WONDERS OF ARCHEOLOGY

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SUMMARY:
Journey through the great civilizations of the past and recent discoveries. Explore the architectural wonders of the Phoenicians, ancient Aegeans, ancient Greece, Pompeii and Caesar’s Rome.

PRODUCED BY: Istituto Geografico De Agostini
DOCUMENTARY, 29 X 1/2 hr, 1996

DETAILED SYNOPSIS:
(6 x 1/2 hr) English Version
(23 x 1/2 hr) Spanish Version
(29 x 1/2 hr) Italian and French Versions

Argos, Tyryns, Mycenae (The Mycenaens)
The courage of the Mycenean civilization inspired poets and playwrights to write the most beautiful works in antiquity. Argos, was the center of the cult of Hera. Its impressive sanctuary is the only surviving city from the Mycenean Age. Visit Tiryns and Mycenae, and see archeological evidence of the Mycenean period and the source of some of western civilization’s greatest literature.

Knossos and Festus (The Minoans)
Great centers of archeological study, the Minoan cities of Knossos and Festus have many ruins still standing, such as the partially rebuilt palace and a complex of buildings containing rooms for work, cooking, and storing.

Troy and Pergamum: From Myth to the Art of Myth
The legendary city of Troy and the stronghold, Pergamum gave history much to write about. A city of culture and learning, its library rivaled that of Cleopatra’s Alexandria. Discover the passion of Heinrich Schlienmann who pursued his childhood dream of finding the treasures of Troy. Unearth the truth behind the existence of the mystical city as we examine the ruins of the Pergamum altar, and Homer’s Iliad.

Thera: The City That Disappeared into the Sea (Thera/Santorini)
The island of Thera, also known as Santorini, is north of Crete in the Mediterranean. Here we can see the day to day life of Greek living as it once was through the details of the Palace of Thera murals.

Carthage: A Lost Empire (Carthage & the Phoenicians)
Carthage, a city in North Africa that rivaled Rome in greatness, and was home to General Hannibal of the last Punic War. Visit the remains of a typical Phoenician home and Roman fortress to understand the history of a people that rivaled the Roman Empire in their military, political and religious beliefs.

San’a: The Secrets of the Arabian Pheonicians (Ancient Arabia)
This region, known as Yemen today, but in biblical times the region of Saba lies along a well-traveled caravan trading route, famous for its production and trade of rare spices: incense and myrrh. Learn about the legendary Queen of Saba (Sheeba), who visited King Solomon to set up prosperous trade relations.

Rhodes and Kos
These Greek islands are known for their institutions of learning, where knowledge of the arts, medicine, science and technology was taught. On Rhodes, we begin to understand the Greeks association of beauty and learning at the famous Colossus. Kos, also known as a popular Greek getaway, was prized for its centers of learning and was the home of School of Hippocrates, the father of medicine.

Delos: The Visible Island
The spiritual and the material come together on one island in the Aegean Sea. Like ancient pilgrims, explore the sanctuary of Apollo and the Portico of Philip V of Macedon. Visit the archeological remains of this lovely island well preserved because of its location on the Aegean Sea.

Corinth, Epidaurus, Olympia: Gems of the Peloponnesus
These great cities of Greece demonstrate the advancement of this culture. The opulence of Corinth is seen from the canal Nero commissioned and is where Saint Paul preached. The progress of Epidaurus is seen by the largest and most famous hospital of antiquity and finally, Olympia’s Temple of Zeus leads us to the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

Nuraghic Sardinia
The island of Sardina was once inhabited by the Sardana, a mysterious population that originated from the distant Aegean Sea. They left behind circular buildings made of rocks laid upon one another to form rooms, towers, and labyrinths, like that of Baumini o Su Nuraxi.

Eastern Sicily: The Clash of Two Civilizations
As their population exploded, the need for land pushed the Greeks to Eastern Sicily where they founded the cities Naxos, Magara Iblea, and Syracuse, important sites for trade. Here we explore such wonders as the Theater of Syracuse, and cities of Eastern Sicily from 8th century BC.

Western Sicily: The Clash of Two Civilizations
Sicily, in ancient times was valued for its location. The Greeks and Phoenicians, once peaceful trading partners, fought for control. In the end, the Phoenicians were victorious and commemorated it with the Doric “Temple of Victory.”

The Phlegraeran Plains and Paestum
An area of many ruins, Paestum and the surrounding Campi Flegrei was a convergence of Greek, as well as Roman and other Italic peoples that led to a unique civilization. The Basilica of the temple of Poseidon with its 50 columns still stands as well as other ruins which teach us about the early myths and stories of Greek and Roman life.

Delphi: The Power of the Oracles
The famed Oracle at Delphi, written into many Ancient Myths, influenced the lives of people living on the Greek Peninsula. Discover the religious and commercial significance by exploring the Temple of Apollo. View the many ruins of classical architecture dating back as far as pre-historic, Neolithic, and the Mycenaena periods.

The Golden Age of Rome
Rome, a unique city and equal to none at the height of its glory, is in fact an ancient metropolis buried beneath today’s modern metropolis. Explore the Coliseum and the Forum as they once were and examine what became of the Capital of the Roman Empire.

Roman and Etruscan Tuscany
Tuscany, the northern region of Italy, is where you will find many artifacts of the Etruscans. View the statue of the Chimera of Arezzo and visit the remains of Volterra, both magnificent specimens of Etruscan craftsmanship and learn their influence on the art of that region, the Roman society and their way of life.

City of Pompeii
The volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius buried the city of Pompeii almost two thousand years ago. Beneath the ashes lies an archeological treasure of a city perfectly preserved, like the Villa of Mysteries and House of the Dancing Faun, allowing us to observe a day in the life of a Roman city.

A Day in the Life of a Roman Citizen
Compare the day-to-day life of the port town of Ostia to the hustle and bustle of Rome and you will find many similarities. Visit Ostia’s high-rise residential complex along the Street of Diana. Visit the bathhouses of Rome and the remains of the Temple of Venus, and learn how a common Roman citizen lived.

Along the Flaminan Road of Umbria
“All roads lead to Rome.” The connection between the region of Umbria and Rome was the Via Flaminia, a testament to Roman engineering and road building. Along this route, cities emerged to support the commercial traffic. Pass through the Arch of Trajan and search the ruins of Carsulae on the way to understand the first steps of modern travel and commerce.

Ephesus: The Roman Capital of Asia
Envied for its greatness, Ephesus was at the fulcrum of maritime trade between Asia and the Greek peninsula. Many different cultures came and lived. Explore the Roman thermal baths with their hot-air heating system and the great Library of Celcus and learn how people such as Alexander the Great, Saint Paul and Saint John influenced the city.

Lebanon: In Search of the Phoenicians (Roman Ba’albek)
At the corner stones of this thriving modern country, Lebanon recounts it importance to the Phoenician history as crossroads for religion, trade, and peoples. Statues such as the God of Bylos mark only a small portion of the Phoenician empire. The cities of Byblos, Ba’albek and Tyre have been ruled by several great civilizations, a testimony to this land’s importance.

Sela and Petra: A Civilization in Rock
Petra means rock in Latin - “sela” in Greek, and is a majestic city carved in stone. The study of the stone facades of “Tomb of the Obelisk”, “The Door of the Sik” and others carved into the mountainside only give a small impression of the legendary civilization that dwelled in its surroundings deep in the Jordanian desert.

Gerasa: The Eastern Rome
A rich and opulent city in the desert in which culture and beauty merged with a dynamic lifestyle, Gerasa boasted splendid monuments demonstrating their cosmopolitan existence. Pass through the Triumphal Arch to be engulfed by the view of the Forum of the first century AD.

Nubia: Land of Gold
The land from which the Egyptians extracted the highly revered gold, which they believed was the nourishment of the gods. Here we investigate the mining city of Berenice, examining the tools and the techniques used to bring the precious metal from the depths of the underground to light.

Sahara: Rivers of Stone
A once lush and fertile land filled with lakes, rivers, savannah and grasslands, this now dry and harsh climate holds many mysteries. Traces of man, such as a millstone, plates, and lamps, show us the abundance once available to this area.

Miletus, Didyma and Priene: Sources of Urban Life
Miletus, was the first settlement in the ancient world planned with straight streets meeting at right angles. The layout included locations for shops, houses and a central plaza, a design soon to be repeated in cities all over Europe.

Elba and Palmyra
In the Pre-Roman and Etruscan era, there existed two cities: Elba and Palmyra, on the dividing line between Rome and the East in the Syrian Desert. Witness how these cities flourished because of their strategic location. Unearth the splendors of the Hall of the Great State Archive in the Royal Palace and understand that greatness of a people that were at the height of their existence, 1500 BC.

Hierapolis of Phrygia
This ancient city was an important intersection for the trade route to and from the East. Discover how this city’s Hellenistic past, like the Theater of Hieropolis, influenced Roman architecture.

Volubilis and Banasa
Morocco in North Africa was at the edge of the Roman Empire. The settlers of this region were veterans and were given this land by the Emperor. Far from the reaches of Rome, Volubilis and Banasa developed independently, as evident in the ruins of this region.

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