Bettany Hughes' definitive history of the ancient world and classical civilisation

Jesus of Nazareth is a 1977 Anglo-Italian television miniseries dramatizing the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus based on the accounts in the four New Testament Gospels. A reverent and beautiful retelling of the biblical tale with an all-star cast, winning Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Drama (1977-78) and for James Farentino as Best Supporting Actor in a Drama.

Sinbad The Sailor sails to deliver a cursed prince to a dangerous island in the face of deadly opposition from a powerful witch.

In the vein of and following in the footsteps of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", this bawdy, risque, and hilarious British Comedy is rife with one liners, innuendos, and double entendres, and was the perfect comedy for Britain's mad comedian Frankie Howerd. From his attempt to begin each show with "The Prologue" to his final "Salut", what occurs in-between is pure Frankie Howerd. The cast around him are his props and his role as the slave Lurcio was one of his finest roles, played to comedic perfection. The series takes place in Pompeii, before the eruption of Vesuvius of course, and relates the day to day trials and tribulations of our star, the slave Lurcio played by Frankie Howerd. The innuendo's begin at once with the names of the characters in the series. Lurcio is slave to philandering Senator Ludicrus Sextus, a rather befuddled senator that is often at odds with both his wife and common sense.

Sex, torture and betrayal in Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, leader of the Hebrews, believes his people can co-exist with the Sodomites, a disastrous decision.

Roman War hero Martius, alias Coriolanus, is named consul, Rome's highest public office. But the warrior is no politician - and he faces unaccustomed enemies who fan the flames of populism against him, with catastrophic results.

The well-known little village from the Asterix and Obelix-comic books is in trouble: It is the last place not controlled by Rome. When Tax collector Claudius Incorruptus does not get his money from the villagers, Julius Caesar himself comes to the place to see what's so special about their resistance. A special magic potion, prepared by the village's druid, gives incredible power to those who drink it. And Obelix, who fell into the pot as a child has been invincible ever since. With the help of Tullius Destructivus, an intrigeur, the Romans try to get Obelix and the druid into their hands in order to wipe the little village off the map, when the last potion of it's stock has been used up. But each individual also has some plans of his own...

King Saul of Israel is jealous of the fame and adoration of David, who long ago slew Goliath and brought victory to Saul's armies. Now Saul, egged on by his Edomite counselor Doeg, attempts to have David killed. Saul's son, and David's best friend, Jonathan, conspires to help David, who is reluctant to fight back against his own people the Israelites.

Astérix and Obélix compete at the Olympics in order to help their friend Lovesix marry Princess Irina. Brutus also tries to win the game with his own team and get rid of his father Julius Caesar.

Since his rise to power, Mathayus' kingdom has fallen. Now an assassin for hire, he must defend a kingdom from an evil tyrant and his ghost warriors for the chance to regain the power and glory he once knew.

The temporary physical life of the Biblical Savior, Jesus Christ.

A wily Roman slave schemes to earn his freedom by romantically uniting his master with a courtesan. But matters get complicated and he ends up dragging in his neighbors around him, leading to chaos.

Queen of Sheba goes on a secret business trip to meet king Solomon.

A drama that focuses on the period in Mary and Joseph's life where they journeyed to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.

When strongman Samson rejects the love of the beautiful Philistine woman Delilah, she seeks vengeance that brings horrible consequences they both regret.

Caesar Augustus tells of how he became the emperor to his reluctant daughter, Julia following the death of her husband Agrippa.

A live musical recounting the final days of Jesus Christ and those around him.

The Bible story of Esther starring Louise Lombard, F. Murray Abraham and Jurgen Prochnow.

Marcellus is a tribune in the time of Christ. He is in charge of the group that is assigned to crucify Jesus. Drunk, he wins Jesus' homespun robe after the crucifixion. He is tormented by nightmares and delusions after the event. Hoping to find a way to live with what he has done, and still not believing in Jesus, he returns to Palestine to try and learn what he can of the man he killed.

When he is betrayed by a trusted friend, Mathayus must marshal all his strength and cunning to outwit a formidable opponent who will stop at nothing to unlock a supreme ancient power.

