Empires - The Roman Empire in the First Century

Starring:Sigourney Weaver
Director: Margaret Koval
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The compelling PBS Empires series explores the first hundred years of the Roman Empire in this fascinating documentary. The story begins with the ascent of Augustus, who almost single-handedly rescued Rome from the chaos of civil war and forged a collection of colonies into an empire. Augustus was a shrewd statesman, and his manipulation of the common people allowed him to begin a dynasty that would eventually endanger everything he had created. After the death of Augustus in A.D. 14 the Roman Empire continued to expand even as the imperial family fell into turmoil. Augustus's successor was Tiberius, who was then followed by the notorious Caligula, but it fell to Claudius, who came reluctantly to power after Caligula's murder, to further Augustus's imperial ambitions. Under Claudius Rome finally occupied the distant island of Britain, and letters from the period offer fascinating glimpses into everyday life at the edge of the world. Claudius was followed by Nero, who brought the empire to the point of collapse. His death, which ended the Augustan dynasty, was followed by years of infighting between rival factions. The final episode of this film shows how the empire survived political chaos and natural disasters like the destruction of Pompeii to end the first century in a position of strength.

The Roman Empire in the First Century is filled with information about everyday life in the Roman Empire, and interviews with historians are supported with eyewitness accounts by dozens of Romans, from the poet Ovid to unknown soldiers in the forests of Germania. This gives great depth to the story of imperial ambition, which forms the backbone of the documentary, to make this the most successful installment in the Empires series. --Simon Leake
Description
Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story off that time -- the emperors and slaves, poets and plebians, who wrested order from choas, built the most cosmopolitian society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D.

Empires Collection - The Dynasties (Egypt's Golden Empire / The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance / Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire / The Roman Empire in the First Century / The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization)
Average customer rating:

A really good review of the 5 civilizations covered

Excellent collection

Empires Collection - The Dynasties (Egypt's Golden Empire / The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance / Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire / The Roman Empire in the First Century / The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization)
Starring: Empires-Dynasties
Manufacturer: PBS Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Description

Empires Collection: The Dynasties (5 Disc Gift Set) - Empires Collection: The Dynasties is a compilation of five outstanding stories of some of histories greatest dynasties.

Egypt's Golden Empire
In 1570 B.C., when Rome was still a marsh and the Acropolis was an empty rock, Egypt was already 1000 years old. Although the period of the pyramid-builders was long over, Egypt lay on the threshold of its greatest age. The New Kingdom would be an empire forged by conquest, maintained by intimidation and diplomacy, and remembered long after its demise. Led by a dynasty of rich personalities, whose dramatic lives changed the course of civilization, Egypt's Golden Empire presents the most extraordinary period in Egyptian history: from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., when the Egyptian Empire reached its zenith.

The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance - From a small Italian community in 15th century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history- the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world. An epic drama played out in the courts, cathedrals and palaces of Europe, this series is both the tale of one family's powerful ambition and of Europe's tortured struggle to emerge from the ravages of the Dark Ages.

Japan: Memoirs Of A Secret Empire
Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans -- all were part of the Japanese "renaissance" -- a period between the 16th and 19th centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship to the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world.

The Roman Empire in the First Century
Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time - the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D.

The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
The Greeks - Classical Greece of the 4th and 5th centuries, B.C. was a magnificent civilization that laid the foundations for modern science, politics, warfare, and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever known. Through the eyes and words of the great heroes of ancient Greece, this dazzling production charts the rise, triumph, and eventual decline of the world's first democracy. Now, through dramatic storytelling and state-of-the-art computer animation, you witness history, art, and government with giants like Pericles, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Customer Reviews:

A really good review of the 5 civilizations covered.......2007-03-09

I've been reviewing areas of history that I don't usually cover to balance out my general knowledge. No video can compress into a couple of hours the libraries that have been written on these subjects, but I watched them with a pad nearby and started searching names and topics for further study. Then I added books on those areas to my wish list here on Amazon.

All in all, each disc is a great review if you're rusty or a place to start if you're moving into new areas of history.

Excellent collection.......2007-01-05

I was very impressed with this series. I learned very much, escpecailly about the Medici's. If you enjoy history/documentaries you'll love this collection. I was so impressed I've ordered other Empire series. Props to PBS on this one!

Empires - The Roman Empire in the First Century

Average customer rating:

Utterly Disappointing
Sad about the "video" when "audio" being so great
Do not buy this DVD from "marketplacesales-vmh "
disappointing job PBS
It was all I could do to stay awake thru this one...

Empires - The Roman Empire in the First Century
Starring: Narrated By Sigourney Weaver
Manufacturer: PBS Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Empires - The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
Empires - Egypt's Golden Empire
Empires - The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
Empires - Islam: Empire of Faith
Empires - Peter & Paul and the Christian Revolution

ASIN: B0007KIFWS
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Amazon.com

The compelling PBS Empires series explores the first hundred years of the Roman Empire in this fascinating documentary. The story begins with the ascent of Augustus, who almost single-handedly rescued Rome from the chaos of civil war and forged a collection of colonies into an empire. Augustus was a shrewd statesman, and his manipulation of the common people allowed him to begin a dynasty that would eventually endanger everything he had created. After the death of Augustus in A.D. 14 the Roman Empire continued to expand even as the imperial family fell into turmoil. Augustus's successor was Tiberius, who was then followed by the notorious Caligula, but it fell to Claudius, who came reluctantly to power after Caligula's murder, to further Augustus's imperial ambitions. Under Claudius Rome finally occupied the distant island of Britain, and letters from the period offer fascinating glimpses into everyday life at the edge of the world. Claudius was followed by Nero, who brought the empire to the point of collapse. His death, which ended the Augustan dynasty, was followed by years of infighting between rival factions. The final episode of this film shows how the empire survived political chaos and natural disasters like the destruction of Pompeii to end the first century in a position of strength.

