Alexander's Greatest Battle

Michael Wood travels through Syria and Iraq to uncover the story of Alexander the Great's decisive battle against the might of the Persian Empire in 331 BCE. Ancient writers agreed that it was fought somewhere near the city of Irbil in northern Iraq, but the exact location has never been discovered. Using dramatic new finds in the UK - a cuneiform clay tablet in the British Museum and a papyrus dug up in Egypt - Michael sheds new light on the course of events. Then to reconstruct the campaign, he follows Alexander's route through Damascus and Aleppo to the river Euphrates in Syria and travels into Northern Iraq with the British and US military.

2009

0h 49min

Top Billed Cast

No Cast found

Similar movies

Sappho: Love and Life on Lesbos
Sappho: Love and Life on Lesbos
06 May 2015
Sappho: Love and Life on Lesbos
Papyrology expert Margaret Mountford goes in search of the truth behind the legend of Sappho, the most controversial writer of the ancient world and the first authentic woman’s voice in Western history. The mysterious discovery of a lost papyrus containing the words to songs unheard for 1700 years sends Margaret on a journey to discover the truth about Sappho. Was she indeed the first lesbian, a priestess, sex worker, a stern schoolmistress or an aristocratic lady of leisure as readers over the centuries have variously alleged? We ask how each generation’s view of the archetypal liberated woman of letters tells us as much about us and our fears as it does about her.
The First Emperor of China
The First Emperor of China
01 Jan 1989
The First Emperor of China
This historical drama tells the story of Qin Shihuang, who unified China's vast territory and declared himself emperor in 221 B.C. During his reign, he introduced sweeping reforms, built a vast network of roads and connected the Great Wall of China. From the grandiose inner sanctum of Emperor Qin's royal palace, to fierce battles with feudal kings, this film re-creates the glory and the terror of the Qin Dynasty, including footage of Qin's life-sized terra cotta army, constructed 2,200 years ago for his tomb.
Greek Myths: Tales of Travelling Heroes
Greek Myths: Tales of Travelling Heroes
15 Nov 2010
Greek Myths: Tales of Travelling Heroes
Eminent classical historian Robin Lane Fox embarks on a journey in search of the origins of the Greek myths. He firmly believes that these fantastical stories lie at the root of western culture, and yet little is known about where the myths of the Greek gods came from, and how they grew. Now, after 35 years of travelling, excavation and interpretation, he is confident he has uncovered answers.
The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great
The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great
04 Mar 2019
The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great
In this gripping investigation, archaeologist Pepi Papakosta is on a hunt for Alexander the Great's lost tomb, and she makes an extraordinary discovery.
Ancient Olympics: Let the Games Begin
Ancient Olympics: Let the Games Begin
01 Jan 2004
Ancient Olympics: Let the Games Begin
Come back with us to Ancient Greece, 2,500 Years ago to the original Olympic Games. The ancient Games, like our modern Olympics, included champions and cheaters, glory and scandals, bitter rivalries and contests of strength, speed and savage combat. Set in 448 BC when the pounding of horse's hooves and the brutal hand-to-hand combat could be heard and seen by the crowds that filled the Olympic stadium. This one-hour special event follows the glory and corruption of the arc of a single, five-day Olympiad. The competitions include chariot racing, running, jumping, discus, javelin and two man-to-man combat finals-boxing and pankration, a form of extreme fighting in which death was not uncommon. With the help of sports historians and great athletes such as George Chuvalo and Olympic medallists Donovan Bailey and Angela Schneider, viewers travel back to a very different life-in a very different world.
Der Aufstieg der Habsburger. Die Schlacht am Marchfeld
Der Aufstieg der Habsburger. Die Schlacht am Marchfeld
06 Jan 2022
Der Aufstieg der Habsburger. Die Schlacht am Marchfeld
It was the battle that decided the future of Europe: on August 26, 1278, two dynasties faced each other at Marchfeld. On one side was the Roman-German King Rudolf I from the House of Habsburg, on the other Ottokar II from the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty. Rudolf's victory over Ottokar laid the foundations for the unprecedented rise of the Habsburg Empire, which was to play a decisive role in Europe for more than six centuries.
Flooded Tombs of the Nile
Flooded Tombs of the Nile
05 Feb 2021
Flooded Tombs of the Nile
Outside the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the remains of an ancient city stand in the desert. Are you ready to dive beneath the pyramids of Sudan's black pharaohs?
The Mystery of the Trojan Horse
The Mystery of the Trojan Horse
26 Mar 2021
The Mystery of the Trojan Horse
