Where did they come from and what catastrophes caused the collapse of this innovative civilization? From the Temple-Pyramids at Tikal, to the royal tomb at Palenque, to the star observatory at Chichén Itzá, this episode will examine the architecture and infrastructure that enabled the rise and fall of the ancient Maya civilization.
In less than 200 years the Aztec’s transformed themselves from a band of wandering nomads to the greatest civilization the New World had ever known. What records remain of this amazing feat indicate they did it through brilliant military campaigns and by ingeniously applying technology to master the harsh environment they faced.
Star-gazing reached incredible heights thousands of years before the Hubble. Learn the amazing advances made by the great ancient culture of Central America. Take another fascinating trip through time to discover the precursors from centuries or even millennia ago of todays cutting-edge technological breakthroughs. The Ancient Maya: Tools of Astronomy shows just how far ahead of their times they really were.
The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years. French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic, and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas about hierarchy and tradition succumbed to new Enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.
Napoleon has become a worldwide cultural icon who symbolises military genius and political power. Napoleon's campaigns are studied at military academies the world over. While considered a tyrant by his opponents, he is also remembered for the establishment of the Napoleonic code, which laid the administrative and judicial foundations for much of Western Europe.
In Scandinavia, the 8th century proved to be an age of rapid technological, economic and social development among the North Germanic peoples, leading to a period of widespread dominance that has come to be known as the Viking Age. Julian Richards examines the story of the Vikings in Britain, from their first raids, to the settlement of the British Isles. The Viking legacy is traced through archaeology, history and a genetics survey of Britain's current inhabitants.
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