Gladiators: The Brutal Truth (Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire)

BBC Worldwide Learning

For 750 years, the local colosseum was the only place to go if you were looking for some action. What began as human sacrifice during funeral rites for wealthy families resulted in a violent, bloody battle staged in front of 50,000 fans. Gladiators were slaves, but the archaeological remains at Pompeii and the Roman Colosseum reveal that they were held in the same esteem as modern day sports stars. Gladiators explains how this "sport" was used as a tool of political power and how the Gladiators rose up and waged war against their owners. Two versions are available: presenter-free, and presenter-led, with Terry Jones of Monty Python fame.

First Olympian (Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire)

BBC Worldwide Learning

In the city of Taranto, Southern Italy, lie the remains of the only athlete to survive from antiquity, the skeleton of an ancient Greek champion from 500BC. Recreating that athlete and the fabulous world of the Ancient Olympics using computer graphics, dramatic reconstruction, and forensic science, this film features boxing matches, chariot races, and spectacular action to show how the athlete could have battled for glory 2,500 years ago. Modern athletes experiment with replicas of ancient equipment to discover that the original Greek events were much tougher than those of today. Discover just how good an ancient Greek champion really was.

Constantine (Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire)

BBC Worldwide Learning

The fifth episode in the landmark drama-documentary series shows how the Emperor Constantine brought Christianity to the western world.

Nero (Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire)

BBC Worldwide Learning

What happens when the world's most powerful man goes mad? Michael Sheen stars as Nero, who murdered his wife, married his slave boy, and took Rome to the brink of ruin.