The Roman Empire in the First Century

Two thousand years ago, the world was ruled by Rome. From England to Africa and from Syria to Spain, one in every four people on earth lived and died under Roman law.

The Roman Empire in the first century AD mixed sophistication with brutality and could suddenly lurch from civilization, strength and power to terror, tyranny and greed.

Leader of the pack

At the head of the pack were the emperors, a strange bunch of men (always men). Few were just OK: some were good - some even were great - but far too many abused their position and power. They had a job for life, but that life could always be shortened. Assassination was an occupational hazard.

The emperors sat at the top of Rome's social order. This was as finely graded as flour. Specific qualifications were needed for Romans to be admitted as equestrians or senators. Even freed slaves had different rights from citizens.

Daily life in ancient Rome

What's more, the social status of any citizen governed the life they led. While all Romans enjoyed the baths and made a feature of the evening meal, their clothes and food, homes and hobbies, were a product of their class.

Those that tried to climb the ranks too quickly were savagely mocked by Petronius, just one of many Roman writers whose observation and wit still breathes life into a society long since dead.

More than a city

Petronius knew his city well, but Rome itself was much more than just one city. Its empire was a vast collection of states, backed up by force. It was not always peaceful. Enemies and rebels like Cleopatra and Boudicca revealed the Roman steel that lay behind its civilization.

Even allowing for the occasional revolt, the empire was an enormous achievement. It was a huge marketplace in which citizens could trade and travel unhindered. This helped the spread of foreign religions like Judaism and early Christianity as far as Rome itself. Slowly, these religions encroached on traditional Roman spirits and gods.

By the end of the first century AD, Rome was even ruled by a Spaniard, Trajan. He was the first of many foreign emperors that showed the Roman Empire to be a vast, multi-cultural melting pot that still has relevance, more than 2,000 years later.

Order from Chaos



Years of Trial



Winds of Change



Years of Eruption



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Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series

With a production budget of $25 million, the makers of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life crafted this epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, with over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, and shot entirely in high definition, Planet Earth is an unparalleled portrait of the third rock from the sun. This stunning television experience captures rare action in impossible locations and presents intimate moments with our planet’s best-loved, wildest, and most elusive creatures.

1. From Pole to Pole - The first episode illustrates a 'journey' around the globe and reveals the effect of gradual climatic change and seasonal transitions en route. 

2. Mountains – This episode gives you a tour of some the many vast mountain ranges in the world, including the Andes and the Himalayas. It also shows the different animal species living in these mountainous environments, as well as footage of some of them doing things that have never been seen before.

3. Fresh Water – Although only three percent of the Earth is fresh water, there is no lack of animals living in those particular habitats. Fresh water has shaped the Earth while carving gorges, valleys, and great waterfalls, and in this episode, we witness the unique presence of distinct animals such as crocodiles and otters.

4. Caves – This episode introduces you to one of the most mysterious habitats in the world, where not many have ever been: caves. Also the only habitat not directly driven by sunlight, this episode shows you the many different, incredible creatures inhabiting them, including the various species of bats. Also introducing you to the different types of caves, from underground caves, to underwater caves, this episode brings Planet Earth to a fascinating end.

5. Deserts – This episode features the unique desert life on the planet, including animals that have to withstand lack of water. It also shows what these hardened creatures do in order to survive in such a barren environment.

6. Ice Worlds – Zooming in on the frozen wastelands of the arctic and antarctic, Planet Earth takes a look at the various animals that live there, including polar bears and different types of penguins. It also shows you that like desert creatures, these animals have certain skills that are necessary for survival in such harsh climates. Except this time, it’s for survival in some of the coldest areas in the world.

7. Great Plains – This is an episode that introduces you to one of the largest land habitats on the planet which cover over a quarter of it, as well as animals that are some of world’s largest. It also includes massive migrations and huge hunts made by some of the fierce predators that roam there.

8. Jungles – With incredible angles from high-definition cameras, this episode shows us the habitat which may only cover three percent of the planet’s surface, but is home to more than half the species in the world, from how chimpanzees live, to the many different types of rare birds.

9. Shallow Seas – This episode follows certain creatures such as humpback whales in their journey for food in the shallow seas of the planet. It also takes a look at the teams of other aquatic life that live in these calm waters where sunlight reaches the seabed, including beautiful coral reefs.

10. Seasonal Forests – This episode takes you to the world of seasonal forests, where it shows you all sorts of different plant and animal species living there, from the enormous sequoia tree, to the nearly extinct Amur leopard. It also shows you that although the seasonal forests of the world may seem familiar to us, there are still many areas of it that are mostly unexplored.

11. Ocean Deep – There is much of the ocean that has never before been researched or explored, and this episode shows you some of that unexplored terrain, as well as some of the various aquatic life that live there.

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Secrets of the Parthenon

A highly sophisticated restoration team is painstakingly reassembling the Parthenon of Athens — a classic Greek building that has suffered from wars, earthquakes, and disastrous previous restoration attempts.

The Parthenon’s builders created dauntingly precise yet subtle curves throughout the structure, giving the building its legendary grace.
Etched in the marble itself, the restoration team discovers traces made by the ingenious tools the stonemasons used to carve the blocks with such speed and precision.

Experts examine the extent to which the Parthenon’s symmetry and visual harmony is dependent on a system of mathematical proportions.

Two hundred miles from Athens, faint lines left behind on another Greek temple reveal the technique the early engineers used to sculpt the Parthenon’s perfect curves.

Watch on Hulu or below.

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The Crusades: Crescent and the Cross

THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS presents the epic battle between two Middle Age superpowers: the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Fought over two centuries, the conflict decided the fate of the Holy Land of the Middle East. Only a tiny strip of land, just a few hundred miles long, it contained the ultimate prize, the city of Jerusalem.

The documentary is driven by the key personalities of the First, Second and Third Crusades, the popes, kings, sultans and knights who, in the name of God, ruthlessly fought for land and power. Experience the murder, treachery, and bloodshed of this legendary chapter of history through the eyes of key historical figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, King Louis VII and Nur al-Din.

With breath-taking CGI-enhanced visuals, heart-pounding reenactments, and stunning footage from rarely-seen locations THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS brings the first three Crusades alive for a new generation in conflict.

Watch on GodTube
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

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