The Roman Empire in the First Century is filled with information about everyday life in the Roman Empire, and interviews with historians are supported with eyewitness accounts by dozens of Romans, from the poet Ovid to unknown soldiers in the forests of Germania. This gives great depth to the story of imperial ambition, which forms the backbone of the documentary, to make this the most successful installment in the Empires series. --Simon Leake

Description

Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story off that time -- the emperors and slaves, poets and plebians, who wrested order from choas, built the most cosmopolitian society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D.

Customer Reviews:

Utterly Disappointing.......2006-11-11

While others have done a decent job in describing how terrible this documentary is and how much better PBS could have done producing it, what shocked me more were the provocative and obnoxious comments I heard about Jesus (Peace be upon him). Karen King, a self proclaimed expert on the history of ancient christianity narrated a few silly incidents and attributed them to the blessed life of Jesus. Later she goes on to say that he himself was a criminal and was rightly crucified by the Romans. Simply preposterous!

Another rather unusual thing I noticed was that a great deal of time was spent narrating obscene verses from the collections of Ovid which Margaret Koval for some reason found it to be more relevant to the Roman Empire than the political turmoil Rome was facing or the military expeditions of her generals. Quite frankly, I never thought a PBS documentary would have disappointed me more.

Sad about the "video" when "audio" being so great.......2006-03-15

i was REALLY looking forward to see this video.
i had downloaded somewhere,what i first believed to be an audiobook about The Roman Empire.Then to my exitement i found out that it was the audio track from this DVD.
I ordered it,and i was sadely dissapointed.
The video i imagined in my head,when listening to the audio track was FAR from reality.
The video part i made without drama,without action...without actors/acting in the true sense.Just more like "background" video.It truly did NOT add upp to the marvelous audio part.
Its not that i am saying "Do NOT buy this DVD" its more like saying dont look,just listen. Because the Audio track is perfect.From Sigourney Weaver's cool and sensitive telling,to the actors playing the part as the storry about the Roman Empire,unfolds.
So 2 Stars for the Video part. 5 Stars for the Audio

Do not buy this DVD from "marketplacesales-vmh ".......2005-10-30

This company will rip you off. I ordered this DVD and they never delivered it claiming they were waiting for it to arrive (like WTF!?).

Pass the word, put this company out of business!

disappointing job PBS.......2005-09-11

First, let me say that I have been satisfied and impressed with many PBS historical documentaries, as I have accumulated quite a collection over the years to present to my high school classes; but I was sorely disappointed with this one. More attention was payed to Ovid and his encouragement of adultery than was to Jesus, the man who affected this world more than any other person who has ever lived.

It was all I could do to stay awake thru this one..........2005-06-14

I love the PBS EMPIRE series... but this one just bored me to death. Something about it that I cannot put my finger on just came off so badly. Perhaps it was Sigourney's delivery, perhaps it was that periodic stupid "Circus Music", perhaps it was the same stupid footage over and over again... I just don't know. In whata we know was a bustling world of people... this thing felt so lonely and bereft of visual stimulation or charts. I thought it would be enthralling. The subject is so broad and could pack way more of a punch than say a documentary on one man like Napoleon... yet "Napoleon" in the Empire series is superbly done. It's almost as if they have no top quality control over this "Empire" series... very hit and miss.

Hate to say it, but I've seen "The Greeks", "Martin Luther", Napoleon", "Islam", "Peter & Paul"... and "ROME" is the worst one. What a shame. It had more potential to be better than any of them.

I think all I have to go is the MEDICI, EGYPT, JAPAN and SOLOMON... but I cannot imagine they will disappoint to the same degree as this one.

Average customer rating:

Empires: The Roman Empire in the First Century
Starring: Pbs
Manufacturer: PBS Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Empires - The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
The True Story of Alexander the Great (History Channel)
The History Channel Presents The Crusades - Crescent & The Cross

ASIN: B0006H4DCS
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Average customer rating:

Utterly Disappointing
Sad about the "video" when "audio" being so great
Do not buy this DVD from "marketplacesales-vmh "
disappointing job PBS
It was all I could do to stay awake thru this one...

Empires - The Roman Empire in the First Century
Starring: Pbs
Manufacturer: PBS
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Empires - The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization
Empires - Egypt's Golden Empire
Empires - The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
Empires - Islam: Empire of Faith
Empires - Peter & Paul and the Christian Revolution

ASIN: B00008G629
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Amazon.com

Description

Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time -- the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D.

Customer Reviews:

Utterly Disappointing.......2006-11-11

Sad about the "video" when "audio" being so great.......2006-03-15

Do not buy this DVD from "marketplacesales-vmh ".......2005-10-30

This company will rip you off. I ordered this DVD and they never delivered it claiming they were waiting for it to arrive (like WTF!?).

Pass the word, put this company out of business!

disappointing job PBS.......2005-09-11

It was all I could do to stay awake thru this one..........2005-06-14

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