Fierce Roman commander Marcus Vinicius becomes infatuated with beautiful Christian hostage Lygia and begins questioning the tyrannical leadership of the despot Emperor Nero.

Seductive Messalina will stop at nothing to become the most powerful woman in Rome.

Twenty-year-old Julius Caeser flees Rome for his life during the reign of Sulla, but through skill and ambition rises four decades later to become Rome's supreme dictator.

The life story of the highly-influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius.

The events that culminated with the Passion of Christ seen from the perspective of Pontius Pilate, the Procurator of Judea who unwillingly condemned Christ to death. Based on the biblical Gospel of John.

In Biblical times, a girl disguises her Jewish origins when the Persian king comes looking for a new bride among his subjects.

Artaban is a young Magus (Wise Man) who desires to follow the star to the birthplace of the coming King, against the counsel of his friends and family. Carrying three precious jewels to give to the baby Messiah, Artaban and his reluctant servant Orontes set off to join the caravan of the three other wise men. They miss the caravan, but Artaban continues the search for his King, always one step behind. Artaban spends much of his remaining wealth and all of his energy helping the poor and unfortunate people he meets, until at the end of his life he finally finds Jesus--at His trial! Has Artaban wasted his life in a foolish quest? Will he ever get the chance to present his gifts to the King?

A captured architect designs an ingenious plan to ensure the impregnability of tomb of a self-absorbed Pharaoh, obsessed with the security of his next life.

A Roman soldier becomes torn between his love for a Christian woman and his loyalty to Emperor Nero.

In this Emmy Award-winning dramatization of historical events, Peter O'Toole stars as the Roman general tasked with crushing a group of Jewish rebels who have sought refuge on Masada, a desert fortress, in A.D. 72. Despite superior numbers and supplies, the Romans find themselves endlessly frustrated in their attempts to thwart the rebels' last stand. The star-studded cast also includes Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera and Anthony Quayle.

Noble, wise King Sardanapolo and his more soft and naive younger brother Prince Sammash get into a bitter feud over the affections of sweet and alluring innocent peasant girl Mirra. Meanwhile, the treacherous and ruthlessly ambitious General Arbace plots against both siblings.

Epic look at Julius Caesar, Rome's last dictator, whose death also signaled the end of the Roman Republic. Chronicles his campaigns in Gaul and Egypt, his rivalry with General Pompey, and his eventual assassination at the hands of Brutus and Cassius.

Hercules being heroic in ancient Greece.

After he is bought by the owner of a Roman gladiator school and trained as a gladiator, a slave leads a rebellion of slaves and gladiators into revolt against Rome.

The Biblical story of Israel's greatest King.

In this re-telling of Iliad, set in 1174 B.C. after ten years of fighting in the Trojan War, the Greek warrior Odysseus decides to travel for home, but instead finds a string of mis-adventures over the sea and land as he, along with a captive Trojan warrior named Circe as well as a group of loyal Greek soldiers, venture on the sea and land to get home to the island kingdom of Icarus and fighting sea sirens, and other mystical creatures to get home to his wife Penelope who is being hounded by a group of suitors hoping she will chose to make one of them their bride.

During the early 1960s, U.S. military advisers in South Vietnam discover the same challenges that plagued the French army in Indochina ten years prior.

An epic movie that follows the life of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian King that conquered all of the ancient Greek tribes and led the Macedonian Army against the vast Persian Empire. Alexander conquered most of the then known world and created a Greek empire that spanned all the way from the Balkans to India.

Tells the story of Jesus Christ at age seven as he and his family depart Egypt to return home to Nazareth. Told from his childhood perspective, it follows young Jesus as he grows into his religious identity.

