Multi-Media: Movies & Documentaries

When Rome Ruled — Season 1

National Geographic's groundbreaking 6-part series reveals ancient Rome's hidden treasures and untold stories as never before. From iconic figures including Caligula, Caesar and Constantine, to epic events such as the eruption of Vesuvius, the invasion of Britain, and fall of Rome, When Rome Ruled reveals a startling up-to-date vision of the ancient empire and challenges our perception of what we know about the Romans and their lives. New discoveries about the Roman gladiators, Pompeii doomsday, and Caesar's assassination provide fresh insights into the empire that not only influenced Western civilization, but created it.

Episodes include Secrets of the Gladiators, The Real Caligula, Doomsday Pompeii, Killing Ceasar, Birth of Rome, and Ancient Superpower.

History Classics: Ancient Rome

Experience the intrigue, scandal, excitement and chaos of the most dominant empire in the history of western civilization as HISTORY journeys back to the age of Caesar in this intriguing collection of documentaries.

A comprehensive selection of programs offers a detailed look at the Roman Empire, from the remarkable highways that helped forge an empire, to the ruined seaport city of Ostia, the decadent palaces of Nero and Tiberius to the deadly eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Filled with visits to some of the most stunning ruins on earth, and interviews with leading scholars, Ancient Rome exposes the heart and heartache of an epic civilization, with topics including the legendary monuments where gods were honored with shocking ritualistic sacrifices and the pleasure palaces where wanton sexual depravity was not only accepted but encouraged; the ancient techniques and technology used by both the criminals and law enforcement of the times; the conversion of Constantine the Great and the triumph of Christianity; and the final flickering of Roman glory under Justinian.

History Channel offers its viewers a broad overview of the Ancient Roman society during the Roman Empire. To its credit, History introduces its audience not only to the deeds and words of great men such as Augustus, Nero, and Constantine I, who went to posterity, but also to the whereabouts of ordinary Ancient Romans who sank into oblivion under the relentless pressure of time. Superb photography, well-done reenactments, judicious use of drawings and movie clips, interviews with leading Ancient Roman historians, and a well-paced narration prove once more that History can live up to the legitimate expectations that it creates. In summary, this DVD set will fall in the good graces of any history buff who wants to know more about a civilization that still permeates the Western world.

ANCIENT ROME includes 9 documentaries on 5 DVDs:

• Disc 1: Roman Vice
• Disc 2: In Search of History: Roman Roads: Paths to Empire / In Search of History: Rome's Lost Harbor
• Disc 3: In Search of History: Rome's Eternal Wonders / In Search of History: Rome's Glorious Cities
• Disc 4: Sex in the Ancient World: Pompeii / Ancient Mysteries: Pompeii: Buried Alive
• Disc 5: Criminal History: Ancient Rome / Rome: The Enduring Legacy

Hannibal v. Rome

Go on an action-packed adventure through the high Alps, to the battlefields outside of Rome, and uncover the story of the great warrior and brilliant military strategist, Hannibal Barca. As one of the greatest military commanders ever known, he would challenge the impossible and lead one of the most daring and ingenious invasions of all time.

Empires - The Roman Empire in the First Century

This award-winning series takes a fascinating look at the public and private lives of six key men who ruled the Roman Empire. Starting with Julius Caesar, the series charts the rise and fall of Roman power over 600 years through the lives of six of the most charismatic leaders in world history; Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, Hadrian, Constantine and Justinian.

Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time -- the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D. Despite its shortcomings, this PBS entry into the subject of Roman Imperial history is worth a look — there are so few documentaries devoted to this subject and many of them are not very good. This one is above average although certainly not excellent by any means.

The focus is on the imperial biographies of the emperors, in the First Century of the Roman Empire with emphasis on the first five Julio-Claudian emperors (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero). The narrative is interspersed with interesting sidebars discussing various aspects of Roman culture (e.g, the baths, changing society as seen through personal letters, etc.). Mention is made of Christianity, although unlike most documentaries of this type, this subject does not dominate the narrative — nor should it. Although there are some interesting sound bites given regarding Jesus and his career, the documentary offers without questioning it, the old census narrative that supposedly caused Joseph and Mary to 'go to the place of their births.' It has long been determined that the idea that the Roman government would compel their subjects to travel back to the places of their births, leaving their taxable property behind for the purpose of a tax review (census) is ludicrous. The Romans were interested in where their subjects were living at the time of the tax census — not where they originally came from. This is one of many oversimplifications that the documentary is guilty of. If the purpose of the program was to present Roman history, then a more accurate discussion of how the Empire conducted a census should probably have been attempted.

Some of the shortcomings of this documentary, are due to the apparent time constraints that the producers were under (so much information and only so much time in which to present it). At other times, the attempt at scholarship fails and incomplete and/or erroneous information is provided. The discussion of Caligula's reign could have been better. He is dismissed as insane (mention of his legions gathering seashells on the northern coast of France is offered as evidence) despite the fact that his reign and his personality, while distinctly unpleasant, were nuanced. The seashell episode, for example, could very well be attributed to Caligula's attempt to humiliate the legions involved. They apparently had played a part in an abortive coup against him in 39 AD (that of Gaetulicus) and Caligula was notorious for his vindictive nature. However, as a plus, the documentary did discuss Philo's embassy to the emperor which most previous documentaries of this type never mention. The civil war following the death of Nero omits all mention of Galba, Otho or Vitellius— the three emperors who fought over the throne from 68 to 69 — "the Year of Four Emporers". Since the emphasis of the documentary seems to be a discussion of the personalities and the rule of the emperors of the first century, omission of a discussion of these three eccentrics was a poor judgment choice on the part of the producers. The reign of Titus is omitted altogether and the discussion of Domitian is severely limited although he ruled for fifteen years?!

