Humans have been living on Earth for millions of years. Yet, it was only in the last 5000 years that life in cities began to take hold, leading to the rise and fall of various civilizations across the globe. Among them was the Western civilization, which has changed the balance of nature forever in recent centuries by introducing new technologies and concepts that altered our relationship with nature.
This documentary series takes an inspiring look at how people around the world developed their own unique civilizations and saw them grow and thrive for thousands of years before their eventual decline. Host Michael Wood traces both Asian and Western civilizations from their earliest origins, taking viewers on a journey into past societies through crumbling ruins in Iraq, Greece, Rome, India, China, Egypt and Central America.
The first episode delves into Iraq’s role as ‘the Cradle of Civilization’, where humans evolved from hunter-gatherers to city-dwellers some 5,000 years ago. We learn how Ur, Nineveh and Babylon rose up as glorious cultures that were eventually lost to time but left their mark on generations to follow. India is explored next for its role as ‘The Empire of The Spirit’ – where ancient Hindu customs still live on today – followed by China’s ‘Mandate Of Heaven’ period that saw many breakthroughs we now consider staples of modern life.
We then travel further back in time to explore Egypt’s place as ‘The Habit Of Civilization’, discovering how its ancient culture helped shape Christianity and Islam while Central America’s mysterious Mayans and Aztecs reveal a sophisticated society whose structures rivaled those seen in Mediterranean empires. Finally we explore the Barbarian West as it creates its own world culture through borrowing legacies from all five original old world civilizations featured throughout this series.
This documentary series presents a fascinating insight into our global history – putting different cultures into one unified perspective – making it essential viewing for anyone interested in understanding human development over time. From Iraq’s beginnings to our modern day accomplishments, this documentary series will help you unlock the mysteries of our past so you can better appreciate the present.