Hercules is provoked till he has no other choice then fight Gargan, a giant who had absolutely no quarrel with him- and decks the mountain of aggression easily. Then the last survivor of a group of messengers, killed off one by one by Hera, dies after imploring him to come end her rule of terror in the 'lost city of Troy', which his father Zeus, who is once more unwilling to extend any more tangible help, discloses can only be found with the 'one true compass' last seen in the possession of queen Omphale. On his searching for her he frees -then against her will- Deianeira, the eager victim about to be sacrificed to the river god as virgin in the prime of her fertility to end a drought. He battles passed the 48 sons of the gate guardian and arranges to be sold at the annual slave market to the queen, who only wants him in her bed. After dealing with some protection racketeers and the devoted, happy palace slave Waylin he finally gets her late husbands compass from Omphale. He sets out on the journey with Deianeira; a sea monster swallows them, but is defeated. On land they find her father, the dying king of Troy who names her his heir, prepare an army of Trojans to reconquer the city and enter it unopposed, but then emerges an army of Heras minions, whose leader is about to sacrifice Deianeira and puts up a good fight against Hercules.

After the death of her father, a woman is forced to take over as empress and fight to save her kingdom.

Two Britons are captured and enslaved by invading Romans and taken to Rome. Hengist Pod creates useless inventions, while Horsa is a brave and cunning fighter. One of their first encounters in Rome leaves Hengist being mistaken for a fighter, and gets drafted into the Royal Guard to protect Caesar. Cleo doesn't want him around and plots for his sudden demise...

The epic tale of King Asoka's life is recounted.

A small Army of Greeks spearheaded by three hundred Spartans do battle with the whole invading Persian Army.

Each of the four separate episodes - rather independent chapters, presents some of the findings of Egyptology, largely in the form of realistically presented docudrama, a splendid spectacle...

At the height of the Roman Civil War, a young Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh) meets a middle-aged Julius Caesar (Claude Rains), who teaches her how to rule Egypt.

Inspired by the scriptural tale. Moabitess priestess Ruth is drawn both to a Judean man and to his talk of a forgiving God. After tragedy strikes, she begins a new life in Bethlehem.

In ancient Egypt, a poor orphan becomes a genial physician and is eventually appointed at the Pharaoh's court where he witnesses palace intrigues and learns dangerous royal secrets.

A believable telling of the life of the Virgin Mary who was chosen by God to be the mother of Christ Jesus. This Biblical story follows Mary before conception, at the revealing of the impending birth by the angel Gabriel, and finally the birth of the Savior.

Four writers. Four narratives. One life. For the first time in film history the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have been reconstructed in four feature length, documentary-style films. Narrated word for word by some of the world's leading voice talent, the Gospels are coming to life like never before.

Lusty adventures of two men and a transvestite young man in times of Rome's Nero.

Hercules and Iolaus take time out from Iolaus' wedding preparations, to help a distant village under attack from "monsters". When they reach their destination, they find the monsters are in fact Amazonian women who are controlled by Hera.

Brutus, Cassius, and other high-ranking Romans murder Caesar, because they believe his ambition will lead to tyranny. The people of Rome are on their side until Antony, Caesar's right-hand man, makes a moving speech. The conspirators are driven from Rome, and two armies are formed: one side following the conspirators; the other, Antony. Antony has the superior force, and surrounds Brutus and Cassius, but they kill themselves to avoid capture.

A thirteen hour series which focuses on the Germanic, Britannic and other barbarian tribal wars with Rome which ultimately led to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. This series is centered on the campaigns and battles with the barbarian tribes and extensive examinations of the reigns of little known Roman emperors and generals. The significance and structures of key barbarian tribes and the roles their leaders played are explored in detail. Territorial changes to the Roman Empire caused by unrelenting wars, plagues, mass starvation's and power struggles are presented in chronological historical context with extensive re-enactments. This series examines how the continuous wars with the barbarians and depletion of resources became a core cause of the Roman Empire's decline and eventual collapse.

This dramatised documentary series tells the story of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome through the six key turning points. Factually accurate and based on extensive historical research, it reveals how the greed, lust and ambition of men like Caesar, Nero and Constantine shaped the Roman Empire. It describes how Rome destroyed Carthage, was conquered by Caesar, how it suppressed the Jewish revolt, and converted to Christianity. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles to tell the definitive television story of how the Empire was formed, how it achieved maximum power, and why it eventually failed.

Twin half-mortal boys are placed in a basket and abandoned in a river. A she-wolf rescues and nurtures them until they are recovered by a shepherd, who brings the two boys up as his own. Twenty years later in 733 BC, Romulus and Remus now lead a band of theives against the two tyranical kings of the Sabines. When they meet their mother just before she dies, she tells them that they are destined to be the founders of a great city, called Rome.

