Empires: Dynasties

The Roman Empire in the First Century (2009)

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Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the First Century, the world was ruled by Rome. The Roman Empire struggled with problems which are surprisingly familiar: violent coups, assassination, overarching ambition, civil war, clashes between the classes as well as the sexes, and questions of personal freedom versus government control.

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Length:

03:39

Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire (2010)

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Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans—all were part of the Japanese "renaissance"—a period between the 16th and 19th centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace.

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02:40

The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance (2003, 2009)

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From a small Italian community in 15th Century Florence, the Medici family would rise to become one of the most powerful dynasties in Europe. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would use this power to help ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history-the Renaissance.

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03:40

The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization (2010)

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It was perhaps the most spectacular flourishing of imagination and achievement in recorded history. In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries BC, the Greeks built an empire that stretched across the Mediterranean from Asia to Spain. They laid the foundation of modern science, politics, warfare and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever seen.

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02:45

Egypt's Golden Empire (2010)

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Forged by conquest, and ruled by intimidation and diplomacy, Egypt's New Kingdom was built by men and women of astonishing ambition. For nearly 500 years (1560 B.C. to 1080 B.C.), the pharaohs of Egypt struggled to shape the science, culture, and politics of the ancient world. In the process, they would create the first great empire in history.

Grade Level:

Middle

High

Length:

02:40