Early Humanities

Mummies. The Book of the Dead. Tomb robbers. Death was big business in ancient Egypt, and in this lecture you'll discover Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife and the journey from this world to the next. You'll learn how to make a mummy and how to get past Osiris at the gates to the afterlife. (29 minutes)

Bringing to life the everyday details of the ancients Egyptians – bizarre, hilarious or shocking – this wonderfully entertaining and factually revealing film is packed full of surprises. With Terry Jones debunking the myths, a previously hidden world of the ancient Egyptians is wonderfully brought to life. (50 minutes)

Investigage Ancient Egyptian society's fascinating social, economic, and cultural achievements. Investigate Egyptian urban life, its system of trade, hieroglyphics, and religion. Thanks to its important heritage and influence on subsequent civilizations, Ancient Egyptian society remains truly astonishing. (30 minutes)

Whether looking at Western language, history, or institutions, no other civilization has so greatly influenced our contemporary world. This program re-creates the Greek world, from the morning market to the evening symposiums, from burial rituals to the Olympics. Beginning with Homer’s account of the Trojan War, this program explores Greek civilization using 3-D re-creations of the Parthenon and Agora, maps, and commentary by scholars to provide insight into the daily lives of Greek citizens. (46 minutes)

This visually beautiful program traces Greek civilization from early Minoan society and describes how Greek literature, art and philiosophy contributed to western civilization. Reviews Greek rivalry with Persia, the growth of democracy in Athens, Solon's laws, and the art and philosophy of Athen's Golden Age. (27 minutes)

This program looks at the theatres of Herodus Atticus, Epidauros, Corinth (where Arion is said to have taught the dithyramb), and many others to explain the design of the ancient theater, the synthesis of art forms that was ancient Greek drama, the origins of tragedy, the audience in classical times, the comparative roles of writer/director and actors, and the use of the surrounding landscape in many plays. (23 minutes)

When an empire ends, its culture and institutions don't vanish. Learn about the Persian legacy and what became of the kingdoms that followed: the Seleucids, the Parthians, and the Sasanians. (33 minutes)

Uncover the truth about the Achaemenid Persian Empire, which stretched from Egypt and Asia Minor, through Mesopotamia and Iran, all the way to the Indus Valley. (30 minutes)

Examine the birth of the 250-year Safavid Empire, established by the religious leader, warrior, and poet Ismail. Observe how Ismail forcibly converted his entire kingdom to the Shiite Islamic faith, introduced a new military system, and put in place the Persian bureaucratic framework that underlies the modern nation of Iran. (29 minutes)

At its zenith, the Roman Empire included North Africa, Spain, France, and Britain. The wealth that these conquests generated allowed Roman citizens to live in a sumptuous world of beautifully decorated homes and opulent cities. In this program, scholars discuss Roman unification of Europe, Roman culture and institutions, and the family structure. The role of the army as a major force in Roman society and politics, along with its military structure and tactics, are discussed. The Christianization of Rome and the enduring legacy of Roman Law and institutions in Western government today are also analyzed. 3-D re-creations of the Coliseum and Pompeii allow students to see Rome as it was before the empire collapsed. (49 minutes)

Cities of the Underworld descends below the streets of major cities such as New York, Cairo, London, and Tokyo to explore the remnants of subterranean civilizations left buried there. Naples, Italy, narrowly escaped meeting the same fate as its neighboring city, Pompeii, in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius wiped out everything around it. (43 minutes)

Who better to scrutinise and investigate the quirkier achievements of the impressive and expansive Roman Empire than co-creator of the brilliantly accomplished question "What have the Romans ever done for us"? Terry Jones is in search of an answer. Unearthing the secrets of the Roman world in his own idiosyncratic and bizarre way, he reveals how ordinary people really lived in ancient Rome. (50 minutes)

Based on the best-selling books for kids (and for adults, but they just won't admit it), Horrible Histories is an energetic, surprising and unconventional take on history's most gruesome, unpleasant yet funniest moments. From the woeful World Wars, the miserable Middle Ages and the savage Stone Age to cut-throat Celts, groovy Greeks, rotten Romans, vile Vikings and awful Egyptians, history has never been so naughty. Each episode is fewer than 30 minutes long.

Every Tuesday, I show you how to make a different historic dish while exploring the history surrounding it. Popular episodes include "Making Medieval Mead like a Viking," "I finally made GARUM | Ancient Rome's favorite condiment," and "History's Oldest Dessert - 4,000 Year Old Mersu."