TELEVISION

Traveling the Roman Empire

Series: Traveling the Roman Empire
4.6
(8)
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Episodes
8
Rating
TVPG
Year
2022
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

Presented by archaeologist Darius Arya, this eight-episode series takes viewers throughout the ancient Roman Empire, exploring history's most multicultural political entity. Stops include Roman ruins in Spain, Morocco, Jordan, Croatia, Serbia, and Rome itself. Darius also samples the local cuisine and other attractions, making this series the ideal preparation for a truly grand tour.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 8

1. Rome: Heart of an Empire

42m

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Begin the series on the outskirts of Rome, taking the Via Appia into the city. View the impressive tombs and aqueducts that line the road, testifying to the importance of the ancient capital. Within, visit major sites that include the extensive ruins of different forum spaces and temples. Also, explore subterranean Rome, and sample the market and café scene, as lively today as two millennia ago.

2. Spain: Augustus's Golden Province

37m

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Riding an Iberian horse, Darius opens his tour of Spain, one of Rome's richest provinces. Rome benefitted from the region's mineral and agricultural wealth. The grand Roman structures still standing include the massive arched bridge and theater complex at Mérida. Also, visit Roman monuments in Segovia, including its renowned aqueduct, and descend into an ancient gypsum mine.

3. Spain: From Imperial Apex to Arab Kingdom

32m

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Focus on Spain as the birthplace of powerful Roman emperors, including Trajan and Hadrian. Survey the imperial grandeur that still survives from their reigns, notably in the ruined city of Italica and the thriving urban centers of Cordoba and Seville. Trace the influences of the Islamic culture that ruled Spain for seven centuries after the Romans. Also, go olive oil tasting!

4. Morocco: Traces of Rome in North Africa

35m

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Rome once ruled North Africa, cementing its control over the entire Mediterranean basin. Investigate Morocco, where Roman influences mixed with the indigenous Berbers to produce a unique culture. Visit the ruins of Volubilis, an ancient international hub, called the most beautiful Roman city in North Africa. Also, tour the thriving old quarter of Marrakesh.

5. Jordan: Rome's Eastern Frontier

39m

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Explore the original Philadelphia, the ancient name for present-day Amman, Jordan, which came under Roman rule in the 1st century BC. Then, visit nearby Jerash, lauded as the "Pompeii of the East" for its remarkable state of preservation. Tour a Roman desert fort, a Crusader-era castle, and finish in the otherworldly landscape of Wadi Rum, the spectacular location for Dune and other movies.

6. Petra: Rome and the Rose City

34m

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Visit the star of Rome's Middle Eastern domain, Petra in modern Jordan, known as the Rose City for its construction in rose-red local stone. Settled by Nabataean Bedouins, the city grew rich from the caravan trade, leading to the building of impressive temples, tombs, and other structures, many of which survive due to the arid climate and the abandonment of the site for many centuries.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great Coursesdirector
The Great Coursesproducer
Darius Aryaactor