An imagined chapter from Jesus' forty days of fasting and praying in the desert. On his way out of the wilderness, Jesus struggles with the Devil over the fate of a family in crisis.

Roman slave Lurcio (Frankie Howerd) inadvertently becomes the possessor of a scroll naming the proposed assassins of the Emperor Nero (Patrick Cargill). Administering to the participants of his master's orgy guests seems small compared to the trouble the scroll brings, but all are in for a nasty shock when Mount Vesuvius decides to erupt.

Barabbas, the criminal that Pontius Pilate induced the populace to vote to set free, so that Christ could be crucified, is haunted by the image of Jesus for the rest of his life.

In an age of Gladiators, the power that was Rome held its empire together with the might of its armies, the sweat and tears of its conquests, and the cheers and bloodlust of its citizens - glorified in the deadly spectacle of The Arena. Stolen from their homelands, the fiery Druid maiden Bodicia, exotic slave girl Jessemina, and the powerful barbarian Flavius, are pitted against each other as gladiators by the sadistic Roman Governor Timarchus. Banished by Caesar, Timarchus unleashes his frustration on his gladiators, staging extravagant spectacles of combat, orgy and death. In a violent world where only the strong survive, love and hate, life and death, are separated by an instant.

Fabius loves his beautiful but vulnerable city, Rome, and he also loves his beautiful but invulnerable fiancée, Amytis. Fascinated by the tales she has heard about Hannibal, who is about to attack Rome, Amytis is driven by curiosity to the edge of his camp. Captured, she makes a last request of the indifferent Hannibal...that he spare the city. She offers to lead him ...Read all

a look at the Life of Jesus from being a Carpenter to His Destiny

In this animated adaptation of the Bible story Moses hears the voice of God from a burning bush, which inspires him to confront Egypt's pharaoh and demand freedom for the Israelite slaves. The pharaoh agrees after a series of horrific plagues, and Moses leads the Israelites through the parted Red Sea into the harsh freedom of the desert. There he ascends Mount Sinai and returns with the Ten Commandments.

Roman warrior Titus Andronicus finds himself trapped in a nightmarish cycle of vengeance, misery, and bloodshed.

Zenobia, Queen of Palmira, revolts against Rome and defeats the Roman troops under the command of the consul Marcus Valerius. Forced into slavery and tortured in the cross, Marcus manages to escape, and come to the presence of the queen, offering her his services. They fall in love, which complicates his task, and his loyalty towards Rome. Marcus will help the Romans to conquer her territory, but he will also save her life from a coup led by the treacherous Zemanzius.

Jewish girl Esther is chosen as the new queen consort to King Xerxes of Persia. Will she be able to stop the evil Lord Haman's plot to exterminate the Jews?

Follows Lucius, the son of Maximus' love Lucilla, after Maximus' death.

Attalus, a war prisoner by Rome, proves his valor in the arena, becomes a gladiator trainer, conquers the women's hearts and the men's envy, and saves Rome from a political plot to a usurper to occupy the throne.

In the foreign land of Canaan lives Isaac, son of Abraham, with his clever, strong-willed wife Rebekah and his twin sons Esau and Jacob. The first-born, Esau, is a strong and fearless hunter with a voracious appetite for sensual pleasures. Jacob is a shepherd, more tender and compassionate than...

Billy Zane stars as Barabbas--the man whose life was spared because of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Based on the Nobel Prize in Literature winning novel by Par Lagerkvist, Barabbas is a story rooted in the Bible which will come to life on REELZ as a four-hour miniseries and tells the ultimate story of redemption. Barabbas was shot on location in Tunisia and is directed by Emmy Award winner Roger Young.

