1
00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:28,560
Thousands of years ago, ancient powers
ruled our world.

2
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,040
Egypt.

3
00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:35,120
China.

4
00:00:36,220 --> 00:00:37,220
India.

5
00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:38,880
Greece.

6
00:00:39,660 --> 00:00:40,960
And Rome.

7
00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:47,020
Players in a high -stakes game of
strategy and luck.

8
00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:52,380
Success will bring them wealth and
immortality.

9
00:00:54,830 --> 00:00:58,070
failure, oblivion, and death.

10
00:01:00,290 --> 00:01:06,970
In their battle for survival, each
civilization will face the same

11
00:01:06,970 --> 00:01:07,970
challenges.

12
00:01:09,190 --> 00:01:12,890
How they respond will shape their
destiny.

13
00:01:20,830 --> 00:01:25,020
In this episode, Kill or be killed.

14
00:01:29,620 --> 00:01:35,920
In a world where enemies watch for
weakness, our ancient powers must use

15
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:41,260
their strength and cunning to defend
their people and conquer new lands.

16
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,480
Who will rise to the challenge of the
battlefield?

17
00:02:06,510 --> 00:02:13,370
Our ancient powers have settled, built
their cities, exploited their natural

18
00:02:13,370 --> 00:02:19,490
resources, and are getting rich through
trade.

19
00:02:22,250 --> 00:02:26,090
Now, each must protect their lands from
aggressive neighbors.

20
00:02:51,530 --> 00:02:55,370
Greece is home to hundreds of
independent city -states.

21
00:02:56,170 --> 00:02:58,670
They exist as competing alliances.

22
00:03:01,770 --> 00:03:05,510
But collectively, they are becoming a
distinctive culture.

23
00:03:06,850 --> 00:03:10,930
It's a flourishing ancient power on the
verge of a golden age.

24
00:03:13,750 --> 00:03:15,710
But it's facing a crisis.

25
00:03:17,230 --> 00:03:19,170
To the east is Persia.

26
00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:21,020
the region's dominant force.

27
00:03:22,620 --> 00:03:27,680
It has already conquered nearly 5
million square kilometers of land across

28
00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,300
Mediterranean and Asia.

29
00:03:31,060 --> 00:03:34,200
Now it is turning its attention to
Greece.

30
00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:40,140
The Persian army is a quarter of a
million men strong.

31
00:03:42,540 --> 00:03:47,980
And in the summer of 480 BCE, they
invade mainland Greece.

32
00:03:48,750 --> 00:03:51,850
to confront the Greek forces here.

33
00:04:05,270 --> 00:04:08,730
Back then, the landscape was entirely
different.

34
00:04:09,070 --> 00:04:13,110
The coastline was up to the road as we
see it today.

35
00:04:25,130 --> 00:04:29,770
The small Greek army is vastly
outnumbered, and no, they don't stand a

36
00:04:31,330 --> 00:04:33,650
They must retreat and regroup.

37
00:04:34,370 --> 00:04:38,570
But how can they do this against such a
formidable aggressor?

38
00:04:41,930 --> 00:04:45,350
To buy them time, one unit must stay and
fight.

39
00:04:46,510 --> 00:04:49,290
These need to be the Greeks' fiercest
warriors.

40
00:04:50,970 --> 00:04:53,930
The obvious choice is the Spartans.

41
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,680
led by their king, Leonidas.

42
00:05:01,220 --> 00:05:06,680
Sparta is one of the few Greek states
with a standing army, and for good

43
00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:13,480
They were in constant fear of slave
revolt, and their army was effectively a

44
00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:18,000
militarized police force whose main
objective was to control that slave

45
00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:19,000
population.

46
00:05:21,420 --> 00:05:24,320
Every Spartan male is a highly skilled
warrior.

47
00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,660
They train constantly and start young.

48
00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:33,940
Spartan children start their training
when they were about seven years of age

49
00:05:33,940 --> 00:05:37,660
and they had to forage for their own
food.

50
00:05:38,220 --> 00:05:44,600
That's why they had to sharpen their
skills in stealth, camouflage and

51
00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:45,600
objects.

52
00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:50,500
They were punished because they were
caught, not because they stole.

