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6 Episodes 2024 - 2024
Episode 1
Destined to fight and die in servitude, a group of rebel Gladiators plot their escape. Led to freedom by none other than the heroic ex-Roman soldier and master of combat, Spartacus, the rebels emerge on Mount Vesuvius. Though their escape is ultimately successful, their life of freedom will be short-lived. What starts as a small hoard of self-liberated slaves grows into a rebellion of tens of thousands. How does the Roman army exploit the rebels' weakness in the final bloody battle? What tactics lead to their undoing? Why did this turn into one of the most violent episodes of slave resistance in history? The rebels ultimately face defeat, but their insurgency leaves a lasting impact on the Roman state, paving the way for a new age of politics.
Episode 2
From the outset of the Roman conquest of Britannia, the flame of rebellion is smouldering. Many of the Celtic tribes are forced to submit to Emperor Claudius, with the exception of the Iceni. Granted their local independence, all remains relatively quiet for over a decade. But with the death of the Iceni King, peace will be shattered. The brutal mistreatment and humiliation of the living monarch by Roman soldiers sparks fury. Celtic Queen, Boudica, ignites an incendiary campaign for vengeance. Tribes resentful of Roman rule gather and form a rampaging horde of tens of thousands, together they ride. Colchester and St. Albany will burn and London will be lost. Boudica's willingness to go toe-to-toe with Roman troops very nearly brings the Roman Empire to its knees. At the Battle of Watling Street, Boudica secures her legacy as a Warrior Queen bringing her people glory even in the face of defeat.
Episode 3
In the wake of the Black Death a labour shortage gives the underclass leverage to demand better wages, but England's involvement in the Hundred Year War has left the treasury empty and Britain's Baron's are sick of paying for it all. Their solution? Levy new taxes against the working class. An act that leaves England's lower ranks on the brink... But one radical leader rises up to mobilize the common people. Wat Tyler organizes an army of peasants, tradesmen and soldiers to march on London, to present King Richard II with a list of grievances. The lower class seemingly have an upper hand, and the King is open to negotiations. But simmering resentments hit a boiling point and the riots quickly turn violent. When the news reaches King Richard II that his subjects are out for blood, he's no longer sympathetic to their cause and ensures Wat Tyler meets a gruesome end.
Episode 4
During the Ancien Régime, France is composed of the Clergy, the Nobility and everyone else...With none of the rights or privileges of the other two, the Third Estate's chance to escape a life of squalor can only come on a tide of change. One that will ultimately bring in a new order, but first comes crashing down in a wave of absolute chaos: war, riots, burning, beheadings, betrayals, looting, conspiracy and outright murder. Once the throng of peasants storm the Bastille to secure gunpowder and weapons, riots readily degenerate into bloodbath. During the Reign of Terror some 17,000 suspected enemies of the revolution will face the guillotine. The nation teeters on the brink between hope and absolute annihilation. Then out of the ashes comes the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The death of the Republic is made official at his coronation, and a cornerstone for France's future dynasty is laid.
Episode 5
After years of fighting arm-in-arm with their British compatriots, American colonists are shocked by stern import duties enacted over the heads of the colonies. Designed to address the crippling national debt of a warring empire, the Sugar Act, Stamp Tax, and Townshend Act incite open rebellion. Though Britain reaffirms her right to tax the colonies, escalating boycotts and an iconic protest in Boston Harbor prompt a brutal crackdown. But in the shadows, the rebels form a government of their own. Leading lights like Adams, Jefferson, and Washington, decry Britain's intolerable acts and rage for freedom. A militia of minutemen and the newly-formed Continental Army prepare for battle. With a single shot fired in Lexington, war begins. Battle lines are drawn as Britain's bitter enemies jump into the fray. After a triumph in Boston, the rebel congress envisions a new future with a revolutionary document. But with victory far from assured, only a daring raid can finally secure American freedom.
Episode 6
A secret society of Russian military officers with dreams of political revolution set out to overthrow the Romanovs by spreading a lie about one Tsar usurping another. But when Tsar Konstantine renounces the throne, opportunity to bring an end to the autocratic government and serfdom begins to close. To seize control of the capital, they plot to split the troops into three units. The tacticians will march on Senate Square, while a separate unit secures the city arsenal at Peter and Paul Fortress, and the rest seize Winter Palace. But only one retired officer is entrusted with the task of assassinating the Tsar. As the day approaches several leaders lose their nerve, several fail to show up, and one will betray them all. Though their mission unravels entirely, their story inspires generations of Russian revolutionaries.