HDMovies

Although Egypt, Greece, and Rome may be better known to the public, in fact more written evidence survives from Mesopotamia, home to many of the...

The spread of any technology tends to be slow. While today we may see the enormous value of plant and animal domestication, here you will discover...

Though travel was dangerous, people transported valuable goods, like obsidian for knife blades, across hundreds of miles, perhaps via chains of...

The Ubaid people constructed the earliest monumental buildings, standardized some measurements, and must have had some sort of formal leadership to...

Witness the rise of urban civilization 5,500 years ago, a mere 200 generations before modern times. Discover how and why the first writing system...

Why did people accept the rule of monarchs? This lecture reveals the fascinating world of the first kings, including their numerous important duties...

In a period where the causes of disease and natural disasters were not widely known, gods were believed to be the cause of, and the solution to,...

Meet King Lugalzagesi, who controlled several city-states in southern Mesopotamia. His much more powerful successor, Sargon, had a mysterious origin,...

The Akkadian Empire was a high point for artistic achievement in Mesopotamia. Depictions of humans were believed to possess some of the life force of...

Learn some of the theories behind the fall of the Akkadian Empire. Major kings during this time run the gamut from Naram-Sin, one of the few...

Although rulers during this period attempted to create a "cult of the kings," local leaders, merchants, and especially households performed essential...

An influx of immigrants greatly enriched the Mesopotamian region, and we see other issues that have echoes in today's world. This was a time of...

Here you'll gain an intimate glimpse into the lives of royal families in the mid-second millennium BCE, from diplomatic marriages to extravagant...

Meet the mighty King Hammurabi, who ruled for an incredible 43 years. You'll also discover how the family can be viewed as a microcosm for...

The Babylonians had a sophisticated legal system that emphasized evidence and truthfulness. Two trials provide an insider's look into the workings of...

The kingdom of Hana and an intriguing Kassite text provide clues to a mysterious dark age, which may have lasted for 100 years. Few records survive...

Discover how the kingdom of Mittani maintained a peaceful relationship with Egypt through the power of diplomacy. Letters between King Tushratta and...

In a world before mass media, learn how Mittanian kings maintained visibility and control across vast distances and large populations without much...

This dramatic installment details the end of a period of peace and stability between great powers, as a result of possible natural disasters, attacks...

Learn about the grand state of Assyria with its huge palaces and iconic winged lion sculptures. The long and stable dynasty of Assyrian kings always...

Here, discover the intellectual King Ashurbanipal whose library is one of the first in recorded history. In it, find clay tablets recording omens...

Discover how the Assyrian empire was restructured by Tiglath-Pileser III, how the Assyrians struggled to keep Babylonia within their empire, and how...

Hear the glory of the Babylonian creation story involving Marduk and the evil goddess Tiamat. Through ancient records, relive the 12-day Akitu...

Finally, arrive at the end of the independence of Mesopotamia with the conquest of the Neo-Babylonian empire by the forces of the powerful Persian...

Archaeologist and historian Richard Miles traces the development of Western civilization, from the first cities in Mesopotamia to the fall of the...

Real convicted killers face the camera and describe their crimes in full detail.

Dr Tracy Borman goes behind closed doors to reveal the private lives of six historical figures