Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

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  1. Nero

  60m

  Recounts how Nero charted his murderous reign and how he was finally overthrown.

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  2. Caesar

  60m

  Recounts how Julius Caesar succeeded in overthrowing a 500-year-old Republic.

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  3. Revolution

  60m

  132 BC. Tiberius Gracchus, with the final victory in Rome's 120 year long Punic Wars against Carthage, its greatest ever Mediterranean rival, brings him immense glory and the rich unseen wealth, but almost nothing trickles down to the destitute. The rich patricians yest removing the military threat of Carthage also removes the best control on them. He learns many veteran families lose everything, even their land, which is taken by the rich. Now he joins the army against a Hispanic tribe, the Numantines, which manages to encircle the 20,000 legionnaires and refuses to negotiate with consul Mancinus, but takes the word of Gracchus, for the sake of his father who concluded an honorable peace with them; the troops return, their families rejoice but the senate blames the commanders for a disgraceful surrender. Tiberius uses his popularity to stand for the office of popular tribune, hoping to counter Nasicas extremist line in the senate.

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  4. Rebellion

  60m

  Recounts how the Jewish Revolt, which swept through Judea in AD66, was stopped by General Vespasian and his son Titus.

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  5. Constantine

  60m

  Recounts how the Emperor Constantine brought Christianity to the western world.

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  6. Fall of Rome

  60m

  In AD 410, the Goth hordes sacked the city. This event symbolised Rome's collapse, but it should never have happened at all.

Cast

Alisdair Simpson

Narrator (voice)

Michael Sheen

Emperor Nero