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Ancient Treasures with Bettany Hughes

Does the ancient world have any bearing on who we are today? Acclaimed classicist Bettany Hughes is taking viewers on an armchair journey around the globe in this fascinating history documentary on BBC Select. Incredible artifacts from the planet's most prestigious historical sites will be revealed and explored. Can these wonders provide some insight into how we live and think contemporaneously?
20216 episodesTV-G
Free trial of BBC Select

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Treasures of Greece
    August 27, 2021
    49min
    TV-G
    Ancient Greece is known as the cradle of Western Civilization. But why did so much amazing culture develop in this region? Acclaimed classical scholar Bettany Hughes travels to the country and visits some astonishing sites in this compelling history documentary on BBC Select. She encounters an underground snake pit used for healing and an ancient theatre that is still acoustically perfect.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  2. S1 E2 - Treasures of Malta
    August 27, 2021
    54min
    TV-G
    The tiny island of Malta is absolutely crammed with ancient treasures. But why is there so much good stuff in this one spot? Historian Bettany Hughes visits a place that has endured travelers, and invaders, for centuries, as this documentary on BBC Select reveals. As well as sites of antiquity, Bettany explores tunnels used in World War II and the Queen and Prince Philip's romantic hideaway.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  3. S1 E3 - Treasures of the Mediterranean Islands
    August 27, 2021
    47min
    TV-G
    Get ready to embark on a glorious Mediterranean voyage, without leaving your armchair. Classicist Bettany Hughes takes to the high seas in this intriguing history documentary on BBC Select. Along the way she explores ancient shrines, volcanic Roman thermal baths and a recently discovered mysterious Medusa mask. But what exactly is 'The Invention of Summer' and how did it help fruit to grow?
    Free trial of BBC Select
  4. S1 E4 - Treasures of Gibraltar
    August 27, 2021
    46min
    TV-G
    Ancient treasures don't get much more ancient than the world's first evidence of Neanderthal art. But that's exactly what acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes unearths in this fascinating documentary on BBC Select. This tiny Mediterranean region also features astonishing rock formations and remarkable military artifacts. But where does James Bond creator Ian Fleming fit into Gibraltar's story?
    Free trial of BBC Select
  5. S1 E5 - Treasures of Istanbul
    August 27, 2021
    47min
    TV-G
    Istanbul is a wonderland for history buffs, teeming with ancient artifacts. Bettany Hughes explores some of the city's most remarkable locations in this history documentary on BBC Select. She follows in the footsteps of Byzantine empress Theodora and uncovers evidence of the city's earliest inhabitants during an archaeological dig. But what used to be held in Europe's largest wooden building?
    Free trial of BBC Select
  6. S1 E6 - Treasures of Arabia
    August 27, 2021
    47min
    TV-G
    The Arabian Peninsula is a magical place that was once at the centre of the ancient world. Acclaimed classicist Bettany Hughes explores this crossroads between East and West as this extraordinary history documentary on BBC Select concludes. Starting deep in the desert of Saudi Arabia, she discovers that this inhospitable but beautiful environment contains messages from the past all around her.
    Free trial of BBC Select

Details

More info

Audio languages
English
Subtitles
English [CC]
Cast
Bettany Hughes
Studio
Sandstone Global Productions/BBC World News
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