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.

Byzantium: The Lost Empire

When I first viewed this documentary series, I wasn't exactly awed (it took several tries to make it through all four episodes). The photography was not not very sophisticated (although I later realized that the 2007 label on the case was incorrect- the series actually dates from 1997- thus the photography was typical) and the host wasn't the most engaging. Eventually, however, I was watching it over and over again, taking in a fascinating period of history that, more often than not, gets insufficient coverage in most academic studies programs.

For those not familiar with the empire of Byzantium, let's just say that the "fall" of the Roman Empire was not nearly as cut-and-dry as most of us probably learned in school. Beginning with the establishment of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) in 330 C.E., the eastern half of the Roman Empire grew into one of the wealthiest and most powerful states in the world, far outstripping the western half, including Rome itself. When the last Roman emperor abdicated in the 5th century, the eastern empire endured for over a thousand more years, witnessing some of the most momentous events in European and Middle Eastern history and taking on a cultural identity all its own.

Filmed in locations on three continents, each episode of the series focuses on a different time segment of the Byzantine Empire, beginning with the founding of Constantinople and ending with the Turkish conquest of the city in 1453. One constant theme throughout all the episodes was the profound influence Byzantium exerted on other cultures- artistically, culturally, economically and, most of all, religiously. Mr. Romer acts as the tour guide/cultural informant to a multitude of historical sites, as well as providing mild comedy relief when necessary.

For anyone interested in exploring a culture that is sometimes described as "the new Rome", this series would be an excellent and extensive jumping-off point.       

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.