Social & External
The people behind it
Explores every aspect of Sparta's culture, lifestyle, history and legacy. Author Steven Pressfield reflects on the significance of the Battle of Thermopylae, where a force led by 300 Spartan warriors stalled the advance of a hundred-thousand-plus strong Persian army for nearly a week. Scholars explore the factors that drove the Peloponnesian city-state to strive for martial excellence. Ancient accounts explain how Sparta's warriors were trained and detail their prowess in battle.
Series venturing behind the doors of one of the greatest museums in the world. Visitors to the museum see only a fraction of the staggering 80 million items in the collection. This programme reveals the unique and rare pieces too valuable to exhibit.
Witness a fascinating account of a nation's efforts to become progressive and prosperous.
The imperial mausoleum of the Tang Dynasty is located on the mountain. It builds magnificently in a fan-shaped around Chang'an City. Together with Chang'an City and other palaces, it forms the highest level and density heritage site and treasure for Tang Dynasty. However, as time goes by, there are few heritage building left on the surface of the ground, which makes us even more lament.
Historic footage and leading voices of the era examine the "Bobby Phenomenon" of the 1960s and the legacy of the man who helped redefine the country.
Living history show presented by Fi Glover. Six celebrities travel back in time to the relentless graft of Victorian Britain.
Explore the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.
Author and historian Simon Sebag Montefiore presents a three-part series that illuminates the history of the sacred, and peerlessly beautiful city - Jerusalem.
Embark in a journey through some of the most beautiful cities in the world in this documentary series. Each episode features a new city and explores the many things that make it the legendary place it is today.
Supported by stunning 3D graphics, Dr. Darius Arya explains the purpose and architectural significance of ancient Roman buildings.
Engineers, officials and the crew members' families provide their perspective on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and its aftermath.
Alfred de Montesquiou, a war correspondent for the Associated Press news agency and a journalist for Paris Match – for which he has covered most of the Arab Spring revolutions – will be our knowledge broker along the Silk Road, the mythical network of trade routes that for centuries linked the Far East to the West. Follow in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors, from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo. Journey through time, encountering specialists, historians, or just everyday people with a passion who will help you grasp the past and present identities of those countries. From Bursa in Turkey to Xi’an in China, Alfred guides and accompanies you in this fresh and original way to discover History.
Behind the closed doors of a museum, famous paintings lead lives of their own. This short film series playfully reimagines masterpieces from across the history of art through humorous reenactments. From gaming and heartbreak to gossip, nothing is too wild to stay within the frame.
From San Vito dei Normanni in Salento, where Prince Dentice di Frasso opened the doors of his timeless castle, to the heart of Lecce's historic center, the Baroque triumph of Villa Reale, whose park—designed by the great Florentine architect Pietro Porcinai—is the city's green lung. A journey through Puglia's most beautiful historic homes is the latest episode of "Once Upon a Time in a House," airing tomorrow at 8:25 PM on Rai5 on Rai Cultura. Among other stops is a visit to a classic example of Lecce stone architecture, with its characteristic golden hue: Palazzo Cezzi. Owner Fernando Cezzi illustrates the home's history, guiding viewers through his magnificent palace's museum, amidst Pompeian frescoes and magnificent mosaics. This is another exemplary example of how luxurious homes have been transformed into museums or curated by descendants of noble families and opened to the public.
After he's shot in 1968, Andy Warhol begins documenting his life and feelings. Those diaries, and this series, reveal the secrets behind his persona.
A Total War is all encompassing, a war without boundary or limitation. It is a war of material and morale. A war that mobilizes, destroys and displaces civilian populations. The Second World War was a war in which massive armies advanced, confronting whole populations with impossible choices. The manufacture of weapons transformed industry and the workforce; area bombing campaigns reduced cities to rubble; sieges doomed populations to starvation; racial policies sponsored campaigns of genocide. Told through archive footage and expert interviews, we learn how WWII shattered the boundaries between home-front and battlefield.
An account of the Eastern Front, epic in scale and savagery, as Soviets experienced it and Stalin commanded it.
During the darkest days of the Third Reich, the most dreaded sound was a knock at the door after dark. Everyone who lived under Nazi rule lived in fear of the secretive agents known colloquially as "V-Men". Hitler called them his "deadliest weapon", and without them the Fuhrer's ambition could never have been realized.
Documentary series charting the story of Queen Victoria after the death of her beloved husband Albert in 1861, examining how one-by-one her children rebelled against her and the family were touched by tragedy.
Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.
Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
An in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This currently includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts. This entry refers to the main Volumes of the series presented by ESPN
The epic motorcycle adventure continues in this third chapter of the Long Way series, as Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman journey to glorious landscapes across South and Central America—on the backs of prototype electric Harley-Davidsons.
The history of the sport of baseball in America, told through archival photos, film footage, and the words of those who contributed to the game in each era. Writers, historians, players, baseball personnel, and fans review key events and the significance of the game in America's history.
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
This docuseries captures the remarkable rise and unprecedented success of one of the most dominant and iconic franchises in professional sports. Featuring exclusive access to the Buss Family and probing, revealing interviews with players, coaches, and front office execs, this series chronicles this extraordinary story from the inside – told only by the people who lived it.
Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.
Honoring service members whose courage merited the awarding of a Medal of Honor, this docudrama series re-creates their inspiring true stories.
Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. Dive into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view—past and present—as Martin reflects on how his beginnings led to his unexpectedly fulfilling life today.
An insider's look at the engineering and scientific miracles behind the things that form the modern world.
A series of standalone documentaries powered by the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time.
Award-winning actor and nervous explorer Eugene Levy steps out of his comfort zone for a whirlwind tour of the world's most beautiful and intriguing destinations.
In this true-crime documentary, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him to justice.
In a tumultuous era, 1971 was a year of musical innovation and rebirth fueled by the political and cultural upheaval of the time. Stars reached new heights, fresh talent exploded onto the scene, and boundaries expanded like never before.
Motoring programme featuring reviews of and reports about cars of all types.
Explores WWII from Germany's invasion of Poland through the atomic age, examining pivotal battles, wartime leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the human cost of total war.
Based on the popular BBC series running since 1979, the PBS Antiques Roadshow combines history with discovery. Each year, the show visits a handful of cities to appraise items brought in by viewers. Are these items worth a lot of money, more than the visitors expect?
