Ancient Greece
Ancient Athens - YouTube (51:47)
Athens rose 500 years before the birth of Christ. Its impact on history was large. Fine arts and sciences blossomed. The most famous philosophers taught in Athens. The people gave the world a new type of government: democracy. This documentary follows the story of a woman who lived in Athens. She was a woman of wealth and beauty, however, her pride led her to danger. What was life like for this woman in Athens? *Recommended for a history classroom, show clips in a STEM classroom.*
For Athens -Episode 1 (50:59) Episode 2 (52:54)
In this two part documentary, Athens and its fight against the Persian Empire is explored. The Persians led by King Darius the Great has dominated the Middle East. He ruthlessly puts down rebellions through his empire. Rebels appeal to the Greeks for help and the Athenians obliged. This starts off a long fight between the Persians and the Greeks which ends in the ultimate defeat of the Persian Empire at the hands of the Greeks. How did Athens do it? Why did the Persian Empire Fall? *Highly recommended for a history classroom.*
The Lost City of Helike - YouTube (50:14)
In the year 373, the Greek city of Helike disappeared. Its destruction was so complete Greek authors could only describe its destruction as a work of the supernatural. Helike’s story parallels another lost city: Atlantis. Alantis was a city that continued to inspire and people sought out where Alantis was. Helike’s location has been a mystery for centuries, but could it be possible that Helike is the lost city of Atlantis? *Recommended for both a science and a history class.*
The Ascent of Civilization - Greece (50:31)
Democracy. The Olympic Games. The Ancient Greeks established these earmarks of civilization. Greece is in the Mediterranean world. Island got the sea around Greece. There are extensive olive groves and oak forests on the mainland. About 3,000 years ago the Greeks began here. Greece was made up of city-states and they were at constant loggerheads. The only thing these city-states have in common was their language and their gods. So, what made this place the home of a great civilization? *Recommended for high school and college students.*
Alexander the Great - Episode 1 (43:54) Episode 2 (43:51)
Alexander the Great was history’s greatest commander. He came from a kingdom that would start as politically irrelevant, however, that would change with King Philip. King Philip’s son, Alexander the Great would continue to expand what his father started. Alexander the Great expanded Macedonia to Egypt and India. He was the world’s greatest conqueror of all time. He was the first European to establish an empire. He enjoyed the battle. So who was the real Alexander the Great?
*Helen of Troy - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Bettany Hughes explores Troy and the world the most famous beauty Helen occupied. Was the story a complete work of fiction or are there kernels of truth in the story? Do men need a reason to go to war? Hughes takes us to the sites that Helen occupied starting with Sparta. Then she tells us why Helen ended up in Troy and the war that followed. She recreates what a Bronze Age Helen would have looked like and discusses what would have attracted Paris to her. *Recommend for a high school classroom.*
*The Spartans - VERSION NO LONGER AVAILABLE, VERSION 2 Episode 1 (48:37) Episode 2 (48:43) Episode 3 (48:45)
Bettany Hughes explores the world of Sparta and how the Ancient Spartans strive for perfection. Sparta was even set in the mountains, which could be similar to a fortress. She tells the story of a civilization that was highly militarized and was revolutionary. Women had more rights in Sparta than they did in the Ancient World. However, there were very few written records left behind by the Spartans. This documentary was produced after the 300 movie. *Recommended for a high school classroom, research purposes, and clips.*
*Athens: The Truth about Democracy - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Bettany Hughes visits ancient Athens and explores the foundation of democracy. Athens was a radical place because for the first time that the people acted a political agents. The archeology demonstrates that the people took some thoughtful and complex steps to protect their democracy. Hughes presents Athens warts and all. This episode is a good foundation for studying Ancient Greece. *Recommended for a middle school and high school classroom, research purposes, and clips.*
Bacchus Uncovered - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE, Available on Amazon through BBC Select
During World War II and amid the chaos of the Blitz, British archeologists discovered a temple in London. It was from Roman London and was dedicated to the god Bacchus. It seemed to be a fortuitous discovery at the height of the war. Bettany Hughes goes and explores the history of Bacchus. He was the Roman god of wine and ecstasy. Hughes starts her journey in Athens. Bacchus was known by another name to the Greeks: Dionysius. He was both mortal and divine. *Recommended to use clips in an English class on mythology.*
