Product Description:
Choose a title above from the following Academic Success programs:
#861 The Village of the Craftsmen (Run Time min.) DVD $69.95
An introduction to the land of Egypt at the height of its power, and its people-the pharaohs who inhabited the great tombs and the craftsmen who built those tombs. The program contrasts the lush green near the Nile with the aridity of the desert, the land of the living with that of the dead; shows Tutankhamen's tomb and its discovery by Howard Carter; and explains that we know a great deal about the people who built Tut's tomb-that, in fact, we know more about the village of the craftsmen than about any other ancient village anywhere. We learn who the villagers were and why their village flourished at the time of Egypt's greatest power. (23 minutes)
#862 The Valley of the Kings (Run Time 29 min.) DVD $69.95
The tombs of Ipi the workman and Kha the architect illustrate the daily round of ancient Egyptian life. They show art as a communal activity in ancient Egypt; the tools, furniture, clothes, kitchen utensils, and foods of Ipi and Kha, and the money with which they were paid; how the Egyptians divided the person into body, soul, and image; the Colossi of Memnon and King Amen Hotep's deed giving the temple to the god; the tomb of Tutmose III and what its hieroglyphs and paintings mean. We learn why Ramose the scribe came to the craftsmen's village and about the records kept by Kenherkopershef. (29 minutes)
#863 An Artist's Life (Run Time min.) DVD $69.95
The details of the ancient Egyptian Paneb's life-how he carried out his duties as foreman of a gang of superb stone carvers and how he eventually came to grief-lead us to the oldest map in the world. The program discusses the gods who controlled all life; how death is reborn in the king's burial chamber; the relationship between day and night, life and death, flood and drought; the remains of the village: the house of Caha, maker of scarabs, and of Kenherkopershef the scribe, where we can recognize his tiled office and the seat where he sat to have his head shaved so that he might wear his elaborate wig; the story of Horus and its meaning; Paneb the foreman; the artistic details of the tomb: a celebration of simplicity; Paneb's life and death; what cartouches tell us; following the map to the pharaoh's mines. (27 minutes)
#864 Temple Priests and Civil Servants (Run Time 26 min.) DVD $69.95
The mine and the palace compound show how life was lived for centuries in ancient Egypt, until faraway battles and changing weather created shortages and discontent. The program discusses the granite quarry; the construction of the mud-brick palace of the King; the temple, the relationship between pharaoh, gods, priests, and common people; the temple calendar; the average villager's diet; religious ceremonies, music, and dancing; the coming of drought, the decline in supplies, and the resultant outburst-the first sit-in in recorded history; and the beginnings of class divisions in the village. (25 minutes)
#865 Woman's Place (Run Time min.) DVD $69.95
Woman's place in ancient Egypt was in the home, but her status was otherwise honorable. In this program, the ceremonies surrounding childbirth are the jumping-off point for a re-creation of the rites simulating the creation of the world, which were performed every morning at every temple in ancient Egypt. This program discusses an ancient flash flood; love, marriage, and divorce; exquisite love poetry, written by both men and women in the village; Egyptian medicine; the ceremonies of childbirth; the market and the river Nile; the meaning of the temple at Karnak and the mathematical basis of its architectural harmony; the temple of Horus at Edfu; and the Lake of Creation and the primal egg, which holds the atmosphere that separates earth from sky and the goose that made the first sound. (23 minutes)
#866 Dreams and Rituals (Run Time 29 min.) DVD $69.95
The dreams of the ancient Egyptian villagers have been recorded, together with their interpretations-giving us a firsthand portrait of the fears, frustrations, and joys of ancient life. The program discusses the erotic papyrus of Turin (mild by the standards of American prime-time television), showing normal and topsy-turvy life, the village oracle and his shrine; the village magician; Amanakt the scribe, whose daughter was found to be a thief; the tomb of Prince Montukerkoposhef, who had been in charge of the royal chariots; how the artists made their brushes and ground their colors; and the sophistication and skillful craftsmanship of the artist. Montukerkoposhef's tomb is dated precisely at 1140 B.C., by which time tomb-robbing was widespread. At the conclusion of this program, we learn the fate of the thieves, caught red-handed: how they spent their loot and how, after they were tortured, they were tied to wooden stakes and left to die in the desert. The village itself was humiliated, starved-and finally ordered back to work. (29 minutes)
#867 The Year of the Hyena (Run Time min.) DVD $69.95
The Year of the Hyena has passed and the famine is over. The date is October 5, 1079 B.C. by our calendar, a time of disillusionment, decay, and of change, as the entire Egyptian village moves to the temple enclosure at Medinet Habu. The program tells about the scribe Djutmose; the powerful high priest who could not control the food riots and sent for help to Nubia; Herihor, the general sent by the King to take control, who instigated a royal commission to investigate the events of the Year of the Hyena; the looting of the temples; the old power structure is toppled and our villagers relocated; Djutmose's son Butamen inspects another tomb and finds it looted-the ancient robbers' rope is still there; the case of the missing mummies. (25 minutes)
#868 The Deserted Village (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $69.95
As desert sands slowly begin to cover the deserted Egyptian village, we suddenly realize how fragile has been our link with these ancient lives, with these villagers who made some of the world's finest monuments. Djutamen sails south on a mission for the general who ruled Thebes. The program discusses the correspondence between Djutamen and his son Butamen, which gives us a remarkably vivid slice of ancient life; and how the valley today speaks clues to those who care to read them and have the imagination to understand. (27 minutes)