Despite the criticisms made, this DVD is generally enjoyable. Some of the discussions presented were informative and provided details not readily available in other programs of this type on this subject. It is unfortunate that the producers were not inclined to present further programs on the second, third and fourth centuries of the empire.

Boudicca: Warrior Queen

When Boudicca, a Celtic princess, rose up against Britain's Roman invaders, she became a symbol in later British consciousness of many things. This documentary examines the history and myth of this queen of an obscure Celtic tribe who levied the greatest force ever put together in Britain. Extras include readings of event accounts and more.

There have a been few Boudica specials and one film in the past few years. This one, Boudicca - Warrior Queen has the distinction of being the only pro-Roman one of the lot. While most are subtle in their pro-Celt, pro-woman stance, this one is open and clear about the positive effect of the Roman eradication of the Druids on Ynis Mon and the Romanization of the native British. At one point it calls Catus Decianus "far from a coward", when every other account (even Tactius, the Roman historian agrees that his fleeing to Gaul was out of fear) call him just that, and dismisses Catus' role in the beating of Boudica and the rape of her daughters. A final point of its pro-Roman appeal is that it suggests that the beatings and rape of Boudica and her family was a story used by a Druid conspirsicy to stage a revolt against the Romans. The narrater then states simply that whatever the reason, the British were better off after the decimation of the druids because the Roman brutality couldn't compare with the bloody nature of their own native religons and traditions.

The History of Warfare: The Roman Invasions of Britain

This is the story of the dark years of ancient Britain, when the well-disciplined Roman Legions faced the untamed Celtic tribal society and transformed it into a province of the Roman Empire. The DVD combines superb reconstruction and reenactment footage, dramatized "eyewitness" accounts, and state-of-the-art computer graphics. NTSC, Color, Dolby Digital, Menu Language English, Full Screen.

Introduction * The Roman Emperors * The Roman Army * British Warriors * Caractacus * Claudius Sails to Britain * The Guerrilla Campaign * Special Features: Test Your Knowledge * Picture Gallery * Interactive Menus * Excerpts From Other Titles In The Series

This is a very compact and taut little gem. Well narrated by old pro, Brian Blessed (I Claudius, etc),the work will leave the viewer wanting to add other titles in the series.The only downside is the short running time; but better a little too short, than too long for the subject covered. The British do this type of documentary better than almost anyone else in the world. Would make a great gift for amateur or serious scholar. One cannot ask for much more than that summary.

Warrior Queen Boudica

Wife, mother, queen...and leader of one of the most violent rebellions against Roman domination in British history. This we know about Boudica, Queen of the Iceni. Her story and her tribe's have been recorded by Roman historians, pondered by scholars, and examined by archaeologists who continue to dig for clues about this warrior whose army set fear in the hearts of Romans. When King Prasutagus died, the Iceni tribe, which once lived in peace with Rome, were brutally set upon by Romans--they beat Queen Boudica and raped her daughters. Seething with revenge, Boudica's forces attacked Roman settlements including London, a thriving Roman merchant center, which was destroyed. Here, we uncover the remarkable story of Boudica, who led her tribe in a revolt never seen before or since in British history. Her struggle--to free Briton's tribes from Roman domination; at stake--the freedom and independence of all Briton's tribes and their unique Celtic culture.

Hadrian's Wall: Edge of the Empire

Completed in the year 128 A.D., the remarkable wall built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian marks the northern border of the Roman Province of Britain. Possibly inspired by travelers tales of the Great Wall Of China, the Wall runs for over 115 miles from the east to the west of England and provides a fascinating glimpse of military life during the Roman occupation of Britain.

This roughly one-hour DVD introduces the viewer to the wall that was built to separate the civilized world from that of the barbarians. The DVD does a fairly good job of looking at the wall as a system with the wall itself, towers, mile castles and the ditches typical of Roman defensive works that were behind the wall. It points out that there were numerous changes to the design as time - and construction - went on. The DVD does address the differing theories on why the wall was built at all without coming down on the side of any one in particular. There's lots of good video of surviving sections of the wall as well as the use of reenactors in Roman gear, giving the viewer a visual of the men who would have manned the wall.

Global Treasures Hadrian's Wall England

The famous Roman emperor Hadrian gave his name to what would become an even more famous wall, a powerful fortification in the north of England that served as protection against the 'Barbarians' and extended right up to the Scottish border.Construction of the wall in the 2nd century A.D. signified hope for a lasting and secure defense against the invading Celts. Hadrian's enormous line of defense covered an area between the North Sea coast and the Irish Sea and part of it stretched across Cumbria and Northumberland. The wall was meant to re-establish Roman power and ten thousand soldiers were commanded to protect it. Originally, the wall was 5-6 metres high and approximately 3 metres wide, and its length of around 120 kilometres was a remarkable accomplishment. Even by Roman standards the establishment of the wall along the empire's north-eastern border was an ambitious plan.

Improvements and changes were constantly made during construction work on the seemingly endless fortification. The western section of the mighty wall was originally built with peat that was later replaced by stone. In spite of intensive military efforts by the Romans, Northern tribes such as the Picts managed to break through the defensive line. To ensure comprehensive defence of the wall, the Roman commanders ordered that a small road be built along it to aid the quick dispersal of their soldiers. Although various sections of the wall have been excavated, today it passes across the natural landscape of the English countryside almost as it did during the time of Hadrian. Global Treasures — History's Most Protected Monuments — Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.