Mount Vesuvius looms ominously over the doomed city of Pompeii, a city in turmoil. Its citizens are being terrorized by a group of black-hooded thieves on the rampage, murdering entire families, and looting their homes. Strangely, they're also leaving a calling card. The sign of the Christian cross is being left as a remainder of who has carried out these terrible acts. On his way into the city, Centurion Glaucus Lito, is looking forward to seeing his father after completing his military service. When he arrives at his father's house he finds it in ruins and is told that his father has been murdered by the same masked raiders menacing the city. Glaucus begins to make enquiries, aided by the help of his friends, but begins to doubt that the peaceful Christian community are responsible for these murders. He soon finds out that the situation is a lot more complicated than he originally thought. After more extensive enquiries he discovers a conspiracy within the political and religious factions in Pompeii, and realises that these murders are just a ruse to cover what is actually going on just before the "sleeping" volcano awakens.

Born in a tribe of fierce warrior women, Hundra has been raised to despise the influence of men. An archer, fighter and sword fighter, Hundra is superior to any male. Hundra finds her family slain and takes a vow of revenge until one day she meets her match.

It is 90 A.D., and the Roman Empire is being run by the Emperor Domitian, who has declared himself to be God, and ruler over heaven and Earth. The Christians, who do not recognize his divinity, are a thorn in his side, and he is having them cruelly persecuted. The small village in Asia Minor, to which the aged apostle John has...

To appease offended gods before going to war, a commander must sacrifice his favorite daughter to them but does so under the pretext of marrying her off.

Story of a Christian in ancient Rome who befriends a lion.

After becoming king of ancient Israel, Solomon faces threats coming from his jealous dispossessed brother Adonijah, the Egyptian Pharaoh and the scheming Queen of Sheba.

An elite group of soldiers led by the courageous Claudius Marcellus are handpicked by Julius Caesar to embark on a desperate and dangerous suicide mission to destroy the Druids' secret weapon.

A story of justice and tyranny with the fate of Rome in the balance.

This illuminating docudrama series chronicles Moses' remarkable life as a prince, prophet and more with insights from theologians and historians.

From nearly the time she was born, Cleopatra had to fight for the throne and for her life. She was raised in the palace of one of history's most ruthless royal families and had to use every skill in her arsenal--her brains, her charm, and her body--in order to survive. Cleopatra reveals how this capable sovereign survived a murderous and incestuous dynasty, securing her future by seducing one of Rome's greatest leaders, forming powerful alliances, and how her fall from grace and ultimate death meant history would never forget her legacy. The series draws on dramatic reconstructions and evidence from key experts to tell the real story behind Egypt's most well-known, enigmatic ruler.

To honour her father's dying wish, Queen Salina shares the rule of Icena with Justinian, a fair and just Roman. This displeases the bloodthirsty Druids on one side and the more hard-line Romans on the other. As Salina and Justinian fall in love their enemies start to plot, and blood soon stains the green hills of Britain.

JOSEPH AND MARY is a biblical drama that follows Elijah, a devout Rabbi, during a time of unrest when King Herod the Great's slaughter of innocents claims the lives of two boys Elijah had sworn to protect. Consequently, he makes it his life's mission to avenge their deaths according to the laws of the land. Complications ensue when Elijah spends time with Joseph, Mary and their young Son, who challenges the very beliefs that fuel Elijah's quest for retribution. He begins to question the true identity of this young boy. Could Jesus possibly be the Son of God? Was Elijah bearing witness to a two thousand year old prophecy? When the time comes to face his life-long enemy, Elijah finds himself warring within, whether or not to kill or to turn the other cheek and choose forgiveness, contradicting every scripture upheld by Elijah's forefathers. JOSEPH AND MARY is a story of inspiration and hope, of mercy versus revenge, in the years before Jesus became the Man that ultimately changed the course of humanity forever.

In 35 A.D., a Roman tribune is sent to Palestine to investigate the death and possible resurrection of a certain Jesus from Nasareth.

A vengeful beauty foils the plans of the bloodthirsty Hun warrior to conquer Rome.