#2447 Carthage (Run Time 30 min.) DVD $69.95
Twenty-three hundred years ago, Carthage was the pearl of the Mediterranean, located at the heart of Mediterranean trade and the key to its military control. As the power of Greece waned and the power of Rome grew, conflict was inevitable. This program explains something of the history of Carthage: its Phoenician origins, its economy, its religious practices (including human sacrifice) as well as its mythical relationship to Rome as detailed in the Aeneid; describes the decline of the Greek world and the growth of Rome; and details events leading up to the crucial conflict between the Roman republic, whose free citizens considered war both duty and honor, and Carthage, for whose mercenary army fighting was a profession. It explains the rise of Hannibal and his strategies which defeated Rome at the battle of Cannae, as well as Hannibal's weaknesses; details the rise and strategies of Scipio Africanus; and shows the Battle of Carthage, as well as its harsh aftermath: Hannibal's suicide, the killing of most Carthaginians, and the destruction of Carthage itself. The new city that arose on its ashes was Roman, and was to be the center of the rich Roman colony of North Africa. (30 minutes)
#132 The Etruscans (Run Time min.) DVD $89.95
Enter the tombs at Tarquinia and Cerveteri, and the walls speak eloquently of the art and culture of ancient Etruria. The superb frescoes painted to enhance the walls of these tombs tell us in detail about the environment in which the Etruscans lived. They also depict the elaborate houses of the dead in which priceless treasures were buried along with the deceased. These detailed and beautifully preserved frescoes were painted to remind the dead of the living; today they speak across the gulf of centuries about the lives of the Etruscans. (27 minutes)
#2699 The Athenian Trireme (Run Time 55 min.) DVD $89.95
This program documents the construction of a full-sized replica of an Athenian trireme of the 5th Century B.C. and shows how the Greeks of the period used their naval supremacy to protect their home bases while colonizing the furthest reaches of the Mediterranean and maintaining intimate contact with Athens itself. (55 minutes)
#2778 The God-Haunted: Ancient Greece (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $89.95
The Elgin Marbles and other treasures of ancient Greek art in the British Museum are the subject of this program. Tyrone Guthrie is the guide-a world-acclaimed theatrical director perhaps most famous for his staging of Oedipus Rex; neither an archaeologist nor a classicist, he tries (like many another wanderer in the galleries of the past) to perceive the greatness attributed to badly deteriorated pieces. But aside from the stunning masterpieces-the program moves out of the Museum to the Parthenon, to Ephesus, and to other classical sites-the program is infused with life by Guthrie's belief that Greek art and Greek thought have remained vital because of the consciousness of divinity: not, says Guthrie, the literal acceptance of the conventional belief in the magical powers of hundreds of divinities, but the belief in the totality and completeness of the world and the effort to understand the place of humankind within it. (27 minutes)
#2779 The Egyptian Collection: The Beauty of It All (Run Time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Here is a guide to one of the two greatest collections of the glory that was Egypt (the other residing in the Louvre): an amazing, seemingly endless trove of urns, coffins, mummies, figurines, statues, carvings, paintings, papyri, rings, necklaces; of basalt, gold, wood, cloth, and semi-precious stones from the British Museum collections and in situ, illustrating the sites and environments from which the objects originally came; and the Rosetta Stone, itself worth a visit to England, which unraveled the entire mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics. (26 minutes)
#2780 Roman Britain (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $89.95
For more years than the British have been in America, the Romans were in Britain. This program shows us their gravestones, the objects they handled, the mosaic floors and the haunting frescoes that adorned the houses of the wealthy, the straight roads they built to get their soldiers to their positions, and the wall Hadrian built. This program describes the unrefined but artistically gifted Celts whom the Romans subjugated; shows how, at Colchester, the Romans built a capital in the image of Rome; and relates how pressures on Rome herself brought an end to Roman Britain. (27 minutes)
#2781 Coins and Medals: The Small Change (Run Time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Coins create contact with other people as perhaps no other artifact, for coins have been handled, touched, used. The vast British Museum collection dates from the beginning of coinage in the 6th century BC: from a pebble-shaped Lydian stater, to the development of the circular coin and the resultant adaptation of design to shape, through the development of medals in Renaissance Italy, to the 16th-century abandonment of the reverse, which resulted in a wafer-thin bronze miniature that was no longer a medal. The program covers the political role of coins but concentrates on the esthetic, as it treats viewers to an incredible parade of portraiture and design on a small scale. (26 minutes)
#2782 Sumer, Babylon, Assyria: The Wolves (Run Time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
This program looks at the British Museum's extraordinary collection of Near Eastern antiquities from Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria, from 5000 BC to the 7th century AD. The Assyrian friezes, reliefs, and statuary provide a stark portrait of a brutal, efficient war machine on which depended the land of Nineveh and Nimrud. The camera also moves to the sites in Iraq where these and other excavations were made. The sculpted and chiseled military history of Assyria and its neighbors is supplemented by a host of objects, some of surpassing beauty, from Sumer and Babylon. (26 minutes)