Athens rose 500 years before the birth of Christ. Its impact on history was large. Fine arts and sciences blossomed. The most famous philosophers taught in Athens. The people gave the world a new type of government: democracy. This documentary follows the story of a woman who lived in Athens. She was a woman of wealth and beauty, however, her pride led her to danger. What was life like for this woman in Athens? *Recommended for a history classroom, show clips in a STEM classroom.*
For Athens -Episode 1 (50:59) Episode 2 (52:54)
In this two part documentary, Athens and its fight against the Persian Empire is explored. The Persians led by King Darius the Great has dominated the Middle East. He ruthlessly puts down rebellions through his empire. Rebels appeal to the Greeks for help and the Athenians obliged. This starts off a long fight between the Persians and the Greeks which ends in the ultimate defeat of the Persian Empire at the hands of the Greeks. How did Athens do it? Why did the Persian Empire Fall? *Highly recommended for a history classroom.*
The Lost City of Helike - YouTube (50:14)
In the year 373, the Greek city of Helike disappeared. Its destruction was so complete Greek authors could only describe its destruction as a work of the supernatural. Helike’s story parallels another lost city: Atlantis. Alantis was a city that continued to inspire and people sought out where Alantis was. Helike’s location has been a mystery for centuries, but could it be possible that Helike is the lost city of Atlantis? *Recommended for both a science and a history class.*
The Ascent of Civilization - Greece (50:31)
Democracy. The Olympic Games. The Ancient Greeks established these earmarks of civilization. Greece is in the Mediterranean world. Island got the sea around Greece. There are extensive olive groves and oak forests on the mainland. About 3,000 years ago the Greeks began here. Greece was made up of city-states and they were at constant loggerheads. The only thing these city-states have in common was their language and their gods. So, what made this place the home of a great civilization? *Recommended for high school and college students.*
Alexander the Great - Episode 1 (43:54) Episode 2 (43:51)
Alexander the Great was history’s greatest commander. He came from a kingdom that would start as politically irrelevant, however, that would change with King Philip. King Philip’s son, Alexander the Great would continue to expand what his father started. Alexander the Great expanded Macedonia to Egypt and India. He was the world’s greatest conqueror of all time. He was the first European to establish an empire. He enjoyed the battle. So who was the real Alexander the Great?
*Helen of Troy - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Bettany Hughes explores Troy and the world the most famous beauty Helen occupied. Was the story a complete work of fiction or are there kernels of truth in the story? Do men need a reason to go to war? Hughes takes us to the sites that Helen occupied starting with Sparta. Then she tells us why Helen ended up in Troy and the war that followed. She recreates what a Bronze Age Helen would have looked like and discusses what would have attracted Paris to her. *Recommend for a high school classroom.*
*The Spartans - VERSION NO LONGER AVAILABLE, VERSION 2 Episode 1 (48:37) Episode 2 (48:43) Episode 3 (48:45)
Bettany Hughes explores the world of Sparta and how the Ancient Spartans strive for perfection. Sparta was even set in the mountains, which could be similar to a fortress. She tells the story of a civilization that was highly militarized and was revolutionary. Women had more rights in Sparta than they did in the Ancient World. However, there were very few written records left behind by the Spartans. This documentary was produced after the 300 movie. *Recommended for a high school classroom, research purposes, and clips.*
*Athens: The Truth about Democracy - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Bettany Hughes visits ancient Athens and explores the foundation of democracy. Athens was a radical place because for the first time that the people acted a political agents. The archeology demonstrates that the people took some thoughtful and complex steps to protect their democracy. Hughes presents Athens warts and all. This episode is a good foundation for studying Ancient Greece. *Recommended for a middle school and high school classroom, research purposes, and clips.*
Bacchus Uncovered - VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE, Available on Amazon through BBC Select
During World War II and amid the chaos of the Blitz, British archeologists discovered a temple in London. It was from Roman London and was dedicated to the god Bacchus. It seemed to be a fortuitous discovery at the height of the war. Bettany Hughes goes and explores the history of Bacchus. He was the Roman god of wine and ecstasy. Hughes starts her journey in Athens. Bacchus was known by another name to the Greeks: Dionysius. He was both mortal and divine. *Recommended to use clips in an English class on mythology.*
List Updated on August 24, 2023
