Era: Antiquity
3500 BCE – 4th Century CE
The world’s first great empires and religions emerge, including, among others, the classical world of the Mediterranean, the Zhang and Han Dynasties in Asia, and the Gupta in India. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity are created and refined.
300
- Director: Zack Snyder
- Release Date: 2006
- Production Country: United States
King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan warriors sacrifice themselves in battle against thousands of Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BCE; however, their efforts prove worthwhile, ensuring the escape of the majority of the Greek army and Greece's eventual success against the Persian Invasion.
A History of Britain
- Director: Clare Beavan, Martina Hall, Ian Bremner, Liz Hartford, Jamie Muir
- Release Date: 2000
- Production Country: United Kingdom
Historian Simon Schama narrates his history of Great Britain, emphasizing that no single "history" can tell the entire story–but makes a valiant effort to cover everything he can.
A History of Scotland
- Director: Andrew Downes, Tim Neil
- Release Date: 2008
- Production Country: United Kingdom
Scotland may be a tiny nation occupying the northern third of a tiny island in the North Atlantic, but it has a large and unique history of its very own.
Agora
- Director: Alejandro Amenábar
- Release Date: 2009
- Production Country: Spain
In 4th-century pagan Alexandria, Hypatia chooses the independent life of a scientist over marriage to Orestes and is a successful teacher for many years. But as Christianity slowly takes over the city, Hypatia's scientific studies lead to her being charged of witchcraft and, when Orestes, himself now a Christian, hesitates to have her condemned as a witch, the mob takes the matter into their own hands, leaving only a Christian slave whom Hypatia freed years earlier to save her.
Alexander
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Release Date: 2004
- Production Country: Germany, United States, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Italy
Alexander sets out from Macedonia to conquer the world and succeeds.
Alexander the Great
- Director: Robert Rossen
- Release Date: 1956
- Production Country: United States, Spain
Alexander reminds the Greeks his father conquered them, then assumes position at the head of their army to set out and conquer the world.
Ancient Inventions
- Director: Daniel Percival, Phil Grabsky
- Release Date: 1998
- Production Country: United Kingdom, United States
Ex-Monty Python member Terry Jones skewers modern conceits about past scientific and technological innovations, discussing how they are not products of the modern industrial age–in fact, some inventions are quite ancient and some modern science cannot yet be duplicated.
Annibale (Hannibal)
- Director: Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia, Edgar G. Ulmer
- Release Date: 1959
- Production Country: Italy
Despite his military prowess, Hannibal, acclaimed as one of the greatest military geniuses in history, could not save his home city of Carthage from the Roman Empire.
Antony and Cleopatra
- Director: Charlton Heston
- Release Date: 1972
- Production Country: United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland
Summoned back to Rome from Egypt, Antony leaves behind Cleopatra and their torrid affair, only to be told he must marry Octavian's sister; however, as Octavian's power and ego grow, Antony tires of the triumvir's whims and returns to Egypt, taking Cleopatra as his queen and claiming the eastern third of the new Roman Empire as their own–but it is a claim that Octavian cannot let stand if he wants to secure his own hold over his newly proclaimed Roman Empire.
Arrivano i titani (My Son, the Hero)
- Director: Duccio Tessari
- Release Date: 1962
- Production Country: Italy, France
When Cadmus sets himself up in Jove's temple as king of the gods, Jove allows one of his Titan children, Krios, to go free in order to make things right; the prize for his success would mean the freedom for all the Titans—but Krios finds himself falling for the mortal daughter of Cadmus and must decide which is more important to him.
Asoka (Ashoka the Great)
- Director: Santosh Sivan
- Release Date: 2001
- Production Country: India
Young prince Asoka survives two assassination attempts and then, in hiding as a commoner, meets and marries the lovely Kaurwaki. When Kaurwaki is killed, Asoka swears vengeance, battling his way to the Imperial throne, until only one kingdom, Kirgal, stands in his way.
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
- Director: Zacharias Kunuk
- Release Date: 2001
- Production Country: Canada
When personal ambition takes precedence over the collective good of the village, a curse is unleashed upon the residents, the results of which will be played out in the next generation when Atanarjuat wins the hand of the beautiful Atuat despite the fact she was originally promised to the camp leader, Oki, setting in motion a tale of revenge and betrayal that will ultimately either heal or destroy their entire village.
Athens: The Truth About Democracy (Athens: The Dawn of Democracy)
- Director: Timothy Copestake
- Release Date: 2007
- Production Country: United Kingdom
This new perspective on historical Athens discusses the fact that the democratic rights of a few were supported on the backs of many–those female, poor, or enslaved.
Attila the Hun
- Director: Dick Lowry
- Release Date: 2001
- Production Country: United States, Lithuania
Though orphaned as a child, Attila shows exceptional skill in battle and leadership and rises to not only command his own people, but also unite the banners of numerous tribes under his command. And while Attila can respect the genius of Rome's military strategies, it doesn't mean he is going to back away from a battle that will win him a new home for his people.
Attila, il flagello di Dio (Attila)
- Director: Pietro Francisci
- Release Date: 1954
- Production Country: Italy, France
Fearing an invasion by Attila and his Huns, Emperor Valentinian sends his best general to negotiate a peaceful settlement. But his efforts are undermined by the Emperor's sister, Honoria, who thinks sharing a throne with the fierce and ruthless Attila would be far more interesting than living in the weak, civilized empire that Rome has become.
Avvaiyar
- Director: Kothamangalam Subbu
- Release Date: 1953
- Production Country: India
The young orphan Avvaiyar leaves behind wealth and marriage prospects in order to walk the world and preach about the goodness of the Lord Vinayaka. But when a king who sheltered her is murdered, his daughters left penniless and their princely fiance a prisoner, Avvaiyar is the only one who is fearless enough to help—but what can one small woman accomplish with prayer alone?
Barabba (Barabbas)
- Director: Richard Fleischer
- Release Date: 1961
- Production Country: Italy
Freed in place of Jesus of Nazareth, Barabbas suffers from survivor's guilt even as he labors in sulfur mines and the gladiatorial games. Barabbas also survives earthquakes and other disasters, eventually gaining a reputation as the man who cannot die. However, when he falls in with Christians in Rome, he may find his luck coming to an end.
Ben-Hur
- Director: William Wyler
- Release Date: 1959
- Production Country: United States
Falling from wealthy merchant to galley slave, Judah Ben Hur returns to Jerusalem as the adopted son of the rich Roman whose life he saved and is intent on finding his family and punishing the childhood friend who unjustly imprisoned them—but his brief encounters with a strange carpenter from Nazareth may change everything.
Boudica (Warrior Queen)
- Director: Bill Anderson
- Release Date: 2003
- Production Country: United Kingdom, Romania
After her husband, the king, dies, Queen Boudica of the matrilineal Iceni refuses to hand her kingdom over to the Romans who are insisting that, since she has no sons, there are no heirs to the throne—and they're calling in all their loans. Horse-whipped for her insolence and her daughters raped, Queen Boudica embarks upon a bloodthirsty rampage of revenge that almost-but-not-quite changes the face of human history.
Brenno il nemico di Roma (Brennus, Enemy of Rome)
- Director: Giacomo Gentilomo
- Release Date: 1963
- Production Country: Italy
Thanks to the treachery of a Roman citizen, Brennus the Barbarian and his Gauls are victorious in battle against the Romans, sacking and despoiling the famous city; but Rome has one weapon yet in its arsenal: the courageous young Quintus Fabius.