Engineering an Empire

I first discovered this remarkable series essentially by accident, but the results were mindblowing. After viewing a few episodes on YouTube, I was craving for more almost immediately. Hosted by actor Peter Weller (of Robocop fame and apparently holding a Master's Degree in Italian Renaissance art history- see "Da Vinci's World"), the series originally premiered in 2006 and is divided in 14 episodes, each covering a specific culture and/or time period:

1- Rome
2- Egypt
3- Greece
4- Greece: Age of Alexander
5- The Aztecs
6- Carthage
7- The Maya: Death Empire
8- Russia
9- Britain: Blood and Steel
10- The Persians
11- China
12- Napoleon: Steel Monster
13- The Byzantines
14- Da Vinci's World

I've always been a fan of historical documentaries, but Engineering an Empire was something else altogether. In addition to superbly rendered 3-D virtual reconstructions of famous monuments and palaces,  much of the series was filmed on the actual locations where many of the events took place. To cap it all, actors dressed up in historically accurate costumes to portray the famous rulers and other personalities that once walked through those locations and made those events possible. All of these features make the history easier to relate to and well as adding more "realism" to the mix, setting Engineering apart from almost any other documentary series ever made.

The one small drawback of the series (although not one immediately obvious to me- it came via later contemplation) was that there was a little too much emphasis on "western" cultures. The Aztec, Mayan, Persian and Chinese episodes were all well and good, but on the DVD set the Roman and Egyptian episodes were each given their own disks, while the other disks each contained three episodes. Granted, those two episodes were twice the length of all the others, but 4 more episodes would have balanced the whole set out (I thought coverage of India, Japan, the Mongols and the Incas would round out the series very nicely).

In spite of this minor issue, I can safely say that this is one of the most remarkable and diverse historical documentary series' ever produced, and have no qualms about calling it a 'must-have' for any history or engineering enthusiast.

Book Review: Cleopatra: A Life

A figure of intrigue and controversy in her own lifetime and painted as a femme fatale after her death, the last Pharaoh of Egypt has inspired more scandals and myths than any other woman of the ancient world (except perhaps the infamous Helen of Troy). In her groundbreaking biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff peels away all of the later layers of mythology from Cleopatra and paints a bold and refreshing new picture of this remarkable queen.

Focusing strictly on near-contemporary Classical sources, Schiff chronicles Cleopatra's rise to power as the ruler of the wealthiest and most productive land in the Mediterranean. Aside from being a crafty politician and clever propagandist (not to mention utterly ruthless when she wanted to be), Cleopatra's capital of Alexandria was the preeminent center of education the ancient world, and she could duel with the greatest intellectual minds of her day. Even more than all that, Cleopatra fought fiercely to protect her people, her country and her culture from the encroaching presence of Roman domination.

Accompanied by two beautiful sets of images depicting maps, art and artifacts related to Cleopatra's reign, Schiff's work is written in a very clear and simple language that requires virtually no sophisticated knowledge of history to understand and enjoy.

The Last of the Pharaohs: Fact vs Fiction

Cleopatra. Few names are charged with as much mystique and legend as that of Ancient Egypt's last ruling queen. Whether you imagine profile portraits on ancient artifacts or Elizabeth Taylor's 1963 blockbuster performance, this last vestige of the age of the Pharaohs has left her permanent mark on history. But is that mark the truth?

Recently I saw two television documentaries examining Cleopatra's life, the world she lived in, and the centuries of lore and myth surrounding her reign. The first one, produced by the National Geographic channel as part of their Egypt Unwrapped series examined the standard Cleopatra story with a fresh insight as to what the events of her life actually signify. Case in point, one thing Cleopatra is famous for (or infamous, depending on your point of view) is seducing Julius Ceasar and Mark Antony, and bearing children to both of them.

This has led Cleopatra to be cast as a temptress, but according to the opinions of experts interviewed for the program, what she was actually doing was forming political alliances with the Roman Empire in order to protect the interests of Egypt. The children that she bore could have a legitimate claim to the thrones of both nations, thereby helping Cleopatra to remain secure in her powers.

The other documentary, presented by the Science Channel as part of their Unearthing Ancient Secrets series take an even more dramatic stance on the validity of the Cleopatra story. The last pharaoh's death by suicide, usually by the bite of a poisonous snake, is one of the most iconic scenes in her story. But is it fact or fiction?

Puzzled by the many inconsistencies and supposed "red flags" in ancient accounts, Pat Brown, an experienced criminal profiler, applies modern forensics technology and enlists the help of respected experts to prove her ultimate theory: that Cleopatra did not commit suicide, but rather was murdered after the Roman Empire took control of Egypt, possibly on the orders of her victorious rival Ocatvian. Ms. Brown investigates the case very thoroughly and finds surprisingly concrete evidence to back up her claims.

For anyone interested in these and other fine programing please visit:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ and http://science.discovery.com/