The Gifts of the Jews

In 63 B.C., the Roman General Pompeii leads his legions into the land of Judea. It is the beginning of a clash of cultures between Rome and the Jews that would grow into one of the most brutal conflicts in history. It also pits Jew against Jew, as many of the different factions of Judaism, such as the Zealots and the Essenes, clash over the interpretation of the true will of God as revealed in the Bible. Terrorism, political assassination, starvation, and crucifixion dominate the landscape. The period ends with the Roman sack of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Out of the ashes will rise two new religions: rabbinical Judaism and Christianity.

In 586 B.C., the Babylonians lead almost all that remains of the tribe of Judah, the Israelites, to exile in Babylon. Only a few generations earlier, the northern tribes of the Israelites were taken into exile and vanished forever. Now the Judeans, too, seem destined to disappear. They fight back, however, by writing a book. Using Judean stories from the past to explain present disastrous situations, the book becomes the earliest edition of the most influential work in history: the Bible. This episode introduces the early and profoundly influential figures of Judaism: Abraham, who is the first to recognize the concept of one God; Moses, who receives the Ten Commandments from God; and David, whose sins teach the Israelites that no one is above the law of God.

In 458 B.C., a scribe named Ezra arrives in Jerusalem from Babylon. He gathers the mostly illiterate Judeans together in a square and reads the Bible to them. In the years that follow, the study of the Bible not only becomes an essential part of Jewish life, it prepares the Jews to face a mortal threat to their survival. In 330 B.C., Alexander the Great sweeps into the Middle East. In his wake comes Greek culture, the allure of which convinces many to abandon their ancestral ways. But when the Greek king Antiochus the Madman forbids the practice of Judaism, Judah the Maccabee leads the Jews in an epic fight to defend their religious freedom. In 160 B.C, the Maccabees succeed in driving out the Greeks and establish what would prove to be the last independent Jewish kingdom.

2. The Battlefield of Faith Holy to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is also the world's bloodiest and most fought-over site. Many empires and religions have clashed here in the past and it is still bei

1. In Search of the Holiest Spot on Earth Holy to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is also the world's bloodiest and most fought-over site. Many empires and religions have clashed here in the past and it is still being cont

Flush with victory, Lawrence and the Arabs continue their attacks on the Turks, inflicting serious damage.  Undertaking increasingly dangerous missions, Lawrence is captured alone and brutalized by the Turks, but escapes.  Though the experience is disputed by many, Lawrence stands by his story.  After the Turks surrender Jerusalem, the Balfour Declaration paves the way for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.  In the hope that control of Damascus will legitimize Arab claims for independence, Lawrence leads the Arabs in an allied race for the city.  However, soon after, the truth of the British deception is exposed.  Now a celebrated figure to the British public, Lawrence returns to England and continues to fight for an Arab homeland in Europe.  At the Paris Peace Conference, Britain, France and America draw new maps, ensuring their control over the Middle East.  Reeling with guilt for his part in deceiving the Arabs, Lawrence retreats, enlisting as an ordinary recruit in the Royal Air Force.  In 1935, he leaves the military for the last time, planning to spend his life in seclusion.  Weeks later, he is killed in a motorcycle accident.  Although gone, the impact of Lawrence's role on the Middle East will be felt for generations to come.

Masterminded by Defense Minister General Moshe Dayan, Israeli forced drive across the Sinai peninsula to the Suez Chanal, break the Gulf of Aqaba blockade, capture the West Bank and occupy the Old City of Jerusalem. Four days later, Jordan and Egypt accept the UN cease-fire. Not if it is up to the diplomats.

The true-life action-adventure story of the life and career of Maximus, a Roman soldier who fought in Rome’s very own version of the Gulf War against a rogue state called Dacia. We see how the Imperial Legions ruled the world for centuries - and follow Maximus’s training and service in Rome’s bloody war on terror.

After 600 years as rulers of the world, the Roman Empire faced annihilation. At the start of Fifth Century even the ultimate city of Rome was besieged. This episode we uncover how it all went wrong for the world’s first superpower. We see how after centuries of domination, barbarian tribes overturned Imperial power and seized control of Western civilization. And we reveal the extraordinary story of Rome’s ultimate legacy to the Twenty-First Century.