Civilizations: Rise and Fall

How a perfect storm of calamitous events destroyed the once mighty Roman Empire.

Despite forging bold alliances with Rome, Cleopatra couldn't save the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Under the leadership of Emperor Moctezuma, the great Aztec civilization reached its zenith. The jewel in its crown was the beautiful city of Tenochtitlan, a melting pot of extraordinary arts and culture. But Moctezuma’s empire was fragile. His fierce grip on power created many enemies. The arrival of the Spanish in 1519, under Hernan Cortes, would prove the most disastrous moment in Aztec history.

For centuries, Japan had been cut off from outside influence. During that time, much of the rest of the world made extraordinary leaps forward in science, industry and military technology, while Japan remained a feudal medieval society. At the heart of this feudal system were the samurai. But when American steamships arrived on Japan’s shores, the days of the samurai were numbered.