An all-enveloping darkness. Suddenly, a child's voice, frightened, questioning, pierces the darkness... The first flickering rays of light begin to sculpt mysterious shapes out of the darkness ... Among them, a very old man. He reassures the child, exhorting him to see the wonders of the earth. And it is with this child's eyes that we will witness the creation of the world. Nature comes to life at the first light of dawn, recreating the seven days of the Creation. Adam appears, and is soon joined by Eve. Paradise could be theirs, but as time goes by, they grow restless, inquisitive... They approach the Tree of Knowledge - and discover pain, suffering and mortality. Their sons Cain and Abel play out a story that will continue to darken the Creation until the end of time. And angered by the corruption of Cain's progeny, by the lust and greed ruling the cities, God vows to wipe away his creatures and begin anew. With Noah and his family. The ark is built, the animals led into their pens, and the rain begins beating on the timbers, flooding the land, bringing fear and death. When the rains have devastated the world, the waters recede, the ark touches ground, and the dove sent out by Noah returns with an olive branch - the sign of new life and of a new pact with God.

Two thousand years ago, one civilisation held the entire Western world in its grasp. From Northern Europe to Africa and the Middle East. It imposed laws, ideas and a single language. Rome was the super power of the ancient world. Indeed later super powers never stopped learning the lessons of her spectacular rise and fall. Rome truly was a colossal empire. During the rise of the Roman Empire, it was not always easy to separate virtue from vice, or hero from villain. Indeed, all too often, they were one and the same.

For the first time ever, The Greatest Story Ever Told is proven to be TRUE! This revealing documentary includes interviews with renowned experts who have first-hand knowledge of the evidence documenting Jesus Christ's remarkable birth, His transformation from ordinary boy to charismatic leader, His horrifying death and His miraculous resurrection. Also included is an emotional and dramatic recreation of the last days of Christ's life, known as the Passion, with an international cast of actors in full biblical costume accompanied by the glorious gospel music of the legendary Clara Ward Singers.

Follows Moses leading and conducting the Hebrew people from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom towards the Promised Land according to the Ancient Testament Bible book of the Exodus. The story told like never before is faithful to the Scriptures.

A retelling of the events leading to the use of the Trojan Horse, to bring down the great city of Troy.

Peter the Fisherman (Robert Foxworth) and Paul of Tarsus (Sir Anthony Hopkins) assume leadership of the Church as they struggle against violent opposition to the teachings of Jesus Christ and their own personal conflicts.

The story picks up at the point where "The Robe (1953)" ends, following the martyrdom of Diana and Marcellus. Christ's robe is conveyed to Peter for safe-keeping, but the emperor Caligula wants it back to benefit from its powers. Marcellus' former slave Demetrius seeks to prevent this, and catches the eye of Messalina, wife to Caligula's uncle Claudius. Messalina tempts Demetrius, he winds up fighting in the arena, and wavers in his faith.

After her banishment from Rome, Jewish Princess Salome returns to her Roman-ruled native land of Galilee where prophet John the Baptist preaches against Salome's parents, King Herod and Queen Herodias.

During the Second Punic War between 214 and 212 B.C. occurred this history of the Roman siege in Greek city of Syracuse. The Romans were preparing for their invasion while Archimedes invents what looks like a satellite dish that reflects the sun's rays and produces a powerful beam of light, strong enough to burn the Roman fleet.

The man-hungry Queen of Egypt leads Julius Caesar and Mark Antony astray, amid scenes of DeMillean splendor.

In 79 AD, one of the infamous natural disasters in human history occurred when Mount Vesuvius erupted. With speculative dramatizations of various inhabitants' final hours along with detailed documentation of the known facts concerning the eruption, the horrific day is vividly brought to life. In addition, the modern situation of life around Mount Vesuvius is shown and the overhanging danger that is still there today.

The tribes of Israel need to defeat the superior might of the Philistines: "Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." (I Samuel, 8:5). And so the prophet Samuel gives the Hebrews their first king, Saul, a simple farmer, who with God's help becomes a brave and mighty warlord who leads the united tribes of Israel against their enemies. Saul, however, has incessant doubts about his mission. Not trustful enough of divine wisdom, he acts of his own accord and thus sins against the Lord. The influential prophet Samuel turns away from Saul in order to select a new king according to God's will: David. He is still a young boy, tending sheep in the fields, when, secretly Samuel oints him as the next king of the Israelites.

A movie adaptation of Homer's second epic, that depicts Ulysses' efforts to return to his home after the end of ten years of war.

Caius Martius Coriolanus is a war hero, banished from his home, seeking to come back.