World, The: A Television History (Parts 1-13)

Synopsis

Based on ‘The Times Atlas of World History’, the series of 26 30-minute programmes presents the history of mankind on a global scale. It uses specially designed animated maps, computer-generated graphics and archive footage.

1: The progress of early humanoids from their original habitat in equatorial Africa. Once established, man spread quickly to Europe, Asia, America and Australia.
2: The gradual transformation of man the hunter to man the farmer. The development of agriculture provided the basis for the spectacular growth in human populations which followed.
3: The rise of the earliest civilisations in the fertile valleys of the major rivers in the Near East and China. With the growth of cities, social structures were established, ushering a great period of creativity. With these achievements city-states and empires brought political dependence and the rise of ruling oligarchies.
4: The epoch-making development of iron smelting and manufacturing in eastern Asia Minor and its effect on early civilisations based on the great river valleys. The spread of iron weapons together with the use of horse and the horse-drawn chariots enabled nomadic invaders to challenge and defeat the foot soldiers of the early civilisations. Also traces the first European civilisation of Minoan Crete, the kingdoms and empires of the North East, and the rise of the first empires in India and China.
5: The political evolution of Greece into city-states and the Greek colonisation of the Aegean and Asia Minor where she came up against the Persian empire under Darius and Xerxes. Traces the consequent overshadowing of Greece by the empires of the East. Examines the spread of Roman control over Italy, the beginning of the Roman Empire and its expansion over Europe. Also traces the decline of Rome and the division of the Empire between East and West.
6: How, why and where organised religion replaced tribal and fertility gods. All the major religions to one degree or another shared a belief in a single spiritual relaity valid for all mankind. Also looks at the spread of Mithraism and the final triumph of Christianity in the West.
7: The division of the Roman Empire paved the way for the Germanic invasions of Hungary, Italy, Gaul and Bulgaria. Nor did Asia escape the onslaught of barbarian tribesmen, while elsewhere in the world new civilisations developed.
8: The growth of Islam into one of the world’s greatest empires, which for five centuries kept the flame of civilisation burning during the Dark Ages of western Europe. Explores the origin and nature of Islam.
9: Europe slowly begins to recover from the Dark Ages. Looks at the history of the Crusades and the conditions that gave birth to the great maritime republics of Venice and Genoa.
10: The spread of the Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, across Asia and the creation one of the largest empires in world history.
11: The travels of Marco Polo, Bartholomeu Dias, Cabral, Columbus and other early navigators and their voyages of discovery. In 1347 the plague struck, and famine and disease took their toll.
12: The bloody massacre of the Chou royal family and Yang Chen proclaiming himself Emperor of a new dynasty, the Sui, and uniting China after years of disunity. This was the beginning of incredible engineering achievements. New dynasties followed: the T’ang and Sung, both of which brought new prosperity and artistic skills to the people of China.
13: The Mongol warrior Kublai Khan who succeeded in bringing the whole of China under foreign rule, leading to a period of great artistic and cultural expansion. Later the Ming built huge fleet of ships and sailed for Arabia and Africa and built the great wall. Important developments were taking place also in Japan, under the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video

Year of production

1983

Notes

Broadcast in weekly parts on C4, beginning 25/5/1983

NB Combined with parts 14 - 26 in one 7-disk DVD set

Subjects

History

Keywords

agricultural development; birth; China; civilisation; famine; Greece; Islam; Japan; Mongolia; prehistoric cultures; religious belief and practice; Roman Empire

Credits

Cast

Robert Powell

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 0 NTSC

Price

$39.49

Availability

Sale

Year

2012

Sections

Title

Human origins: 10,000,000-8000 BC

Synopsis

1: The progress of early humanoids from their original habitat in equatorial Africa. Once established, man spread quickly to Europe, Asia, America and Australia.

Title

Agricultural revolution, The: 8000-5000 BC

Synopsis

2: The gradual transformation of man the hunter to man the farmer. The development of agriculture provided the basis for the spectacular growth in human populations which followed.

Title

Birth of civilisation, The: 6000-2000 BC

Synopsis

3: The rise of the earliest civilisations in the fertile valleys of the major rivers in the Near East and China. With the growth of cities, social structures were established, ushering a great period of creativity. With these achievements city-states and

Title

Age of iron, The: 2000 BC-200 AD

Synopsis

4: The epoch-making development of iron smelting and manufacturing in eastern Asia Minor and its effect on early civilisations based on the great river valleys. The spread of iron weapons together with the use of horse and the horse-drawn chariots enabled

Title

Greece and Rome: 1200 BC-5000 AD

Synopsis

5: The political evolution of Greece into city-states and the Greek colonisation of the Aegean and Asia Minor where she came up against the Persian empire under Darius and Xerxes. Traces the consequent overshadowing of Greece by the empires of the East. E

Title

World religions, The: 600 BC-500 AD

Synopsis

6: How, why and where organised religion replaced tribal and fertility gods. All the major religions to one degree or another shared a belief in a single spiritual relaity valid for all mankind. Also looks at the spread of Mithraism and the final triumph

Title

End of the ancient world, The: 100-600 AD

Synopsis

7: The division of the Roman Empire paved the way for the Germanic invasions of Hungary, Italy, Gaul and Bulgaria. Nor did Asia escape the onslaught of barbarian tribesmen, while elsewhere in the world new civilisations developed.

Title

Islam: 600-1200 AD

Synopsis

8: The growth of Islam into one of the world's greatest empires, which for five centuries kept the flame of civilisation burning during the Dark Ages of western Europe. Explores the origin and nature of Islam.

Title

Europe recovers: 800-1250 AD

Synopsis

9: Europe slowly begins to recover from the Dark Ages. Looks at the history of the Crusades and the conditions that gave birth to the great maritime republics of Venice and Genoa.

Title

Mongol onslaught, The: 850-1500 AD

Synopsis

10: The spread of the Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, across Asia and the creation one of the largest empires in world history.

Title

Expansion of Europe, The: 1250-1500

Synopsis

11: The travels of Marco Polo, Bartholomeu Dias, Cabral, Columbus and other early navigators and their voyages of discovery. In 1347 the plague struck, and famine and disease took their toll.

Title

China in transition: 581-1279 AD

Synopsis

12: The bloody massacre of the Chou royal family and Yang Chen proclaiming himself Emperor of a new dynasty, the Sui, and uniting China after years of disunity. This was the beginning of incredible engineering achievements. New dynasties followed: the T'a

Title

China and Japan: 1279-1600 AD

Synopsis

13: The Mongol warrior Kublai Khan who succeeded in bringing the whole of China under foreign rule, leading to a period of great artistic and cultural expansion. Later the Ming built huge fleet of ships and sailed for Arabia and Africa and built the great

Production Company

Name

Network Television

Address

London W1V 3DF

Sponsor

Name

Channel 4

Distributor

Name

MediaOutlet.com

Email

service@prosperohouse.com

Web

http://www.mediaoutlet.com/ External site opens in new window

Address

PO Box 1432
Bayonne
NJ 07002
USA

Notes

Specialises in US archival moving image and sound material, particularly vintage radio and public service films and broadcasts that have been digitally restored. Formerly known as Earthstation.com. Sale on multi-region DVD or CD.