53
00:05:51,180 --> 00:05:57,220
And their training could be compared to
the modern special forces courses.

54
00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:04,380
The Spartans' courage and skills are
famous throughout the ancient world.

55
00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,060
Although one aspect of their modern
reputation isn't entirely true.

56
00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:14,980
Legend had it that Spartans fought
naked.

57
00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,500
And this is reinforced by modern people
seeing the statue of Leonidas that has

58
00:06:20,500 --> 00:06:23,160
the artistic concept of heroic nudity.

59
00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:25,580
But that's false.

60
00:06:26,780 --> 00:06:31,220
Fighting naked in ancient close combat
is not a smart thing to do.

61
00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:36,420
Spartans were the most heavily armed
infantry of Greece at that time.

62
00:06:39,220 --> 00:06:41,160
With their fearsome reputation,

63
00:06:42,030 --> 00:06:45,630
The Spartans are Greece's best hope of
holding the Persians at bay.

64
00:06:47,810 --> 00:06:50,110
But they aren't alone at Thermopylae.

65
00:06:55,070 --> 00:06:59,590
Everyone thinks, because of how history
is presented, that there were only 300

66
00:06:59,590 --> 00:07:00,590
Spartans here.

67
00:07:00,930 --> 00:07:06,750
Actually, there was a group between 7
,000 to 8 ,000 men from various city

68
00:07:06,750 --> 00:07:11,920
-states. They all were under the command
of the Spartans who were... the best

69
00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:12,980
warriors of Greece.

70
00:07:14,620 --> 00:07:19,460
King Leonidas positions his men between
the cliffs and the sea.

71
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:26,840
This is a good place to attend because
it was a very narrow spot where a

72
00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:33,120
army could contain a larger army and the
larger army could not count on its

73
00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,120
numerical advantage.

74
00:07:35,340 --> 00:07:38,020
The Persians advance from the north.

75
00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,720
The bloody battle begin.

76
00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:51,660
In the ancient world, hand -to -hand
combat was extremely horrific and very

77
00:07:51,660 --> 00:07:57,620
brutal. The men were tightly packed and
they were shoving the enemy and

78
00:07:57,620 --> 00:07:59,560
puncturing with their spears.

79
00:08:00,220 --> 00:08:05,520
So a number of these men would be losing
their balance, go down.

80
00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:11,260
And the rear ranks would use their
spikes to cure the fallen enemies.

81
00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:21,460
Despite overwhelming odds, the Spartans
hold off the Persian advance for three

82
00:08:21,460 --> 00:08:25,860
days, buying the main Greek army enough
time to retreat.

83
00:08:26,900 --> 00:08:28,360
But it can't last.

84
00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,780
And eventually, the last of them falls.

85
00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:43,559
The Spartan suicide mission allows their
Greek allies to fight another day and

86
00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,520
creates a fearsome military legend.

87
00:08:49,940 --> 00:08:56,120
The Spartans are remembered in history
as the epitome of the disciplined

88
00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:57,120
warrior.

89
00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:03,500
The warrior who stands his ground on the
battlefield no matter what, even if it

90
00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:04,500
costs him his life.

91
00:09:12,810 --> 00:09:16,190
The Greeks defend their homeland with
the ultimate warriors.

92
00:09:21,610 --> 00:09:27,950
In China, a new dynasty is turning to
technology in its fight for supremacy.

93
00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:55,540
The Shang Dynasty have ruled China for
500 years.

94
00:09:56,100 --> 00:10:01,180
Their territory extends over 1 .2
million square kilometers.

95
00:10:02,180 --> 00:10:05,420
But to the west, rebellion is brewing.

96
00:10:07,620 --> 00:10:11,680
The Zhou people, greedy for power, are
mobilizing.

97
00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:15,980
But their army is outnumbered ten to
one.

98
00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,380
What can they do to even the odds?

99
00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:28,120
The Joe put their faith in new
battlefield technology.

100
00:10:29,740 --> 00:10:32,980
Revealed in the giant tomb of a warrior
king.

101
00:10:48,180 --> 00:10:53,100
The Marquis Cyan is buried surrounded by
all the things that made him great.

102
00:10:54,430 --> 00:10:57,710
Weapons, armor, and dozens of horses.

