Built by the Khmer kings centuries ago, Angkor in modern Cambodia had a footprint bigger than present-day New York. But after it fell into ruin, much of its unique architecture and intricate carvin...
First inhabited by the Rapa Nui people a thousand years ago, Easter Island is best known for its hundreds of giant stone statues. But what inspired a group of ancient Polynesian explorers to settle...
From the end of the 15th century, the Conquistadors changed the face of the Americas. Invading first the Caribbean and Mexico, they then plunged on into the rest of the continent and plundered the ...
The last of the Ptolemaic Pharoahs, the enduring legend of Cleopatra has captivated imaginations for centuries. Though some write her off as a manipulative femme fatale, her competence as a ruler r...
Older than the pyramids and just as cryptic, the prehistoric British site of Stonehenge has dominated its landscape for thousands of years. But what is Stonehenge? A celestial clock? An ancient com...
In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legend...
In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. Their reputation for brutal decisiveness and sim...
Covering thousands of miles in the Andes, the Inca Trail was the backbone of the ancient empire, connecting the millions of people who lived under its rule. The jewel in its crown, Machu Picchu, wa...
For almost two hundred years, the Knights Templar were one of the most fearsome military forces in the world. Despite their strict vows of individual poverty, the Order was a global financial power...
It’s November 28th, 1809. The Imperial fleet in Tung Chung Bay is aflame. But the crew of Zheng I Sao’s ship watch on and cheer. This is the greatest victory of the Pirate Queen, scourge of the Sou...
Sakkara, Egypt, 2,630BC. A man stands atop a structure of dizzying height as the final block grinds into place. For Imhotep, it is the culmination of his life’s work: a mountain made by man. He che...
After a bloody battle on September 22nd, 1877, Saigo Takamori and his loyal warriors pause on a hillside overlooking Kagoshima. They’ll never surrender, but they’re wounded, exhausted, and massivel...
"What happens when a volcano erupts just six miles from a bustling city? In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius is regarded as a source of bounty by those who live in its shadow. But one of history’s most infamou...
Take a trip back in time to Ancient Rome, to discover the bizarre and barbaric world of the gladiators. But who were these mysterious warriors? And how much truth lies behind the legends? Take your...
For over six hundred years the Ottoman Empire ruled swathes of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Europe. As an Islamic superpower centred on what is now Turkey, theirs is a story of surpr...
For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great superpower. At its peak, it stretched from its ba...
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a testament to human ingenuity and architectural brilliance. Built in the third century BC on the small island of Pharos, it was the first lighthouse in recorded hi...
After its initial discovery in 1974, the Terracotta Army became the unofficial eighth wonder of the world. Comprising an estimated 8,000 statue warriors buried as part of the First Emperor of China...
We track Attila’s progress as he rampages through Gaul. A family bust-up sparks an extraordinary alliance, as Attila gets engaged to the Roman Emperor’s sister. With the Huns storming deep into Wes...
We’re in south-eastern Europe in the 400s AD. The once mighty Roman Empire is riven in two. And on the Great Hungarian Plain a fearsome enemy is rising. The Huns’ king, Attila, will become a terrif...
