Treasures of Ancient Rome
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About
Treasures of Ancient Rome is a 2012 three-part documentary written and presented by Alastair Sooke. The series was produced by the BBC, and originally aired in September 2012 on BBC Four. In the documentary Sooke sets out to "debunk the myth that Romans didn't do art and were unoriginal". This is based on the view that Romans heavily incorporated Greek style in their art, and hence produced nothing new or original. Sooke has received some criticism from the media owing to the fact that there is no consensus among academics on this topic, and hence no 'myth' exists in the first place.
Cast
Seasons
Episodes
Season 1
Warts 'n' All
The Romans were brilliant engineers and soldiers, but what isn't as well known is that they also gave us wonderful artistic treasures. In this three-part series, Alastair Sooke argues that the old-fashioned view that the Romans didn't do art is nonsense. He traces how the Romans during the Republic went from being art thieves and copycats to pioneering a new artistic style - warts 'n' all realism. Roman portraits reveal what the great names from history, men like Julius Caesar and Cicero, actually looked like. Modern-day artists demonstrate the ingenious techniques used to create these true to life masterpieces in marble, bronze and paint. We can step back into the Roman world thanks to their invention of the documentary-style marble relief and to a volcano called Vesuvius. Sooke explores the remarkable artistic legacy of Pompeii before showing how Rome's first emperor, Augustus, used the power of art to help forge an empire.
Pomp and Perversion
Alastair Sooke follows in the footsteps of Rome's mad, bad and dangerous emperors in the second part of his celebration of Roman art. He dons a wetsuit to explore the underwater remains of the Emperor Claudius's pleasure palace and ventures into the cave where Tiberius held wild parties. He finds their taste in art chimes perfectly with their obsession with sex and violence. The other side of the coin was the bombastic art the Romans are best remembered for - monumental arches and columns that boast about their conquests. Trajan's Column in Rome reads like the storyboard of a modern-day propaganda film. Sooke concludes with the remarkable legacy of the Emperor Hadrian. He gave the world the magnificent Pantheon in Rome - the eternal image of his lover Antinous, the most beautiful boy in the history of art - and a villa in Tivoli where he created one of the most ambitious art collections ever created.
The Empire Strikes Back
In the third and final part of the series, Alastair Sooke charts the decline and fall of the Roman Empire through some of its hidden and most magical artistic treasures. He travels to Leptis Magna in Libya shortly after the overthrow of Gaddafi and finds one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world and the cradle of later Roman art. Sooke discovers glorious mosaics which have never been filmed before, but also finds evidence of shocking neglect of Libya's Roman heritage by the Gaddafi regime. His artistic tour takes him to Egypt and the northern frontiers of the empire where he encounters stunning mummy paintings and exquisite silver and glassware. As Rome careered from one crisis to another, official art became more hard boiled and militaristic and an obscure cult called Christianity rose up to seize the mantle of Western art for centuries to come.
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Looking for a place to watch Treasures of Ancient Rome online for free? You've landed on the right page. Treasures of Ancient Rome is a well-rated English documentary series from 2012 that you can stream right now on Bowood.TV in high quality, no signup required.
About Treasures of Ancient Rome
Treasures of Ancient Rome is a 2012 three-part documentary written and presented by Alastair Sooke. The series was produced by the BBC, and originally aired in September 2012 on BBC Four. In the documentary Sooke sets out to "debunk the myth that Romans didn't do art and were unoriginal". This is based on the view that Romans heavily incorporated Greek style in their art, and hence produced nothing new or original. Sooke has received some criticism from the media owing to the fact that there is no consensus among academics on this topic, and hence no 'myth' exists in the first place. Across 1 season and 3 episodes, originally airing on BBC Four.
Treasures of Ancient Rome Cast and Characters
The cast features Alastair Sooke (as Self - Presenter). Their performances are a major reason Treasures of Ancient Rome has built such a passionate audience.
Where to Watch Treasures of Ancient Rome Online
Bowood.TV lets you stream Treasures of Ancient Rome online free, instantly, in HD. There's nothing to install — open the page, hit play, done. Works perfectly on Jio, Airtel, Vi networks across India and on slow mobile data thanks to our adaptive video pipeline.
▶ Watch Treasures of Ancient Rome NowWhy People Are Watching Treasures of Ancient Rome
Treasures of Ancient Rome flies under the radar but it deserves your attention. What makes it work is a tone and style that's hard to find elsewhere. If you enjoy English storytelling that doesn't follow the same tired beats, this is the kind of show you'll end up recommending to friends.
Frequently Asked Questions about Treasures of Ancient Rome
Where can I watch Treasures of Ancient Rome online for free?
You can watch Treasures of Ancient Rome online free on Bowood.TV. Just open the page and hit play — no signup, no subscription, full HD streaming on phone, tablet, or desktop.
How many episodes does Treasures of Ancient Rome have?
Treasures of Ancient Rome has 3 episodes across 1 season. All episodes are available to stream right here on Bowood.TV.
Is Treasures of Ancient Rome good? What's the rating?
Treasures of Ancient Rome holds a 7.0/10 rating based on 1 reviews — well above average.
Who is in the cast of Treasures of Ancient Rome?
The main cast includes Alastair Sooke.
Is Treasures of Ancient Rome available in English?
Yes — Treasures of Ancient Rome was originally produced in English and that's the version you'll stream here on Bowood.TV.
When was Treasures of Ancient Rome released?
Treasures of Ancient Rome first aired in 2012.
Do I need an account to watch Treasures of Ancient Rome on Bowood.TV?
No. Bowood.TV is free and you can watch Treasures of Ancient Rome without creating an account. Sign-up is optional — only useful if you want a personal Watchlist or to comment on episodes.
Similar Series You Might Like
If you enjoyed Treasures of Ancient Rome, check out Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets Of Orkney, Dig 1940, The Derbyshire Auction House, Martin Clunes: Islands Of Britain, and Extreme Archaeology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch Treasures of Ancient Rome for free?
You can watch Treasures of Ancient Rome online for free on Bowood.TV. All 3 episodes across 1 season are available to stream in HD without a subscription, signup, or paywall. Just open the show page and press play.
How many seasons and episodes does Treasures of Ancient Rome have?
Treasures of Ancient Rome currently has 1 season and a total of 3 episodes. The series status is "Ended", so the episode count may grow as new seasons are released. You can browse the full episode list on Bowood.TV and continue watching from where you left off.
What is Treasures of Ancient Rome about?
Treasures of Ancient Rome is a 2012 three-part documentary written and presented by Alastair Sooke. The series was produced by the BBC, and originally aired in September 2012 on BBC Four. In the documentary Sooke sets out to "debunk the myth that Romans didn't do art and were unoriginal". This is based on the view t… It belongs to the Documentary genre.
In which language is Treasures of Ancient Rome originally available?
Treasures of Ancient Rome was originally produced in English. On Bowood.TV the show is available in its original English audio, which is the most authentic way to experience the dialogue, music, and performances. Check the player options on the watch page for available subtitle tracks.
When was Treasures of Ancient Rome first released?
Treasures of Ancient Rome first premiered on September 3, 2012 (2012). The series has since concluded its run.
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