Greeks, Romans, Vikings: The Founders of Europe

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History Documentary hosted by Simon Chilvers, published by SBS in 2014 - English narration

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Greeks, Romans, Vikings: The Founders of Europe What were the Vikings really like? What did the Romans accomplish? And do the singular achievements of the ancient Greeks live on in our society today? This series questions the myths and unravels age-old clichés about these ancient cultures. It examines their strange and sometimes amusing idiosyncrasies, gives fresh insights into who they really were, and provides a novel take on their societies, peppered with surprising new revelations. Democracy, science, theatre, plumbing, modern roads, laws, the Olympics, conquering the seas, and the onset of globalisation are all at the heart of modern society, but in fact were inherited from the ancient worlds of the Greeks, the Romans and the Vikings. This is a new look at the ancient civilisations that will change our perception of them.

[edit] The Greeks

Ancient Greece – the cradle of modern Europe. Around 3000 years ago, the cultural foundations of western civilisation were laid right here, on the shores of the Mediterranean. It’s the birthplace of democracy, where great thinkers forged the beginnings of scientific reasoning, where theatre was turned into mass entertainment, and where the Olympic Games began. Imaginative animation, stunning visuals and an entertaining narrative combine in an extraordinary exploration of Greece and the rise of an ancient super-power that would leave a permanent mark on western society.

[edit] The Romans

The Romans created one of the greatest empires in history, built with the help of an incredible army of professional legionnaires and a well-oiled political machinery. At its height, a few hundred men ruled over a fifth of mankind and an area stretching from Britain to Syria and from Gibraltar to the Euphrates. They undertook some of the most ambitious building-projects of their time: endless roads, gigantic bridges and imposing aqueducts formed a complex infrastructure and left a lasting legacy. This film is a revelatory and unique journey into the world of ancient Rome.

[edit] The Vikings

A nation of seafarers and merchants, the Vikings revolutionised exploration and trading in the Middle Ages and discovered America 500 years before Columbus. This gripping film unveils their bad reputation as wild, murdering and pillaging Norsemen as misguided and reveals a strikingly tolerant people with an elaborate trading network that stretched right through Europe. For 900 years, their light, manoeuvrable sailing-ships could not be matched. As the best seafarers of their time, daring, tolerant explorers and expert merchants, they set new benchmarks and left their mark everywhere.