#2783 Intimate Details of Roman Life (Run Time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Starting from the collection of Roman art and artifacts in the British Museum, this program illustrates the many ways in which the Romans of the late republic and early empire are understandable to us through what they held dear and how they saw themselves. Cicero's letters describe (and coins portray) Caesar, Pompey, Brutus, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, and Augustus; the appearance of art in the service of the state is defined by Virgil and illustrated by artifacts. The progression of emperors is recounted until the stability of Vespasian is reached; the next 150 years show the heyday of trade in the Roman Empire, and the goods, from rare glass made in Alexandria to muffin pans made in Gaul, show the variety and extent of the world of Roman objects. (26 minutes)
#4291 The Brendan Voyage (Run Time 54 min.) DVD $89.95
A popular medieval epic tells of the exploits of the Irish monk Brendan, who in the 6th century-a thousand years before Columbus-sailed in a leather boat across the Atlantic and landed in Newfoundland. In a reenactment of the actual voyage, the crew of this program set off from the West of Ireland, follow the "Stepping Stone Route" (Hebrides, Faroes, Iceland, and along the coast of Greenland), and fight gales and ice floes, only to survive and prove yet again that epic and legend are, more often than not, rooted in fact. (54 minutes)
#4292 The Sindbad Voyage (Run Time 54 min.) DVD $89.95
Sindbad the Sailor was a fictional character from The Arabian Nights. Or were his adventures based on actual experiences of Arab sailors plying the silk and spice route to China? A crew of twenty spent more than seven months at sea in a ship built without nails, sewn together with some 400 miles of coconut rope, covering 6,000 miles across the Arabian Sea to India, across the Indian Ocean, and finally to southern China-living as the tales of Sindbad said he lived, becalmed in the doldrums and battered by violent seas as was Sindbad, and living to tell the extraordinary tale. (54 minutes)
#4293 The Jason Voyage: The Quest for the Golden Fleece (Run Time 54 min.) DVD $89.95
During the Age of Heroes, Jason and his band set out from Greece in search of the Golden Fleece. Their boat, the first in Western history whose name is known, was Argo, "the finest of all ships that braved the sea with oars." En route, the Argonauts encountered the terrors of the classical world-Harpies, the Clashing Rocks, the entrance to Hades-as they rowed to the ends of the earth to find the kingdom of Princess Medea. Recreating a 20-oar replica of a Bronze Age galley, the producers rowed the grueling 1,500-mile-long journey in the wake of the legend, experiencing the same hardships as their ancient predecessors and finding in the voyage and the geography realistic explanations for many of the elements of the Jason legend. (54 minutes)
#5955 Petra: A Desert Kingdom (Run Time 56 min.) DVD $89.95
This program relates the history of one of the great cities of the ancient world: its rise and glory, its decline and oblivion, its rediscovery. Arguably the most extraordinary of the flourishing kingdoms created by nomadic tribes in the hostile Arabian desert long ago, the Nabatean kingdom extended from Damascus to the Gulf of Aqaba for 500 years, from the 4th century BC to AD 106. Its capital was Petra, built in a barren wilderness of rocks and sand, made virtually impregnable by the surrounding mountain peaks, and located at a vital crossroads for the caravans that carried goods from Asia to Europe and back across the Arabian peninsula. In the second century, it became a Roman colony; and by the fifth century, the development of Roman sea routes to the Orient eclipsed Petra's economic function. Petra sank into decline and then oblivion. This program retraces Petra's rediscovery to reveal one of the great archaeological wonders of the world. An RTVE production. (56 minutes)
#5956 Petra: A Closer Look (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $89.95
This program provides a detailed look at this ancient city: the water collection and storage system, the cisterns beautifully carved into the rose-red rock, the artistic splendors of the city, the somewhat disconcerting reshaping resulting from the forces of erosion. The program also shows us the life of today's Petrans-Bedouins, presumed descendants of the Nabateans, who still camp around the city and, when the temperature soars above 120 , make use of the still-existent pure water supply. An RTVE production. (48 minutes)
#8423 The Spirit of Alexander the Great (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $89.95
This program provides excellent insight into the Greek mind and the role of the warrior/leader in the Hellenic world. Using statuary, ruins, significant locations, and other archival materials, Robert Powell explores the importance of the athlete and the warrior and how Alexander the Great embodied these ideals to become the legendary ruler of the Hellenic world. (27 minutes)
#32693 The Surprising History of Rome, with Terry Jones (Run Time 51 min.) DVD $89.95
The power and the glory of the Roman Empire were built on the backs of millions of ordinary citizens and slaves. In this program, the University of Cambridge's Keith Hopkins, archaeologist Rick Jones, historian Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, and others delve into life as it was lived by the multitudes. They explore the lodgings and workshops, bars and baths, of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and mighty Rome itself as they follow in the footsteps of an average tradesman and his wife. Topics include diet, hygiene, work, recreation, marriage, and slavery-and behind it all, the vast inequality between rich and poor. A Discovery Channel Production. (51 minutes)
#39530 Nubia and the Mysteries of Kush (Run Time min.) DVD $89.95
