The Fall of Rome (3:12)
Musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis sings about the factors that brought down an empire.
Videos (16)
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The Fall of Rome
The Fall of RomeVideo Clip (3:12)
Video Clip (3:12)
Musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis sings about the factors that brought down an empire.
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Coroner's Report: Plague
Coroner's Report: PlagueVideo Clip (2:37)
Video Clip (2:37)
In the 14th century, a devastating plague known as the Black Death claimed an estimated 75 million lives. How did the people who contracted it know their luck had run out?
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Roots of the Crusades
Roots of the CrusadesVideo Clip (3:15)
Video Clip (3:15)
Crusaders were absolved of sin and promised eternal salvation for fighting the Catholic Church's holy war.
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Richard the Lionheart
Richard the LionheartVideo Clip (3:17)
Video Clip (3:17)
Richard I of England leads the forces of the Third Crusade in a bid to reclaim Jerusalem.
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Origins of the Knights Templar
Origins of the Knights TemplarVideo Clip (3:26)
Video Clip (3:26)
The Knights Templar trace their origins to the Crusades.
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Search for the Holy Lance
Search for the Holy LanceVideo Clip (3:10)
Video Clip (3:10)
During the First Crusade, Christians seek relics like the Holy Lance as symbols that their cause is righteous.
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Saladin
SaladinVideo Clip (3:20)
Video Clip (3:20)
Saladin united Muslim sects against occupying Christian forces during the Crusades.
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The Crusades
The CrusadesVideo Clip (3:08)
Video Clip (3:08)
While the Crusades were not a definitive military success, they helped to bring about the end of the Dark Ages in Europe.
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Duke Godfrey Leads the First Crusade
Duke Godfrey Leads the First CrusadeVideo Clip (3:01)
Video Clip (3:01)
Duke Godfrey was crowned King of Jerusalem after the Christian army expelled the Muslims from the Holy Land.
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King Louis VII Leads the Second Crusade
King Louis VII Leads the Second CrusadeVideo Clip (3:40)
Video Clip (3:40)
King Louis VIII of France leads the Second Crusade to the Holy Land but fails to overcome Muslim opposition.
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Fall of Jerusalem
Fall of JerusalemVideo Clip (3:10)
Video Clip (3:10)
In July 1099, Crusaders lay siege to the Holy City of Jerusalem and attempt to expel its Muslim defenders.
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Birth of the Assassins
Birth of the AssassinsVideo Clip (3:26)
Video Clip (3:26)
Al Salih, heir to the Turkish throne, sends a group known as the Assassins to murder his rival Saladin.
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Ancient Flame Thrower
Ancient Flame ThrowerVideo Clip (2:44)
Video Clip (2:44)
In this Ancient Discoveries video clip, take a look at the Byzantine flame thrower. Thought by most to be a modern day weapon, flame throwers have actually been used for thousands of years. Check out this video to learn more.
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Ancient Hobbyist: Trebuchet
Ancient Hobbyist: TrebuchetVideo Clip (6:39)
Video Clip (6:39)
Ancient Hobbyist teaches us how to make scaled down version of the ancient catapult.
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Hagia Sophia Cathedral: Let There Be Light
Hagia Sophia Cathedral: Let There Be LightVideo Clip (2:40)
Video Clip (2:40)
Take a look at the beautiful and light Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul in this clip from Engineering an Empire. This church has many windows on the east and west sides of the building to let in light, but it also makes the church unstable.
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How Trebuchets Worked
How Trebuchets WorkedVideo Clip (3:54)
Video Clip (3:54)
What is a trebuchet and how does it work? R. Lee Ermey tackles these questions in this clip from "Mail Call".
Photo Galleries (3)
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Roman Leaders and Emperors
Roman Leaders and Emperors(12 Photos)
12 Photos
Examine some of Ancient Rome's most influential leaders and emperors, and discover how they affected this great empire.
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Roman Architecture and Engineering
Roman Architecture and Engineering(13 Photos)
13 Photos
Examine some of Ancient Rome's most spectacular achivements in architecture and engineering, from the Colosseum, to aqueducts, to giant amphitheatres.
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Pests That Changed History
Pests That Changed History(9 Photos)
9 Photos
From the rats that unleashed the Black Plague on 14th-century Europe to the mosquitoes that continue to infect millions with malaria each year, these pesky creatures have played a decisive role in shaping human history.
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