Bettany Hughes goes in search of this lost civilisation, revealing the story of a city founded out of the desert by Alexander the Great in 331 BC to become the world's first global centre of culture. The documentary also looks at the role of astronomer and philosopher Hypatia, and incorporates stunning footage from the feature film 'Agora'.
Thousands of terracotta warriors guarded the first Chinese emperor's tomb. This is their story, told through archeological evidence and reenactments.
This documentary follows a team of local archaeologists excavating never before explored passageways, shafts, and tombs, piecing together the secrets of Egypt’s most significant find in almost 50 years in Saqqara.
Jeremy Paxman joins forces with 'art sleuth' Bernadette Murphy to try and solve one of the greatest and bloodiest mysteries of the art world - why Vincent Van Gogh cut off his own ear in December 1888?
In May 1940, feeling the RAF needs every man to fight to Luftwaffe, Geoffrey 'Boy' Wellum joins at 18, becoming the youngest ever Spitfire pilot. After an intense training, he soon bonds with the flying men of his squadron. In the air, danger is great, but on the ground drinks, sports and girls, in Geoff's case Sarah, provide great comfort. However in time, the casualties exact a grueling psychological toll, until his tour of duty is ended after 18 months.
From a small Italian community in 15th-century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history -- the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world.
What is true and what is false in the hideous stories spread about the controversial figure of the Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12-41), nicknamed Caligula? Professor Mary Beard explains what is accurate and what is mythical in the historical accounts that portray him as an unbalanced despot. Was he a sadistic tyrant, as Roman historians have told, or perhaps the truth about him was manipulated because of political interests?
Eddie Izzard pushes her body and sense of humour to the limit for Sport Relief as she takes on an immense challenge - travelling to South Africa to run 27 marathons in 27 days to mark the 27 years that their hero Nelson Mandela spent in prison. It is a gruelling, uplifting and hilarious journey through baking heat, high roads and hospitals - but can Eddie make it to the final finish line?
Rising sea levels and sinking land threaten to destroy Venice. Leading scientists and engineers battling the forces of nature to try to save this historic city for future generations. Discover the innovative projects and feats of engineering currently underway, including a hi-tech flood barrier, eco-projects to conserve the lagoon, and new efforts to investigate erosion beneath the city.
A 17-year-old girl is murdered. The police have no clues, but a theory arises: she is one of the victims of a serial rapist and murderer. Unpublished interviews and footage bring a shocking revelation about his death.
Seventy years on, brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor take viewers through the key moments of the Battle of Britain, when 'the few' of the RAF faced the might of the Nazi Luftwaffe. As they fly historic planes, meet the veterans, explore the tactics and technology, Colin and Ewan discover the importance of the Battle and the surviving legacy of the 1940's campaign for the modern RAF.
It's the most extraordinary feat of engineering in history, and one of the most iconic man-made structures on the planet - the Great Wall of China, stretching thousands of miles across barren deserts and treacherous mountains before finally plunging into the sea. But why did the Chinese go to such staggering lengths to build it, and what are the secrets that have enabled it to survive for over 2,000 years? Now, ground breaking science is re-writing its complex history and de-coding its mysteries to reveal that there is much more to the Great Wall than just bricks and mortar. Cutting edge chemistry reveals that the secret to the Great Wall's remarkable strength is a simple ingredient found in every kitchen, and a new survey also determines that its length is truly amazing, as we finally solve the enigma at the heart of the world's greatest mega-structure.
Fifty years ago, a Home Office committee chaired by Wolfenden, then vice-chancellor of Reading University, recommended the decriminalization of homosexuality. But behind the scenes of what was to become a turning point in British social history, there was an even more extraordinary story. Jack's son Jeremy, then a brilliant undergraduate at Oxford, was himself gay, something his father could not bring himself to acknowledge.
The volcanic eruption that ravaged Pompeii in year 79 is one of the most famous in history. It is known how its victims died, but how did they live? A new insight into the lives of the people who lived in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius before its cataclysmic eruption.
With many breeds and countless variations, canines are one of the most diverse species on Earth. From ears to tails, coats to paws, every part of their bodies is uniquely structured to serve a purpose. How Dogs Got Their Shapes shines a light on a variety of canine shapes to explain how each aspect plays a pivotal role in the evolution, history, and behavior of distinct dog breeds.
Historian Thomas Penn reveals the secrets of founder of Britain’s great Tudor Dynasty - and his amazing trajectory to power. Two weeks after landing on the shores Wales in 1485 with a small band of mercenaries, Henry of Richmond defeats the notorious Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. He is crowned Henry VII and then begins a career of realpolitik, a charming exterior making a savage ambition. The War of the Roses, his wife Elizabeth of York, and the beginning of the Renaissance are all part of this incredible history, as are Henry’s obsessions with money and astonishing spy network.
BBC look at whether or not Snuff films really exist. Snuff as defined by the FBI and the film is a film that shows some one being killed which was produced for gratification of the viewer who pays to see the film. The film takes a look at the start of the rumors of snuff films, the latching on by exploitation producers and how the ability of anyone to shoot video with things such as mobile phones and put them up on the Internet have made the existence of a such a film likely. A very good very reasoned film that isn't really that graphic (at least with actual footage) the film looks at the subject with filmmakers and law enforcement officials and relates the chilling tales of the people who actually set out to make a film for themselves. The key element is the profit motive since its clear that killers and other people have been using home video equipment to record their nasty deeds, we just don't know if money has changed hands. A film to make you think.
Twenty-five years ago, Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence and beaten. Days later, the unthinkable happened and his death sparked a national outcry for hate crimes protections. Today, his story is a dark reminder that the fight against hate continues.