Hidden away in the Butana region of northern Sudan lie the ruins of ancient Nubia, an African civilization that rivaled Egypt for centuries. This film familiarizes students with ongoing excavations that study and preserve the deteriorating remains of the Nubian kingdom of Kush. Interviews with Sudanese, American, and European archaeologists and historians are interwoven with stunning footage from dig sites and graphics that illustrate ancient building designs and techniques. Viewers will encounter Nubian temples, pyramids, writing, and artifacts-as well as fresh perspectives on the flowering of culture, technology, and political power in the ancient Nile Valley. (27 minutes)
#33706 Egyptology: Tutankhamun's Tomb and the Rosetta Stone (Run Time 52 min.) DVD $99.95
When Howard Carter entered the long-sought tomb of Tutankhamun, it did not take him long to confirm that it was indeed the final resting place of the legendary Boy King. But his knowledge of hieroglyphics had only been made possible by the enigmatic Rosetta Stone, deciphered precisely 100 years earlier by Jean-Francois Champollion. This intriguing, highly realistic program cinematically dramatizes the efforts of Carter and Champollion, a century apart, to make sense of an ancient world that had been kept silent for thousands of years by an indecipherable language. Original BBCW broadcast title: Tutankhamun's Tomb and the Rosetta Stone. (52 minutes)
#8683 Ancient Egypt (Run Time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
For almost 3,000 years, the pharaohs ruled a civilization that is arguably the grandest of the ancient world. This program sheds new light on this enigmatic empire, offering information on the god-kings, the construction of the pyramids, religions and cults, mummification and burial rites, the Rosetta Stone, and the vast treasures of Tutankhamen. Interviews with noted Egyptologists, a professor from Cairo University, the chief inspector at the archaeological digs at Gaza, and the son of the guide who led Howard Carter to the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 add valuable insights. Computer graphics re-create pyramids, temples, and the sphinx in their original states. (47 minutes)
#8684 Ancient Rome (Run Time 49 min.) DVD $129.95
At its zenith, the Roman Empire included North Africa, Spain, France, and Britain. The wealth that these conquests generated allowed Roman citizens to live in a sumptuous world of beautifully decorated homes and opulent cities. In this program, scholars discuss Roman unification of Europe, Roman culture and institutions, and the family structure. The role of the army as a major force in Roman society and politics, along with its military structure and tactics, are discussed. The Christianization of Rome and the enduring legacy of Roman Law and institutions in Western government today are also analyzed. 3-D re-creations of the Coliseum and Pompeii allow students to see Rome as it was before the empire collapsed. (49 minutes)
#8685 Ancient Greece (Run Time 46 min.) DVD $129.95
Whether looking at Western language, history, or institutions, no other civilization has so greatly influenced our contemporary world. This program re-creates the Greek world, from the morning market to the evening symposiums, from burial rituals to the Olympics. Beginning with Homer's account of the Trojan War, this program explores Greek civilization using 3-D re-creations of the Parthenon and Agora, maps, and commentary by scholars to provide insight into the daily lives of Greek citizens. (46 minutes)
#8686 The Aztecs (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
Aztec myth prophesied that a great city would one day stand on the site where an eagle, perched on a cactus with a serpent in its mouth, was found. Today, Mexico City stands on this mythical site. Although the Aztec Empire fell on April 28, 1521, when Hernando Cortes and his army defeated Montezuma, traces of the thousand-year-old pre-Columbian empire still survive and influence world culture. This program explores Aztec culture and history, from the role of human sacrifice in the Aztec religion to their agricultural advances. Commentary by scholars, maps, and contemporary accounts provide an overview of the events that both shaped and destroyed an empire. (48 minutes)
#8687 Ancient Britons (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
In this program, experts explore the history of the British Isles from the ice age of 30,000 years ago to pre-Celtic times in search of evidence of the ancient Britons-the Neolithic "Dawn People." From Orkney to Wessex, their ancient societies left enough archaeological evidence to answer some questions-and to raise others. This has prompted much speculation about Stonehenge, the nature of the Britons' religious beliefs and rituals, and the extent of their geometrical and astronomical knowledge. Monuments and mysteries appear to be the chief legacies of those who dwelt during the dawn of civilization in ancient Britain. (48 minutes)
#8688 The Mayans (Run Time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
The most advanced of the pre-Hispanic peoples of Central America, the Mayans rose to great prominence, only to suddenly decline around the year AD 900. In this program, cultural historian Iain Grain delves into Mayan history, investigating topics such as the Mayans' mastery of mathematics, their extremely hierarchical society, their use of human sacrifice to induce rain, and Mayan art. Many examples of Mayan architecture are provided as well, plus a computer re-creation of the temple at Chichen Itza. Although there are still more than two million native Mayans living in Central America, the exact origins of their ancestors and the fate of the ancient Mayan cities remain mysteries. (47 minutes)
#8689 Ancient India (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
The antecedents of modern Indian culture can be traced back to the Harappan civilization, which flourished between 2300 and 1500 BC in what are now Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Aryan tribes from the Russian steppes invaded the subcontinent in 1000 BC, bringing their language and culture. The resulting synthesis between the Aryan and Indian civilizations brought forth a unique society that included a caste system, which soon became entrenched. This program examines the religious tension between Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, and the historical events that shaped the great Indian civilizations, from the Mauryan Empire through the Mogul Empire. Maps and scholars provide insight into a culture that remains vibrant and diverse today. (48 minutes)