103
00:10:59,530 --> 00:11:03,630
But pride of play is reserved for his
fleet of war chariots.

104
00:11:45,990 --> 00:11:50,530
War chariots like these are a
revolutionary addition to the Zhou's

105
00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:58,260
There are usually three people in the
car. The one in the middle is called

106
00:11:58,260 --> 00:11:59,640
Yuzhong. He drives the car.

107
00:12:00,060 --> 00:12:03,800
On the right side of Yuzhong, this
person is called Rongyou.

108
00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:05,960
Rongyou is the one who carries long
weapons.

109
00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,200
For example, the one who carries this
kind of grid or fur.

110
00:12:09,780 --> 00:12:11,700
What is the person on the left side of
Yuzhong doing?

111
00:12:12,140 --> 00:12:14,240
He is carrying short weapons and bows.

112
00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:16,940
He will shoot enemies from a distance.

113
00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:26,060
The Zhou's bid for glory comes to a head
on the banks of the Yellow River.

114
00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:35,120
Led by just 300 chariots, they face down
the vast Shang army.

115
00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:50,300
The Zhou chariots lead the charge and
smash into the mass ranks of Shang

116
00:12:50,300 --> 00:12:51,300
infantry.

117
00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:01,980
In the chaos, the Shang are easy
pickings for the advancing Zhou, who

118
00:13:01,980 --> 00:13:04,940
entire Shang army in a single day.

119
00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:20,440
Victorious, the Zhou are now China's new
leaders, building a dynasty that will

120
00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:25,640
rule for almost eight centuries, the
longest ever in China's history.

121
00:13:34,380 --> 00:13:40,900
for the Chinese new weapons technology
is key in the battle for control

122
00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:47,800
in India they turn to a very different
weapon to save

123
00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,180
themselves from destruction

124
00:14:07,370 --> 00:14:09,030
India is under threat.

125
00:14:10,210 --> 00:14:14,530
The most aggressive fighters on Earth
are gathering on its northern borders.

126
00:14:16,750 --> 00:14:18,490
The Macedonians.

127
00:14:20,610 --> 00:14:23,470
They want India for their growing
empire.

128
00:14:24,450 --> 00:14:26,910
Few have withstood their attacks.

129
00:14:27,710 --> 00:14:31,310
But one Indian kingdom has a secret
weapon.

130
00:14:50,510 --> 00:14:53,610
You cannot understand the history of the
Indian subcontinent unless you

131
00:14:53,610 --> 00:14:55,550
understand the history of the elephant.

132
00:14:58,390 --> 00:15:05,070
Indian societies, cultures, states,
civilization would not exist if not for

133
00:15:05,070 --> 00:15:06,070
elephant.

134
00:15:12,070 --> 00:15:16,490
Sacred and revered, elephants are
worshipped as gods.

135
00:15:18,730 --> 00:15:23,030
But can the Indians unleash this
animal's dark side to protect their

136
00:15:28,390 --> 00:15:32,690
These enormous creatures are capable of
such gentleness.

137
00:15:34,750 --> 00:15:39,110
But they're also, when provoked, capable
of absolutely terrifying acts of

138
00:15:39,110 --> 00:15:40,110
destruction.

139
00:15:40,850 --> 00:15:45,650
Elephants seem perfectly designed for
war, capable of charging the enemy.

140
00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,800
breaking their ranks and instilling
terror.

141
00:15:52,020 --> 00:15:56,700
They are put to the test in a battle on
the banks of the Hydaspis River in

142
00:15:56,700 --> 00:15:57,860
modern -day Punjab.

143
00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:09,500
200 elephants lead the charge,
petrifying the battle -hardened

144
00:16:10,380 --> 00:16:12,820
But the advantage doesn't last long.

145
00:16:14,030 --> 00:16:18,810
Poor training and inadequate armor mean
many of the elephants suffer crippling

146
00:16:18,810 --> 00:16:19,810
injuries.

147
00:16:21,510 --> 00:16:26,950
Frightened and in pain, they go berserk,
trampling their own soldiers.

148
00:16:28,550 --> 00:16:30,190
Defeat swiftly follows.

149
00:16:34,330 --> 00:16:38,290
This leaves the Indians with a
challenge.

