the First Triumvirate. He needed military laurels to raise him up to the level of Pompey and Caesar, and he chose to try to get them in Parthia.His vanity was to cost the lives of seven Roman Legions, his son, and his own head. The Roman force was wiped out in the desert and the legionary eagles lost that day would not be restored until the time of Augustus.
Alexander the Great 331 B.C. Gaugamela – Gaugamela was the greatest battle fought by Alexander the Great and it gave him control of the Persian Empire. Darius raised a titanic army against Alexander and picked the ideal spot for his cavalry led force, but it was not enough.