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Series: Great Battles of History
This dazzling six-part series spotlights crucial battles within the context of epic struggles for national, political, and religious domination. With examples drawn from both the Old World and the New World, this select group of programs provides a new take on battles that have shaped history, from 1066 to 1815. 6-part series, 30 minutes each.
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Series: History of the World
Bringing 70,000 years of human history to life, this epic eight-part series travels through time to the big stories of history. It is a human story populated with big characters in the places where the big events really happened. It is the story of civilizations, cultures, successes and crashing failures, a story that charts progress and development through the centuries. Each film explores a crucial turning point in history, featuring dramatic reconstruction, computer graphics and gripping story-telling. From the early settlers in Mesopotamia to the wonders of Egypt and Rome and from the French Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, viewers are within history; shoulder to shoulder with the people who have shaped the world as we know it today. A BBC/Discovery Channel/Open University Co-production. 8-part series, 50 minutes each.
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Series: Journeys into Islam
Filmed entirely on location, this four-part series shows how Islam has spread and flourished throughout Asia and Africa since the time of Muhammad. An excellent opportunity to balance out any Islamic studies collection currently weighted more toward the birth of Islam and the Ummayad and Abbasid caliphates. 4-part series, 47-52 minutes each.
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Series: Mapping the World
From prehistoric rock art to the globe-spanning visions of Google Earth, this three-part series tells the dramatic story of mapmaking—its origins, development, myriad uses, and ongoing potential. Each episode addresses technological hurdles in the evolution of cartography while shedding light on issues relating to power, wealth, religion, and human knowledge across history. After following these seismic scientific and cultural shifts, viewers may never look at maps in the same way again. Presented by Professor Jerry Brotton of Queen Mary, University of London. A BBC Production. 3-part series, 49-51 minutes each.
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Series: The Ascent of Woman, A 10,000 Year Story
In this four-part series, Dr. Amanda Foreman traverses countries and continents to uncover and interrogate key stories of the strong, radical and revolutionary women that have made and changed the course of human history from 10,000 BC to the present day. The diverse characters she explores range from Mughal Empress Nur Jahan, who helped establish trade routes and pioneered the visual aesthetic of India, to American activist Margaret Sanger, who coined the term ‘birth control’ and developed the contraceptive pill. The series geographical reach is just as ambitious, covering everywhere from ancient Greece to medieval France; from first-century Vietnam to modern America.
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Series: The Genocide Factor
While the term "genocide" is a product of the 20th century, the phenomenon is not; massacres and brutality riddle humankind’s past. Introduced by Academy Award-winning actor John Voight, this series presents the definitive, most comprehensive overview of the history of genocide. With the aid of an impressive array of scholars, experts, eyewitnesses, and survivors from around the world, the programs examine the complex dimensions of human nature’s darkest side. Viewer discretion is advised. 4-part series, 57 minutes each.
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Series: Words of Change
This penetrating series examines the literary legacies of Seneca, Plutarch, Machiavelli, Thomas More, John Locke, and Adam Smith: six of western history’s most influential writers in the fields of philosophy, political science, and economics. Their words changed their worlds—and continue to shape ours. 6-part series, 19-25 minutes each.
Try these videos to get started. Must be on campus or login with your COM account for off campus access.