#8690 The Ottoman Empire (Run Time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
The Ottoman Empire, from the sacking of Constantinople to the end of the 16th century, encompassed Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt, Spain, and Turkey. This program examines the structure of this empire, from the family to religion and bureaucracy. The role of the powerful doshan, young Christian peasant boys who were abducted and educated to serve the sultan, is also discussed, along with the role of women. Maps and scholarly commentary portray an empire that at its zenith was an infallible military power dedicated to the spread of Islam, but which also tolerated a diverse population and many creeds within its boundaries. (47 minutes)
#8691 The Vikings (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
This program studies the Vikings within the context of medieval history, during which time Europe was still politically fragmented by the breakup of the Roman Empire. Experts from academia, including Sandhurst Military College, investigate topics such as the effect of Viking aggression on commerce in Christendom, the efforts of the Church to convert the Vikings in order to control them, the military value of the shallow-draft Viking longship, and the beauty of Viking art. In addition, Viking society is examined in depth, with a special focus on politics, culture, and religion. The role Vikings played in the development of European trade is also discussed. (48 minutes)
#8692 The Celts (Run Time 46 min.) DVD $129.95
Nearly 3,000 years ago, those who first mastered iron became the first masters of Europe: the Celts. This program documents the Hallstatt and La Tene Celts, separating them from myth and legend. Historians and scholars discuss the history, values, and lifestyle of this warrior society, exploring topics that include the roles of the druids, bards, and seers; the political hierarchy in Celtic society; and human sacrifice. Battle reenactments are also featured, contrasting the methods of warfare preferred by the Celts to their Roman adversaries. The Celtic influence on the ethnic languages of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Britanny is also documented. (46 minutes)
#8693 The Native Americans (Run Time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
This program explores the many similarities among tribal nations, including a profound respect for nature, myth, and tradition; matriarchal governance; a communal lifestyle; a belief in an afterlife; and the use of pictographs, symbols, and patterns rather than an alphabet-based language. Also featured are brief scenes of re-created warfare: the French and Iroquois vs. the British as a part of the Seven Years' War and the Sioux and Cheyenne vs. the U.S. cavalry at Little Bighorn. The Native Americans' near-extinction-brought on by contact with non-indigenous peoples-is discussed, along with the renewal of Native American culture demonstrated by present generations. (47 minutes)
#8694 Samurai Japan (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
From their ascension to power in the 13th century to the unconditional surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, the Samurai, with their code of virtue and discipline, created a society that prized one's honor over one's own life. In this program, scholars discuss the unique influence that this created and the impact of the Samurai on Japan's institutions and history, including the role of women in political alliances. Also discussed is Japan's shift from feudalism to a bureaucratic and cosmopolitan society, symbolically ruled by the emperor and administered by shoguns. (48 minutes)
#11087 Journey Through Ancient Pompeii (Run Time 31 min.) DVD $129.95
On the morning of August 24 in the year 79, time came to an abrupt halt for the people of Pompeii. This outstanding program-filmed under the guidance of Umberto Pappalardo, director of the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum-uses Pompeii's abundant archaeological evidence to re-create daily life at the time Mt. Vesuvius erupted. A historical overview of the town, combined with background on Pompeii's urban, political, and cultural organization, completes the portrait of a thriving Roman community in the first century. (31 minutes)
#32742 Troy: Battlefield of Myth and Truth (Run Time 30 min.) DVD $129.95
Longer than Troy's fabled siege, Professor Manfred Korfmann's excavation yielded a royal Hittite seal that corroborates the city's location. But does it prove Homer's Iliad is no myth? This program traces the course of the modern search for Troy, beginning with a look at Heinrich Schliemann's controversial 1870 expedition, reviewing subsequent digs by others, and focusing on Korfmann's truly groundbreaking research, a meticulous excavation begun in 1988. On-site footage, artifacts, photographs, reenactments, and commentary from Professor Korfmann and other experts help piece together one of Western civilization's oldest archaeological puzzles. (30 minutes)
#33526 The Quest for the Athlos: Investigating the Roots of Greek Athletics (Run Time 54 min.) DVD $129.95
To the ancient Greeks, athletics made gods and heroes of men. Narrated by the late Sir Peter Ustinov, this program journeys among the ruins of antiquity to depict ancient stadiums and gymnasiums and to discover where the spirit of peaceful contest was cultivated. Athlos-participating in athletics-initially defined these significant deeds: the pursuit of perfection through creative activities that involve physical endurance and skill, as well as virtue, energy, beauty, and health. An insightful and thorough examination of the basis upon which the Greek ideals of athleticism and sportsmanship were formed. (54 minutes)
#34695 Ancient Theatres of Greece and Rome (Run Time 23 min.) DVD $129.95
