As many of us know, the History Channel has become a little too focused (in this writer's humble opinion) on more recent history and whether Jesus Christ is on his way back to Earth after catching a ride with ancient aliens and carting the formal apocalypse in his back pocket. However, there was a time when the History Channel did some truly amazing work, work that was as insightful as it was dazzling to watch.
Between 2005 and 2007, History televised easily one of their greatest endeavors celebrating the ancient world, "Engineering an Empire." The series, hosted by Peter Weller (aka Robocop), actually achieved the History Channel's mantra by bringing "the past alive" through computer generated simulations of the structures built by such greats as the Persians, Egyptians, Carthaginians, and, of course, the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. The series consulted legitimate scholars from around the globe to ensure academic authenticity and to lend credence to the show's claims. Overall, the series was, and frankly still is, one of the best programs of its class to date.
Posted below are complete episodes from Youtube featuring the Persian, Carthaginian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine empires. The series is far larger than these five episodes, but the complete series (14 episodes plus additional footage) can be found for as little as $25 on Amazon.
Enjoy!
The Persians
The Carthaginians
The Greeks
The Romans
The Byzantines
Women have never truly been afforded the respect they are entitled to for the many contributions they have made to history. Sure, we have great names such as Cleopatra, Dido, Helena, Elizabeth, or Michelle to consider, but these women either held or hold tremendous power and cannot be counted upon to act as a solid representation of the sex as a whole.
The real foundation of history lies squarely on the shoulders of the "lesser" women, the unsung heroines who helped tend farms, silently ran governments, and introduced and supported the implementation of new religious beliefs.
Whether you're a fan of Christianity or not, the fact remains that this juggernaut of a religion would not have survived nor thrived if it weren't for its female followers. Yet, it's traditionally the men in history that get all of the credit (*think Constantine vs. Helena's discovery of the True Cross) for moving Christianity forward and settling new frontiers. However, Professor Kate Cooper of the University of Manchester has given rise to a new understanding of the role women played in the early days of Christianity and she illustrates just how powerful the "simple"woman truly was.
Article Link: Forgotten Women of Early Christianity
6th century mosaic of women at the tomb of Christ, Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna
