History at Christmas - Documentary trilogy about the "Big Three" of antiquity
Who are the most famous people of antiquity? What is known about them? And aren't their lives at least as tragic and interesting as those of the many imaginary heroes that usually flicker across the screens at Christmas? The most famous and influential rulers of their time, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) and Cleopatra (69-30 BC), will be the subject of a three-part documentary event mini-series on The History Channel this Christmas. What viewers can expect.
While Alexander the Great cemented his power almost single-handedly and as a great general, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra were contemporaries around 300 years later. But the duo not only lived at the same time, they were also closely connected: Just one year after Rome's conquest of Egypt in 48 BC, Cleopatra gives birth to Caesar's son. However, because Caesar falls victim to an assassination attempt just three years later, a power struggle for the Roman Empire breaks out.
Cleopatra is also involved in the battles between Octavian (63 BC-14 AD) and Marcus Antonius (83-30 BC), which culminate in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. From the personal drama of the protagonists to the significance of the state crises of their time, the "Empires of Antiquity" trilogy takes a detailed look at the lives of the three most famous political figures of antiquity.
"Empires of the Ancient World": Experience how Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra influenced their time
With the series "Empires of the Ancient World", The History Channel delivers an elaborately staged history documentary - a mixture of re-enacted key scenes from history and interviews with experts. The re-enacted scenes were directed by Roel Reiné (53). The Dutch filmmaker has already directed the documentary event series "Colosseum", which focuses on the world-famous amphitheater.
The leading roles are played by Simone Collins as Cleopatra, Tom York as Alexander the Great and Geoffrey Breton as Julius Caesar. The supporting roles are also well cast with well-known actors such as Ian Beattie, James Oliver Wheatley and Charlie Field. In total, more than 300 people were involved in the three-part documentary.
Among them are experts in their respective fields, such as Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Stacy Schiff and Cleopatra researcher Shelley Haley. High-ranking former military personnel also have their say, particularly when discussing the strategic successes of Alexander the Great. The zeitgeist of the population in the respective epoch and how they related to their rulers is also shown. In combination with the images of battlefields and palaces, this creates a tangible overall impression of the time in which Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra reached for power and influence.
Where history buffs can watch the three-part series
The History Channel is showing "Empires of the Ancient World" in its German premiere over the three days of Christmas: on Christmas Eve, the first part about Alexander the Great celebrates its TV premiere, on December 25 it's all about Julius Caesar, before Cleopatra completes the series on December 26. The program starts at prime time at 8:15 pm and the films last between 90 and 110 minutes. If you would like to watch the history trilogy at a different time, all episodes can also be streamed via Sky's Wow and via History Play on the YouTube Primetime Channels and the Amazon Prime Video Channels.
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Source: www.stern.de
