Ancient Rome - The Rise and Fall of an Empire

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[edit] General Information

Culture, History, War Documentary hosted by Alisdair Simpson and published by BBC in 2006 - English narration

[edit] Cover

[edit] Information

This dramatised documentary series tells the story of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome through the 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. It describes how Rome destroyed Carthage, was conquered by Caesar, how it suppressed the Jewish revolt, and converted to Christianity. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles to tell the definitive television story of how the Empire was formed, how it achieved maximum power, and why it eventually failed.

[edit] Caesar

This programme focuses on the most famous Roman of all - Caesar. Charming, savage, power-crazed, opportunistic and brilliant, he overthrew a 500-year-old Republic and began the age of the emperors.

[edit] Nero

This programme focuses on Nero, charting his obsession with becoming a god, how his plans to turn Rome into a glorious city bankrupted the Empire, how he married his slaveboy and killed his beloved wife in a frenzy, and how he was finally overthrown.

[edit] Rebellion

This episode tells the story of the Jewish Revolt, which swept through Judea in AD 66 and threatened to destabilise the whole empire. Rome turned to the disgraced General Vespasian and his son Titus to put it down. Filled with spectacular sieges and huge set-piece action, the film pits the discipline and ingenuity of the Roman army against the passion and commitment of the rebels.

[edit] Revolution

Rome was once a largely democratic society, with regular elections. This Republic lasted for 500 years, but then came Tiberius Gracchus. He believed in the ideals of the Republic - fairness, decency and justice for everyone -but was appalled by Rome's aristocrats' treatment of the poor. So he unleashed the power of the mob upon the streets of Rome, with devastating consequences.

[edit] Constantine

This episode tells the story of how the Emperor Constantine brought Christianity to the western world. In AD 312, Rome was in crisis. The empire had been divided into four parts, each with its own emperor who fought one another. Constantine intervened and united Rome, using military might and a new religion - Christianity.

[edit] The Fall of Rome

In AD 410, the Goth hordes sacked the city. This event symbolised Rome's collapse. Within 70 years, the western empire - what we think of as Ancient Rome - was abandoned. But it should never have happened at all.