Alexander's Greatest Battle

Michael Wood travels through Syria and Iraq to uncover the story of Alexander the Great's decisive battle against the might of the Persian Empire in 331 BCE. Ancient writers agreed that it was fought somewhere near the city of Irbil in northern Iraq, but the exact location has never been discovered. Using dramatic new finds in the UK - a cuneiform clay tablet in the British Museum and a papyrus dug up in Egypt - Michael sheds new light on the course of events. Then to reconstruct the campaign, he follows Alexander's route through Damascus and Aleppo to the river Euphrates in Syria and travels into Northern Iraq with the British and US military.

2009-09-14 | en

The Atlantis Puzzle

Fascinating new translations and fresh research are transforming the myth of Atlantis from the realm of fantasy into an incredible reality. Travel across continents and centuries to unlock the secrets of Plato's final legacy - a true story of Ancient Greece, Africa, and climate change across deep time.

2024-06-01 | fr

Greek Myths: Tales of Travelling Heroes

Eminent classical historian Robin Lane Fox embarks on a journey in search of the origins of the Greek myths. He firmly believes that these fantastical stories lie at the root of western culture, and yet little is known about where the myths of the Greek gods came from, and how they grew. Now, after 35 years of travelling, excavation and interpretation, he is confident he has uncovered answers.

2010-11-15 | en

Last Stand of the 300

This is the true and astounding saga of the Spartans at Thermopylae. It is among the greatest tales of war ever recounted. All the glory and grit of these warriors' last stand is captured in this exceptional documentary. It is almost impossible to understand how 300 Spartans managed to hold off the million-man Persian army for even a moment, much less seven days. To a man they paid with their lives but their stunning Last Stand assured that their sacrifice would resonate throughout history. Transporting dramatizations and incisive graphics put you in the heat of the battle and show the lay of the land. The complications and strategies of the conflict are revealed through careful analysis, and critical moments are reconstructed to show exactly what happened. Discover what the Spartans were fighting for, what made them capable of such heroics and what drove them to such sacrifice.

2007-05-27 | en

Mystical World of Ancient Greece

Over twenty-five hundred years ago, the ancient citizens of Athens, Greece built the most magnificent temples that mankind has ever been inspired to create. These towering shrines, shrouded with unworldly spirits, were home to mysterious cults that performed bold sacrifices and evoked unspeakable wonders. And yet, from the citadel of the Acropolis came the very hallmarks of civilization, ideas that remain today the highest testament to the nobility of man -- democracy, science, philosophy and theatre. Through stunning film, interviews with experts and vivid reenactments, you'll explore the haunting mysteries that still lie buried in the mystical world of Ancient Greece.

1996-11-21 | en

Alexander the God King

Alexander, a student of the brilliant philosopher Aristotle, worshiped the god Amun which he believed to be his father. He suffered from epilepsy and was gay, when his partner died he sacrificed all 5,000 inhabitants of a village for him. Alexander's legacy was that a man could be a god, by he has many peoples, cultures and beliefs influenced his vast empire. Alexander the Great had a vision: one civilized world with him as absolute leader! An ambition which had all districts with enormous bloodshed as a result. His craving for power was so great that in our modern world has no equal! While his influence is still noticeable, we know still very little about him. Greek and English archaeologists searching for years for one of the world's greatest mysteries:. the last resting place of Alexander the Great and his golden sarcophagus Alexander The God King is a fascinating journey through time and separate the truth from the legends. The ambition of one man, the course changed our history!