150
00:16:40,349 --> 00:16:43,930
They need a new way to unlock the
elephant's destructive potential.

151
00:16:47,110 --> 00:16:51,950
These are highly intelligent, highly
sensitive, very social animals.

152
00:16:53,510 --> 00:16:55,730
You can't treat them like a chariot.

153
00:16:56,690 --> 00:17:01,190
You need to treat them like elite
warriors, like nobles, like kings even.

154
00:17:01,910 --> 00:17:04,910
All of them need to be trained in unique
ways. All of them have different

155
00:17:04,910 --> 00:17:07,670
preferences in terms of the kind of food
that they might want to eat.

156
00:17:08,140 --> 00:17:11,180
And these animals consume hundreds of
kilograms of food a day.

157
00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:14,660
The key is training.

158
00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,740
Both elephants and riders must learn the
art of war.

159
00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,119
They were taught how to attack dummies.
They were taught to charge on command,

160
00:17:26,260 --> 00:17:28,860
move on the battlefield, attack in
particular ways.

161
00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:33,120
And they invested in this in an
absolutely massive way.

162
00:17:33,660 --> 00:17:38,340
The elephants were possibly the single
biggest item of expenditure for the

163
00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:43,300
But there was a clear sense that even
though an elephant takes a lot of money

164
00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:47,960
upkeep, they more than make up for it
with their enormous capabilities on the

165
00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:48,960
battle.

166
00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,720
But training alone isn't enough.

167
00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:57,780
To become effective weapons, the
elephants also need protection.

168
00:18:01,550 --> 00:18:04,810
As time goes on, we begin to see
depictions of elephants wearing armor of

169
00:18:04,810 --> 00:18:08,330
overlapping plates. That would have
allowed them a great deal of flexibility

170
00:18:08,330 --> 00:18:12,490
maneuverability in combat, as well as
providing protection from projectiles,

171
00:18:12,530 --> 00:18:16,310
flashing weapons, as well as piercing
weapons like spears.

172
00:18:19,770 --> 00:18:24,630
We also begin to see that they're
provided with infantry escorts and

173
00:18:24,630 --> 00:18:28,610
guards to ensure that their advance to
and retreat from the battlefield is

174
00:18:28,610 --> 00:18:29,610
better covered.

175
00:18:31,340 --> 00:18:35,400
The last piece in the jigsaw is a turret
on the elephant's back.

176
00:18:36,140 --> 00:18:40,720
From these, archers can safely rain down
arrows on the enemy.

177
00:18:41,820 --> 00:18:44,200
India's superweapon is complete.

178
00:18:46,380 --> 00:18:48,640
And about to prove its worth.

179
00:18:52,060 --> 00:18:54,640
In 322 BCE,

180
00:18:57,100 --> 00:19:01,560
A new Indian power, the Mauryan Empire,
is on the rise.

181
00:19:11,420 --> 00:19:16,700
The Mauryans assembled a force of
elephants that numbered at least a

182
00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:21,260
if not more. Perhaps the single largest
elephant army the world had ever seen.

183
00:19:21,900 --> 00:19:25,760
And it becomes fundamental to their
success as an ancient power.

184
00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,380
The vast Mauryan elephant army makes
them almost invincible.

185
00:19:34,820 --> 00:19:39,540
Over the next 90 years, they conquer an
empire which stretches from modern -day

186
00:19:39,540 --> 00:19:42,920
Bangladesh in the east to Pakistan in
the west.

187
00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,960
And news of its terrifying new weapon
spreads quickly.

188
00:19:52,590 --> 00:19:56,870
There's a clear recognition from the
ancient powers that the elephants are

189
00:19:56,870 --> 00:20:01,130
tanks of the battlefield, and they
invest extraordinary amounts in getting

190
00:20:01,130 --> 00:20:02,390
hands on these priceless animals.

191
00:20:03,050 --> 00:20:07,110
There's one particular Greek general who
trades his daughter's hand in marriage

192
00:20:07,110 --> 00:20:08,410
for 500 war elephants.

193
00:20:09,770 --> 00:20:14,910
The war elephant helps keep the Mauryans
in power for almost 140 years.

