Season 1
The Ancient World is a seven part documentary series presented by historian Bettany Hughes, it was originally aired by British TV station Channel 4 over the course of an 8 year period. Hughes, takes us on a wonderful journey through the ancient world and at each stop on this journey providing us with extensive insight into what it would have been like to be alive at this period in time and how these ancient worlds help shape the world we live in today.
01. The Minoans
Bettany Hughes visits Crete to recount the story one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever made.
02. When the Moors Ruled in Europe
Bettany Hughes traces the story of the mysterious and misunderstood Moors, the Islamic society that ruled in Spain for 700 years, but whose legacy was virtually erased from Western history.
03. Athens: the Truth about Democracy
Bettany Hughes searches for the truth about the 'Golden Age' of Ancient Athens, investigating how a barren rock wedged between the East and West became the first democracy 2,500 years ago.
04. Engineering Ancient Egypt
Through their superlative buildings, the legacy of the Egyptian empire continues to enthrall people to this day. Yet these incredible structures were made over 4,000 years ago.
05. Alexandria: the Greatest City
Three cities dominated the ancient world: Athens, Rome and a third, now almost forgotten. It lies hidden beneath the waters of the Mediterranean and a sprawling modern metropolis.
06. Helen of Troy
She is 'the face that launched a thousand ships'; the woman blamed for the Trojan War - a conflict that caused countless deaths - but who was the real Helen of Troy?
07. The Spartans
Bettany Hughes chronicles the rise and fall of one of the most extreme civilizations the world has ever seen, one founded on discipline, sacrifice and frugality where the onus was on the collective and the goal was to create the perfect state and the perfect warrior.