Ancient Rome
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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...
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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...
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The Romans in Britain
Stunning remains of monumental architecture can be seen across the British Isles: from excavated Roman villas like Fishbourne in southern England, to Hadrian's Wall and its many milecastles stretching across Cumbria and Northumberland, to the well-preserved legionary fort layout at Ardoch in cent...
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Pompeii: Life in the City - Episode 4
Dan and Kate Lister discover that crime and violence were a daily threat in Pompeii.
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Fire and Blood: Boudica's Vengeance
In 60 AD, the fledgling Roman town of Colchester witnessed ancient Armageddon. Thousands of British warriors descended on the settlement, turning what was then the capital of Roman Britain to ash. At the head of these attackers was one of the most well-known figures in British history - the warri...
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Fortress Britain: Ardoch Roman Fort
Join Tristan Hughes in this short documentary as he explores the fascinating history of Ardoch Roman Fort in Scotland. Featuring historians Rebecca Jones and Andrew Tibbs.
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Pompeii: Life in the City - Episode 1
Dan and Kate explore working lives in Pompeii, from the very rich to the very poor.
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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...
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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...
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Decoding the Roman Dead
Colchester Museums have been working with archaeologists and specialists to ‘decode’ the hidden stories of 40 of Colchester’s earliest inhabitants.
Through new scientific research techniques, they have reconstructed the identity and lives of these people: where they came from in the empire, wha...
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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 ...
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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...
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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, ...
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Bignor Roman Villa
West Sussex has its fair share of stunning Roman sites: Fishbourne Roman Palace, Stane Street, the Novium, the list goes on. But one of the region's star Roman attractions has to be Bignor Roman Villa. Situated deep in the heart of the Sussex countryside Bignor is home to some of the most impress...
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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...
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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...
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Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
1 season
A docu-drama covering the rise and the fall of the Roman world, including the establishment of strong individual rule by Julius Caesar and the rebuilding of Rome under Nero.
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Google Questions - The Roman Republic
We've asked ancient historian and archaeologist Dr. Simon Elliott to answer the most googled questions about the roman empire.
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The Ninth Legion: The Mystery
In the second and final episode of this series, Tristan Hughes explores the numerous theories regarding the eventual fate of the Ninth Legion. Was it lost on the northern frontier of Britain, by the Rhine, or massacred in the East? Featuring Dr Miles Russell, Dr Rebecca Jones, Dr Simon Elliott, L...