Documentary
John Romer recreates the glory and history of Byzantium. From the Hagia Sophia in present-day Istanbul to the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks in Venice.
In the opening film of this series on the Byzantine empire, John Romer traces the origins and growth of Byzantium, which under the aegis of Emperor Constantine developed from a small Greek town into a vast empire. The newly named Constantinople soon became a match for Rome. Romer also shows how it rapidly became known as a religious centre and as a cradle of great art and architecture.
John Romer continues his exploration of the Byzantium empire by looking at the creation of Christian art, with the face of Christ and the Virgin Mary first being portrayed. From the Scala Sancta, the oldest chapel of the popes in Rome where an icon is said to be the true face of Jesus to the border fortresses of Roman Syria, never before filmed.
John Romer continues his exploration of the Byzantine empire by tracing the extent of its influence abroad. He shows that the desire of its ruler to spread the word of Christianity was not just evangelical but was also a method of subduing Constantinople's potentially dangerous neighbours. By the Middle Ages, Byzantium's influence had spread throughout Europe, but in 1204 the Venetians persuaded an army of Crusaders to divert from Palestine to Constantinople. The city was decimated, the Crusaders took control and for the next fifty years systematically looted it. In 1260 the Crusaders finally left, taking what loot remained with them, leaving what was a wrecked city.
In the last programme in the series, John Romer tells how the Byzantium empire finally crumbled. Already weakened by the ravages of rogue Crusaders it succumbed to the invasion of the Ottoman empire of Turkey and the Christian centre of the world became the Islamic city of Istanbul. The scattered refugees took their art and culture worldwide, including Florence, Rome and even Romania to give the world a lasting artistic and cultural legacy that is the link between ancient Rome and Greece and the modern world.
Self - Presenter
What can the past teach us about the present? Come along as charismatic historian Michael Wood (The Story of India) travels the globe to trace the origins of six great civilizations: Iraq, India, China, Egypt, Central America, and Western Europe. Each journey offers surprising perspectives on questions that matter today-about the environment, the individual, society, and spirituality.
Tutored by Aristotle, helpless witness to his father's assassination, and a brilliant, pioneering tactician, Alexander the Great had conquered the known world--and sealed his legacy as one of history's most remarkable rulers--by the age of 25. In the year 334 B.C., 20-year-old King Alexander of Macedonia decided to bring the farthest reaches of the world under one domain. Over the next 12 years, he led a grand army across more than 20,000 miles and eventually brought all of Asia under his control, only to perish from battle wounds at the age of 32. Incorporating dramatic onsite reenactments with high-end computer graphics and the expertise of renowned scholars, THE TRUE STORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT is a special presentation from THE HISTORY CHANNEL®, examining the life and career of this military genius, impassioned lover, and fearless leader.
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb deep dives into some of the greatest death mysteries of the ancient world, as she turns forensic detective and re-examines the final moments of four of ancient history's most iconic figures. Blending science, history, and compelling detective work, Suzannah is joined by world-renowned forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd, who deploys cutting-edge digital autopsy technology to reveal trauma, disease, and possible foul play.
A guided tour of the history of numbers and how they’ve shaped the development of humankind is at the heart of this unique series. In five episodes that take us across time and around the world, we see how mathematics played an important role in ancient Egypt and Greece, early India, medieval Europe, and our own modern world. Computer graphics make mathematical formulae accessible and interesting, while dramatic reenactments of history pique the viewer’s interest.
