Ancient Rome

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  • The Ninth: Mystery of the Lost Legion

    1 season

    It is one of the great mysteries of ancient Mediterranean history. In the 2nd century AD, Rome’s 9th Legion – Legio IX Hispana – vanished from the historical record. Immortalised through Rosemary Sutcliff’s famous novel The Eagle of the Ninth, the question of what happened to this ‘Lost Legion’ h...

  • Vindolanda: Jewel of the North

    Situated roughly two miles south of Hadrian's Wall in the heart of the Northumberland countryside, Vindolanda is home to some of the most remarkable archaeology from Roman Britain. Its history spans several centuries; it is a must see site for anyone wanting to know more about the ancient history...

  • Scotland's Roman Hoard: The Traprain Treasure

    Follow Tristan Hughes as he is given exclusive access to the National Museum of Scotland for a look at one of Britain’s most spectacular archaeological discoveries: the Traprain Treasure, a dazzling collection of over 250 pieces of late Roman silver.

    Guided by curator Dr Fraser Hunter, we learn ...

  • Pompeii: Life in the City - Episode 1

    Dan and Kate explore working lives in Pompeii, from the very rich to the very poor.

  • Gladiators: History's Greatest Fighters

    Gladiators, from Spartacus to Ridley Scott’s Maximus Decimus Meridius, we’ve been fascinated by them for hundreds of years. Dan Snow is on the hunt to find out why we’re still so obsessed with the men who controlled the Roman arena from the ground up!

    Dan joins experts in Italy and England to in...

  • The Ryedale Hoard: Yorkshire's Roman Mystery

    History Hit's Tristan Hughes has special access to the Ryedale Hoard: A Roman Mystery exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum to speak to the people responsible for its discovery and investigate these incredible artefacts.

    Featuring the remarkable 1,800 year old bust of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, ...

  • The Colosseum with Dan Snow

    1 season

    Join Dan Snow as he uncovers the incredible story behind the Colosseum's creation: separating fact from fiction, discover the real story from Roman concrete to gladiators, and the spectacular opening games.

  • Killing God: The Assassination of Julius Caesar

    15 March - 'The Ides of March'. It is arguably the most well known date in ancient history. On that day in 44 BC the Roman statesman Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senatorial conspirators in the heart of Rome. But why was this political giant of ancient Rome assassinated? How did th...

  • Rise and Fall of Roman Richborough

    Richborough was one of the longest Roman-occupied sites in Britain, with history stretching from the Claudian invasion of Britain in 43 AD to the Roman departure almost 4 centuries later. During its long history Richborough transformed on several occasions. From military base to prosperous port t...

  • Rise of Herod

    King Herod is considered one of the biggest villains in history, best remembered for a fabled, biblical slaughter. But this infamous legacy has overshadowed the rest of Herod’s extraordinary story. Born in the early 1st century BC, Herod fought his way to prominence during a time of great turmoil...

  • Hannibal
    1 season

    Hannibal

    1 season

    The story of legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal. From his beginnings as an enemy of Rome in the Iberian Peninsula, to his daring crossing of the Alps and the decisive Battle of Zama against Roman general Scipio Africanus.

    Alexander Siddig performs as Hannibal, supreme commander of the Carth...

  • Rome’s Disaster: The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

    2 seasons

    Tristan Hughes investigates one of Rome’s greatest disasters, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

    The Battle of the Teutoburg forest stopped Roman expansion in its tracks. It’s a story of betrayal, of one man’s vehement desire to liberate his people from Roman rule and the brutal, bloody length...

  • Lost City of Gaul: Unearthing Bibracte

    In the heart of the French region of Burgundy, deep in a forest, lies a hidden city that had been dormant for 2,000 years. It’s called Bibracte, the most important oppidum in all of Gaul. That is where the Aedui, a Gallic tribe allied to the Romans, once built a fortified city on top of a mountai...

  • Rise of Augustus

    Augustus was born into a world of chaos and upheaval. The Republic was crumbling and his great uncle Julius Caesar was gaining both power and enemies. After Caesar’s assassination, Augustus, still just a teenager, launched an ambitious power grab which changed the entire Mediterranean world.

    Jo...

  • Greatest Discoveries: Lost Lives of Pompeii

    The story of Pompeii’s destruction is renowned across the world. In 79 AD, this prosperous Roman town was destroyed by a massive, volcanic eruption. Pompeii became frozen in time, only to be rediscovered c.1500 years later.

    Warning: contains very strong language and sexual content.

    Vesuvius’ er...

  • Rise of Caesar

    Julius Caesar lived a dramatic life filled with battles, conspiracies and unparalleled ambition. He sits amongst the greatest military leaders of all time but what made him cross the Rubicon and march on his own city, Rome? This documentary reveals the truth behind the legend.

    Historians Adrian...

  • Fragments of History: Rome's Greatest Armour

    In 2017, the oldest and most complete set of Roman armour was unearthed in Kalkriese, Germany. Roughly 2,000 years old, it is one of the greatest examples of Roman military equipment ever discovered, we know it as the lorica segmentata. Consisting of 40 sheets of iron fastened together with leath...

  • Life and Death in Roman London

    1 season

    Dr Simon Elliott explores the rise and fall of Roman London.

  • Greatest Discoveries: Pompeii

    1 season

    Tristan Hughes visits Pompeii to discover its incredible archaeology and the invaluable information it has revealed about this Roman town. Episode one explores the vibrant cosmopolitan centre that this prosperous port town was before its destruction - delving into the lives of particular Pompeiia...

  • Crossroads of History: Ancient Jordan with Dan Snow

    1 season

    History Hit goes on a special expedition to the Middle East - a spectacular journey through time in beautiful northern Jordan. Join Dan Snow in this two part series that takes us through this fascinating region of ancient wonders - from the Greeks to the Romans, Byzantines, the coming of Islam, ...

  • Pompeii: Life in the City - Episode 4

    Dan and Kate Lister discover that crime and violence were a daily threat in Pompeii.

  • Sex Lives of the Ancient Romans

    Joined by historian Honor Cargill-Martin, Tristan Hughes explores the real sex lives of ancient Rome.

    From popular series to kinky paintings, there is a recurring image today of Romans as sex-mad degenerates. And although there are sex stories in the dozens from the Roman period, when it comes ...

  • Vindolanda Unearthed

    Situated roughly one mile south of Hadrian’s Wall is one of the great jewels of Roman and early medieval archaeology: Vindolanda. Over the past 50 years, annual excavations at this site have revealed incredible amounts of new information. Information that has not only shone more light on the site...

  • Boudica: Death to Rome

    In 60/61 AD turmoil seized southern Britain. A massive anti-Roman revolt reared its ugly head in East Anglia, as tens of thousands of Britons attempted to evict the recently-arrived Romans from the island by the spear. At its head was one of the most famous figures in the whole of British history...