Beginning with the most rudimentary of theaters-an open plot of ground which the Greeks called a theatron or "seeing space"-this program illustrates in stunning detail how that idea evolved over the centuries. Professor Richard Beacham of King's College London guides viewers through the Theatre of Epidaurus and the Lycurgian, Hellenistic, and Roman manifestations of the Theatre of Dionysus. The odea of Pericles and Agrippa and Rome's magnificent Theatre of Pompey are also featured as living and breathing performance sites, clearly demonstrating through virtual-reality archaeology the sophistication of ancient theatrical productions. (23 minutes)
#2094 Pompeii: Daily Life of the Ancient Romans (Run Time 45 min.) DVD $149.95
A walk through the streets of Pompeii, into villas and shops, baths and gardens, temples, basilicas, the stadium, and the marketplace, demonstrates and explains the history of Pompeii and its relationship to Rome; the customs, lifestyle, living standards, and moral and religious values of Pompeians; and the cataclysm that buried the city and suffocated its entire population. Re-creations of buildings and other sites help to clarify an extremely vivid and informative program. (45 minutes)
#3289 Minoan Civilization (Run Time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
This program shows the remains and reconstructions of Minoan civilization at Knossos and Phaistos on Crete, at Acrotiri on Santorini, and in museums. It covers the work of Evans and other archaeologists; explains the problems, partial resolutions, and knowledge resulting from the decipherment of Minoan scripts; and covers in some detail what we know about Minoan civilization, its origins, lifestyles, and symbology, and the significance of the Minotaur and Theseus myths. (53 minutes)
#6442 Macedonia: More Than a Name (Run Time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
The region of Macedonia-which is now divided among the three neighboring countries of Greece, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Bulgaria-has played host to countless armies over the centuries who have bloodied and pillaged this ill-defined region, primarily to gain access to the Aegean Sea. The 1990s have seen tensions flare yet again in the area. This program explores the history and culture of Hellenic Macedonia, providing a unique insight into the region and its cultural and social connections to Greece. The program also tells the story of two young men who return to Macedonia to visit the homeland of their ancestors for the first time. (53 minutes)
#6819 Cyber Rome (Run Time 39 min.) DVD $149.95
Relive the splendor of ancient Rome through the magic of virtual realityWho among us has never dreamed of going back in time and reliving the splendor of the Classical era-ancient Rome, perhaps. Now, through the magic of virtual reality and three-dimensional computer graphics, viewers can take an unforgettable tour of the monuments of Rome circa AD 200. Buildings visited include the Colosseum, the Basilica Di Massenzio, the Tabularium, the Basilica Giulia, the Curia, the Tempio Di Vesta, the Casa Delle Vestali, the Tempio Di Marte Ultore, Traiano's Column, the Basilica Ulpia, the Tempio Di Venere E Roma, and the Palatino, where legend says Romolo built the first wall about the city. The history, secrets, art, and curiosities of these architectural marvels are provided at each stop on the tour. (39 minutes)
#10932 The Phoenicians (Run Time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
Daring sea navigators, highly skilled artisans, and scholars of the first order, the Phoenicians left an indelible mark on Western history. This program traces the history of the Phoenician civilization while discussing the Phoenicians' many achievements, which include the circumnavigation of Africa, the construction of Solomon's temple, and the development of the proto-Latin alphabet. But did they really engage in human sacrifice? And did their voyages actually bring them to the shores of America? Experts search for answers to these and other questions. (53 minutes)
#11653 Egypt: Journey to the Global Civilization (Run Time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
Were Egypt's pyramids really built by slaves to be the tombs of the pharaohs? Most scholars believed so-until the excavation of a workers' village and the tomb of High Priest Kai led to some startling conclusions. In this program, Zahi Hawass, of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, and renowned anthropologist Azza Saary el-Din provide support for the "public works" theory of the late Egyptologist Kurt Mendelssohn, while analysis of the River Nile's flood cycle, inquiries into the practices of medicine and mummification, and outstanding 3-D computer animation offer a broad perspective on ancient Egyptian society. (59 minutes)
#11654 Mesopotamia: I Have Conquered the River (Run Time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
Literally "the land between the rivers," Mesopotamia was host to some of the world's earliest and most powerful civilizations. Shot on location, this program seeks to understand how the Sumerian city-states, cradled by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, built a vibrant agricultural economy-and why, after centuries, the wheat crop suddenly failed. Commentary by Asli Ozdogan, of Istanbul University, and Kazuya Maekawa, of Kyoto University; discussion of cuneiform, the Code of Hammurabi, and the Epic of Gilgamesh; and a remarkable 3-D computer re-creation of a peopled street scene offer a glimpse of life in Lower Mesopotamia. (59 minutes)
#11655 Indus: The Unvoiced Civilization (Run Time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
Shrouded in mystery, the details of the Indus Valley civilization are slowly being extracted from the archaeological record. In this program, Richard Meadow, of Harvard University; R. S. Bisht, of the Archaeological Survey of India; linguist Asko H. S. Parpola; and other experts investigate the language, customs, and beliefs of the inhabitants of Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Dholavira, and Kalibangan. Satellite photos, maps, relics, and an extraordinary 3-D computer re-creation of Dholavira and its water management system shed light on topics including the enigmatic Sarasvati River and Indus Valley links to Bahrain and faraway Mesopotamia. (59 minutes)
#11656 China: Heritage of the Wild Dragon (Run Time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