194
00:20:15,770 --> 00:20:21,490
And while India thrives, its superweapon
is adopted across the Middle East,

195
00:20:22,750 --> 00:20:28,110
They spread from the borders of Mauryan
Par in Afghanistan all the way through

196
00:20:28,110 --> 00:20:31,710
Iran into the battlefields of Iraq and
Syria and into North Africa.

197
00:20:32,550 --> 00:20:36,950
Eventually, during the might of Imperial
Rome, they even reached the shores of

198
00:20:36,950 --> 00:20:38,990
Britain and fight in battles near the
Thames River.

199
00:20:39,730 --> 00:20:44,670
And that is the ultimate resounding sign
of the elephant's success.

200
00:20:58,670 --> 00:21:02,870
Indians' control of their living weapon
helps them conquer an empire.

201
00:21:05,770 --> 00:21:11,270
In Egypt, they will use battlefield
technology to defend their borders and

202
00:21:11,270 --> 00:21:13,610
propaganda to create a legend.

203
00:21:32,780 --> 00:21:34,900
Egypt is in its 19th dynasty.

204
00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:41,220
Wealthy and prosperous, it's blessed
with an abundance of natural resources.

205
00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:43,920
Gold.

206
00:21:51,780 --> 00:21:53,040
And stone.

207
00:21:54,580 --> 00:21:57,500
Thanks to trade, it's getting richer.

208
00:21:58,830 --> 00:22:04,370
But as a new young pharaoh, Ramesses II,
takes the throne, Egyptian territory

209
00:22:04,370 --> 00:22:09,430
and trade routes fall into enemy hands,
threatening his kingdom's wealth and

210
00:22:09,430 --> 00:22:10,430
security.

211
00:22:11,570 --> 00:22:14,250
What can he do to win them back?

212
00:22:19,970 --> 00:22:24,710
Ramesses II is perhaps Egypt's most
celebrated pharaoh after Tutankhamen.

213
00:22:24,990 --> 00:22:27,190
He was an extraordinary person.

214
00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:32,020
taller than the average Egyptian by a
lot, and also a fantastic warrior.

215
00:22:33,060 --> 00:22:37,620
But he had an ego, so he really wanted
to make his mark.

216
00:22:38,580 --> 00:22:42,500
And the easiest way for a hothead would
be to go to battle.

217
00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,460
Ramesses' enemy is the new superpower,
the Hittites.

218
00:22:48,460 --> 00:22:51,360
They control the land on Egypt's
northern border.

219
00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,760
The Hittites lived in Anatolia, which is
modern -day Turkey, and they were quite

220
00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:02,420
warlike. They were known for being
brutal and also power -hungry.

221
00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:09,520
Equipped with a huge army, they are
Egypt's greatest threat.

222
00:23:10,220 --> 00:23:15,060
If Ramethes can beat them, he'll kill
two birds with one stone.

223
00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:21,250
Making his name as a warrior pharaoh...
and taking back his valuable trade

224
00:23:21,250 --> 00:23:22,250
territories.

225
00:23:24,250 --> 00:23:29,570
The two forces come face to face at the
city of Kadesh on the Egyptian -Hittite

226
00:23:29,570 --> 00:23:30,570
border.

227
00:23:31,330 --> 00:23:35,570
There would have been about 20 ,000
people on each side, which would have

228
00:23:35,570 --> 00:23:37,070
phenomenally huge.

229
00:23:37,470 --> 00:23:43,330
And this is the first military
engagement ever described properly in

230
00:23:43,330 --> 00:23:44,330
history.

231
00:23:47,890 --> 00:23:53,730
Ramathes records details of the conflict
here at his own temple, the Ramaseum.

232
00:23:54,550 --> 00:24:00,190
He shows both armies are well equipped
with infantry, horses,

233
00:24:00,570 --> 00:24:02,350
and chariots.

234
00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:14,660
Chariots are amazing war machines
because they give you speed, dexterity,

235
00:24:14,660 --> 00:24:18,440
can maneuver much more, and you're also
higher up when you're raining down

236
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:19,440
arrows.

237
00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:29,260
Ramesses Egyptian chariots carry a
charioteer and an archer and are his

238
00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:30,940
strike weapon in any battle.

239
00:24:33,860 --> 00:24:36,920
While the Hittite chariots are bigger
and heavier.