2007-01-01 | en

The Time Factory

Who invented time, who invented the clock? Why 1 hour, why 60 minutes, why 60 seconds? Since prehistoric times, man has sought to measure time, to organize social and religious life, to plan food supply... Today we can surf the Internet, geolocate, pay by credit card… All our daily lives depend on time and the synchronization of clocks. The history of the invention of time and of the ways and instruments to measure it is a long story…

2021-09-19 | fr

Gods and Monsters: Homer's Odyssey

Virginia Woolf said that Homer's epic poem the Odyssey was 'alive to every tremor and gleam of existence'. Following the magical and strange adventures of warrior king Odysseus, inventor of the idea of the Trojan horse, the poem can claim to be the greatest story ever told. Now British poet Simon Armitage goes on his own Greek adventure, following in the footsteps of one of his own personal heroes. Yet Simon ponders the question of whether he even likes the guy.

2010-11-08 | en

Lesvia

Since the 1970s, lesbians from around the world have been drawn to the island of Lesvos, the birthplace of the ancient Greek poet Sappho. When they find paradise in a local village and carve out their own queer lesbian community, tensions simmer with the local residents. With both groups claiming ownership of lesbian identity, filmmaker Tzeli Hadjidimitriou—a native and lesbian herself—is caught in the middle and chronicles 40+ years of love, community, conflict, and what it means to feel accepted.

2025-04-01 | el

Hélikè, la cité engloutie

2023-06-01 | fr

Secrets of the Parthenon

For 25 centuries the Parthenon has been shot at, set on fire, rocked by earthquakes, looted for its sculptures, and disfigured by catastrophic renovations. To save it from collapse, the modern restoration team must uncover the secrets of how the ancient Greeks built this icon of western civilization in less than nine years without anything resembling an architectural plan.

2008-01-29 | en

Les secrets du mont Olympe

2024-02-28 | fr

The World's First Computer

A historical and scientific investigation telling the extraordinary story of how the ancient Greeks built a computer 2,000 years ago. Set against the glorious backdrop of classical Greece, this Grierson-nominated film follows the international research team who finally solved the puzzle of the ‘Antikythera Mechanism’. Scientific breakthroughs illustrated with stunning graphics and reenactments, reveal a trail of mysterious numbers that solved the conundrum of the gears – a real life Da Vinci code set in ancient Greece.

2012-03-13 | en

The Search for Alexander the Great

Friends, contemporaries and even enemies of Alexander the Great gather in a tent to tell his tale through their eyes.

1981-05-06 | en

448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas

Through the eyes of the Narrator and ancient Philosophers of the time, we are taken on a dramatic journey through history; recounting the incredible and exciting dramas, ceremonies, games, and chariot races of the Ancient Greek OLYMPIAD; the Olympic Games of the 5th Century BC.

2004-12-12 | en

Pavlopetri: The City Beneath the Waves

Just off the southern coast of mainland Greece lies the oldest submerged city in the world. It thrived for 2,000 years during the time that saw the birth of western civilisation. An international team of experts is using cutting-edge technology to prise age-old secrets from the complex of streets and stone buildings that lie less than five metres below the surface of the ocean. State-of-the-art CGI helps to raise the city from the seabed, revealing for the first time in 3,500 years how Pavlopetri would once have looked and operated.

2011-10-09 | en

The Bisexual Revolution

Believe it or not, Mick Jagger was not the first bisexual. In fact, 'going both ways' dates back to ancient Greece, when heterosexuality was not the norm. This fascinating documentary, featuring John Cameron Mitchell and French pop star Yelle, explores and uncovers the history and modern-day perceptions of this often misunderstood culture. Interviews with prominent artists, designers, and writers are interspersed with archival footage from around the world.

2010-01-01 | fr

Atlantis: In Search of a Lost Continent

Host Richard Crenna reviews various theories on the existence of a site for the legendary Atlantis described by Plato and envisioned by mystic Edgar Cayce.

1997-01-14 | en

Alexander

Alexander, the King of Macedonia, leads his legions against the giant Persian Empire. After defeating the Persians, he leads his army across the then known world, venturing farther than any westerner had ever gone, all the way to India.

2004-11-21 | en

The Return

After twenty years away, Odysseus washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The king has finally returned home, but much has changed in his kingdom since he left to fight in the Trojan war.

2024-09-07 | en