The fine loess soil of the Yellow River basin quickly established that region as the home of China's earliest recorded dynasty. This program focuses primarily on Bronze Age China and the contributions of the Yin (or Shang) dynasty, with a tangential emphasis on the reign of the Qins. Commentary by Tang Jigen, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and other experts; archival film of the excavation of Yinxu; armor and artifacts from the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi; footage of loess being used to replicate intricate Yin-era bronzes; and incredible 3-D computer animation provide penetrating insights into the history of ancient China. (59 minutes)
#11864 The Last Days of Zeugma and Apamea: An Archaeological Race Against Time (Run Time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
This program captures the feverish work of the multinational rescue archaeology team that excavated low-lying areas of Zeugma and key portions of Apamea before inundation by the Birecik Dam, in Turkey. Catherine Abadie-Reynal, director of the French contingent, and other experts describe their efforts to map the cities and to discern the tides of Greco-Roman history that once flowed through the region. Detailed 3-D computer re-creations and generous footage of architecture, murals, bronzes, coins, and the site's signature mosaics give a tantalizing glimpse of two priceless ancient urban centers-so recently found, so irretrievably lost. (53 minutes)
#30630 The Sun Was the Only Witness (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $149.95
When Akhenaten became pharaoh, Egypt had been a polytheistic culture for over 2,000 years. Filmed on location, this program tells the story of how a heretical ruler kindled a religious revolution, building an unprecedented city at Amarna and restricting worship to a single deity, the sun god Aten. Lavish reenactments and expert commentary bring to life the drama of Akhenaten's bold plans which made him the first founder of a religion known to history. Scholars point out that while most traces of his rule were erased after his death, the idea of monotheism was never banished. (27 minutes)
#30631 The Riddle of Amarna (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $149.95
Akhenaten's insistence on a new monotheistic faith plunged Egypt into a crisis. But did the pharaoh knowingly lead his country into disaster or was he beguiled by a ruthless woman, his queen Nefertiti? In this program, archaeologists and scholars examine the still-unresolved mysteries of their reign. Location footage is combined with computer animations based on excavations of Akhenaten's colossal city dedicated to the sun god. Geneticists and forensic experts try to unravel the incestuous lineage of this royal family and determine whether its heir, Tutankhamon, was murdered. (27 minutes)
#30632 The Mummies of the Heretics (Run Time 27 min.) DVD $149.95
After he died, Akhenaten was declared a heretic and an attempt was made to wipe out all traces of his reign. Did the Egyptian high priests also destroy the mummies of the pharaoh and Nefertiti? This fascinating program traces the discovery by Richard Lepsius in the 19th century of Akhenaten's city at Amarna, Akhet Aten, and the search for the mummies of the heretic king and queen. Could Tutankhamon, the pharaoh's famed son, have ordered his parents' remains to be moved to a safe location? (27 minutes)
#33259 Ancient Alexandria: Searching for the Pharos Lighthouse and the Caesareum (Run Time 50 min.) DVD $149.95
Hidden beneath the modern city of Alexandria is the ancient one. How was that Alexandria laid out? Where are its legendary signature structures located? And how is renowned archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur to gather the information he needs when rapidly encroaching construction projects and a proposed breakwater in the harbor force him to do in months what rightly should be done over years? This program films Empereur and his team performing salvage archaeology as they scramble to find clues to the Pharos Lighthouse-one of the seven wonders of the ancient world-and the magnificent Caesareum. (50 minutes)
#33260 When the Romans Ruled Over Africa: Learning from the Dead (Run Time 52 min.) DVD $149.95
When ground was broken for a luxury hotel in modern-day Hammamet, Tunisia, no one was expecting to find what has turned out to be the largest Roman necropolis in North Africa. In this program, necropolis expert Marc Griesheimer collaborates with archaeologist Aicha ben Abed and other specialists to piece together fragile clues to the history of the region. Painstaking analysis of the human remains and funerary relics fleshes out the details of life and death of the ordinary people who made ancient Pupput a significant locale. The Amphitheater of El Jem is also investigated. (52 minutes)
#36358 Boudica's Treasures (Run Time 48 min.) DVD $149.95
Britain's legendary warrior-queen Boudica led an uprising against Roman occupation in 60 AD. After a few victories, her army was slaughtered. But what happened to the surviving members of her tribe, the Iceni? This program describes archaeological work that is filling in the gaps in Boudica's story, focusing on a site in Norfolk which may provide some important clues. Following archaeologists Neil Faulkner and David Thorpe as they study recently discovered artifacts-including gold coins, part of a chariot harness, and a heavy necklace designed for Brythonic royalty-the program explores the intriguing theory that the dig site was a seat of Iceni power. (48 minutes)
#39170 Moses: Separating Fact from Myth (Run Time 51 min.) DVD $149.95
Biblical accounts of his leadership were probably woven together centuries after the Hebrew exodus from Egypt. Nevertheless, scholars have found promising signs that a figure like Moses did exist and interact with Egyptian authorities. Sifting through the evidence, this program combines new scientific theories with state-of-the-art computer graphics and dramatic reconstructions that bring the ancient lawgiver into focus. Viewers will encounter textual and archaeological sources dating from the fifth to the tenth centuries BC-involving renegade Pharaohs, a desert mining industry, and the mysterious nomadic people known as the Apiru. Oceanography and climatology provide insights into the veracity of the Red Sea and Ten Plagues stories. Original BBCW broadcast title: Moses. (51 minutes)