The story of the Trojan Horse is probably one of the most famous stories ever told: after ten years of bloody war, the Greek coalition decides to lift the siege and depart, but not before leaving at the gates a huge wooden horse, which the Trojans confidently lead into the city. A few hours later, the once invincible Troy goes up in flames. What exactly happened? Is this myth true or false?
Caligula with Mary Beard
Caligula with Mary Beard
29 Jul 2013
Caligula with Mary Beard
What is true and what is false in the hideous stories spread about the controversial figure of the Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12-41), nicknamed Caligula? Professor Mary Beard explains what is accurate and what is mythical in the historical accounts that portray him as an unbalanced despot. Was he a sadistic tyrant, as Roman historians have told, or perhaps the truth about him was manipulated because of political interests?
Last Stand of the 300
Last Stand of the 300
27 May 2007
Last Stand of the 300
This is the true and astounding saga of the Spartans at Thermopylae. It is among the greatest tales of war ever recounted. All the glory and grit of these warriors' last stand is captured in this exceptional documentary. It is almost impossible to understand how 300 Spartans managed to hold off the million-man Persian army for even a moment, much less seven days. To a man they paid with their lives but their stunning Last Stand assured that their sacrifice would resonate throughout history. Transporting dramatizations and incisive graphics put you in the heat of the battle and show the lay of the land. The complications and strategies of the conflict are revealed through careful analysis, and critical moments are reconstructed to show exactly what happened. Discover what the Spartans were fighting for, what made them capable of such heroics and what drove them to such sacrifice.
Hélikè, la cité engloutie
Hélikè, la cité engloutie
01 Jun 2023
Hélikè, la cité engloutie
No overview found
La Cité oubliée de Ramsès II
La Cité oubliée de Ramsès II
06 Apr 2023
La Cité oubliée de Ramsès II
No overview found
King Tut In Color
King Tut In Color
27 Sep 2021
King Tut In Color
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is revealed for the first time in color, thanks to colorization of black-and-white newsreel and photographs.
Gods and Monsters: Homer's Odyssey
Gods and Monsters: Homer's Odyssey
08 Nov 2010
Gods and Monsters: Homer's Odyssey
Virginia Woolf said that Homer's epic poem the Odyssey was 'alive to every tremor and gleam of existence'. Following the magical and strange adventures of warrior king Odysseus, inventor of the idea of the Trojan horse, the poem can claim to be the greatest story ever told. Now British poet Simon Armitage goes on his own Greek adventure, following in the footsteps of one of his own personal heroes. Yet Simon ponders the question of whether he even likes the guy.
Buried Truth of the Maya
Buried Truth of the Maya
25 Aug 2020
Buried Truth of the Maya
Maya legend tells us that there is a hidden underground cave below Chichen Itza, now high tech archaeologists are here to find the buried truth.
Berlin's Treasure Trove
Berlin's Treasure Trove
17 May 2018
Berlin's Treasure Trove
Berlin’s Museum Island, the cultural center of the German capital on the Spree river, houses a large number of art pieces from all over the globe, from the Stone Age to the present day. A walk through their great institutions to marvel at their masterpieces.
Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed
Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed
02 Nov 2021
Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed
Benedict Arnold is not the villain of American history most people were taught to believe. New facts and never before presented material illuminate his heroic contributions to the American Revolution and explains his later change of allegiance.
The Colosseum: A Jewel in Rome's Crown
The Colosseum: A Jewel in Rome's Crown
21 Dec 2021
The Colosseum: A Jewel in Rome's Crown
With more than seven million visitors a year, its massive structure and awesome architecture testify to the genius of ancient Roman building techniques, earning it a place not only among UNESCO's World Heritage sites but as one of the new seven wonders of the world. The Roman Colosseum is an emblem of the power of a bygone empire.
448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas
448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas
12 Dec 2004
448 BC: Olympiad of Ancient Hellas
Through the eyes of the Narrator and ancient Philosophers of the time, we are taken on a dramatic journey through history; recounting the incredible and exciting dramas, ceremonies, games, and chariot races of the Ancient Greek OLYMPIAD; the Olympic Games of the 5th Century BC.
Out of Darkness: Heavy is the Crown (Vol. 1)
Out of Darkness: Heavy is the Crown (Vol. 1)
22 Apr 2022
Out of Darkness: Heavy is the Crown (Vol. 1)
An examination of how Africa's mythological stories have served as the basis for the world religions that came after, especially in Western civilization.