#39221 Underground Rome: A World Hidden for Centuries (Run Time 52 min.) DVD $149.95
Beneath Rome's famous cityscape lies an ancient and largely unexplored bed of ruins. This program introduces students to the work of archaeologists, historians, and other researchers who have undertaken surveys of subterranean Rome, often relying on techniques used in cave exploration. Dr. Darius Arya, executive director of the American Institute for Roman Culture, explains how the city's layers of development accumulated, while Adriano Morabito, cofounder of the urban spelunking group Roma Sotteranea, guides viewers through deeply buried ruins that most academics would never enter. Numerous sites, including the Cloaca Maxima and spaces beneath the Basilica of San Clemente and San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital, are featured. (52 minutes)
#39343 Arthur, King of the Britons: The Facts behind the Myths (Run Time 49 min.) DVD $149.95
Although the Arthurian myth likely originated in Britain's post-Roman era, medieval author Geoffrey of Monmouth fashioned an Arthur for his own time-and engendered a chivalric fantasy that persists to this day. Does evidence of a flesh-and-blood 5th-century leader hide beneath the calcified layers of Arthurian romance? This program searches for answers by examining historical records and following extensive field research at several British locations. A vast Anglo-Saxon graveyard, pottery shards at Tintagel, an ancient hillfort in Somerset, and the flood plain surrounding Glastonbury Tor create a compelling portrait of the Britonic Arthur, enhanced by digital architectural reconstructions. Intriguing theories involving Excalibur are also featured. A BBCW Production. (49 minutes)
#6219 Petra (Run Time min.) DVD $179.90
2-part series.
#32692 Empire: The Romans (Run Time min.) DVD $359.80
Julius Caesar, the Colosseum, Roman legions, “bread and circuses”—essential enduring symbols of the Roman Empire. This four-part series brings together a wide range of scholars and experts to sift the facts behind Caesar’s death, deconstruct the Colosseum, offer insights into life as a Roman soldier, and peek into the world of the everyday people who made Rome what it was and yet never received even a footnote in the pages of history. A Discovery Channel Production. 4-part series, 46-52 minutes each.
#4290 Retracing History (Run Time min.) DVD $449.75
Arguably, the best and surely the most exciting way of learning history is by seeking to relive it. In this series, Tim Severin has done exactly that by retracing five of the epochal voyages of the past, recreating from the best available evidence the transportation means, retracing the routes, re-experiencing what the ancient traveler said he saw and heard and felt. In the process, he makes the past truly accessible to the modern student. 5-part series, 54 minutes each.
#30629 Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Rulers of Egypt (Run Time min.) DVD $449.85
Generations after him dubbed Akhenaten "the criminal of Amarna" for replacing the Egyptian pantheon with a single god, Aten. This series explores the reign of this revolutionary pharaoh and his evangelist queen, Nefertiti. Interviews with noted archaeologists and experts provide historical context, while dramatic reenactments and computer animations re-create life four-and-a-half thousand years ago. 3-part series, 27 minutes each.
#869 Ancient Lives (Run Time min.) DVD $559.60
A vivid portrayal of life in ancient Egypt. From the time of Ramses through the decline of pharaonic power some 500 years later, we follow the life of one village-the village of the artists and craftsmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. John Romer serves as host. 8-part series, 23-29 minutes each.
#11652 Messages from the Past: Reassessing Ancient Civilizations (Run Time min.) DVD $599.80
The stories of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and ancient China are, in a sense, the stories of their life-giving rivers. In this fascinating four-part series, the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, sociology, engineering, agriculture, climatology, and metallurgy contribute to a thought-provoking examination of these civilizations, their contributions to world culture, and the central role of their vital waterways. 4-part series, 59 minutes each.
#33256 Uncovering Lost Worlds (Run Time min.) DVD $599.80
Shrouded by time and hidden from sight, the bulk of the ancient world has been lost-but not irretrievably. At the junction of archaeology and other allied disciplines is a place where science meets adventure as dedicated researchers recover the past, bit by bit. This fascinating four-part series goes out to the digs and into the labs to show viewers what it is like to literally uncover lost worlds. Outstanding 3-D computer re-creations of ancient locales and close-up footage of artifacts as they are actually being discovered complement each program. 4-part series, 50-52 minutes each.
#33507 Ancient Civilizations (Run Time min.) DVD $1039.60
This 8-part series provides an immersion in each civilization by combining precise historical overviews with detailed glimpses of everyday life. Scholars provide commentary on each culture, including such topics as the role of women, religion, education, the military, and politics, while readings from contemporary sources and 3-D architectural reconstructions allow students to virtually visit these ancient worlds. 8-part series, 46-50 minutes each.
#8682 Ancient Civilizations (Run Time min.) DVD $1689.35
Whether it is the morning market in ancient Greece or the myths of the Aztec gods in pre-Columbian Mexico, this 13-part series provides an immersion in each civilization by combining precise historical overviews with detailed glimpses of everyday life. Scholars provide commentary on each culture, including such topics as the role of women, religion, education, the military, and politics, while readings from contemporary sources and 3-D architectural reconstructions allow students to virtually visit these ancient worlds. 13-part series, 46-50 minutes each.