240
00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:38,940
and carry up to three men.

241
00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,780
They were much more cumbersome, and you
can see it in the images here.

242
00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:51,340
So with that added weight, you couldn't
maneuver them as well. They weren't as

243
00:24:51,340 --> 00:24:54,020
fast, and they had a tendency to get
bogged down.

244
00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:03,660
Kadesh will be the biggest chariot
battle in history, with

245
00:25:03,660 --> 00:25:06,340
over 6 ,000 of them facing each other.

246
00:25:07,470 --> 00:25:11,990
But will the lighter Egyptian chariots
give them the edge over their enemy?

247
00:25:17,590 --> 00:25:23,090
As the Egyptian forces approach Kadesh,
Ramesses is impatient to fight.

248
00:25:24,490 --> 00:25:28,010
Young and headstrong, he races ahead of
his army.

249
00:25:28,870 --> 00:25:31,010
But the Hittites lie in wait.

250
00:25:32,980 --> 00:25:38,420
Ramses winds up in the thick of battle,
almost single -handedly. He's left and

251
00:25:38,420 --> 00:25:42,060
right. He could easily have lost Kaddish
and indeed his life.

252
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:46,600
If he hadn't been so stupid as to go
ahead of all of his troops, he might not

253
00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:48,480
have put himself in such vital danger.

254
00:25:49,740 --> 00:25:51,740
And the battle rages on.

255
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,440
The heavier Hittite chariots crash into
each other.

256
00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:01,860
The Egyptian military seems to have been
far better trained, and their chariots

257
00:26:01,860 --> 00:26:03,940
could maneuver better over this terrain.

258
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:09,960
We can see the Egyptian chariots coming
in, cutting off Hittite chariots.

259
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,000
Hittite chariots attacking the
Egyptians.

260
00:26:19,300 --> 00:26:23,240
Amethyst gains the upper hand,
slaughtering thousands.

261
00:26:27,710 --> 00:26:29,690
People are under his wield.

262
00:26:30,030 --> 00:26:31,810
They're crying out for mercy.

263
00:26:33,310 --> 00:26:39,650
The noise, the blood, the flies, the
screams as animals and men went down and

264
00:26:39,650 --> 00:26:41,370
were trampled must have been horrific.

265
00:26:46,490 --> 00:26:52,550
Ramesses seizes his chance and drives
the Hittite army into a nearby river.

266
00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:09,220
But while Ramesses wins this battle, he
doesn't win the war, failing to take

267
00:27:09,220 --> 00:27:10,620
back the city of Kadesh.

268
00:27:12,860 --> 00:27:17,940
Although this confident pharaoh doesn't
let detail get in the way of a good

269
00:27:17,940 --> 00:27:18,940
story.

270
00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:26,000
When he comes back, all of these temples
that he builds and decorates are all

271
00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:31,360
engraved with these extraordinary themes
showing the Battle of Kaddish and his

272
00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:33,700
absolute victory over the Hittites.

273
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:38,680
For him, this was a great thing early on
in his reign as propaganda.

274
00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,520
This is to say, I am a great pharaoh.

275
00:27:45,380 --> 00:27:48,360
Everyone before me, look at me and
tremble.

276
00:27:52,620 --> 00:27:58,400
Throughout Egypt, Ramesses celebrates
his victory and massages his ego.

277
00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:05,580
At Abu Simbel, on Egypt's southern
border, he erects giant statues of

278
00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:11,560
A warning to any potential invaders of
who they are dealing with.

279
00:28:15,980 --> 00:28:19,680
He reigns successfully for another 60
years.

280
00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:23,500
His legend secured by the Battle of
Kadesh.

281
00:28:24,860 --> 00:28:29,680
Ramses would have been absolutely
delighted with his legacy because it

282
00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:31,060
out as he had wanted.

283
00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,340
He is well known. His monuments stand.

284
00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:39,260
People think of him as this
extraordinary, brave warrior.

285
00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,140
Clearly, Kadesh was a major turning
point.

286
00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:56,220
epitomizes who he was and it just set
the tone and formula for his reign

287
00:28:56,220 --> 00:29:05,900
egypt's

288
00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:10,680
chariots bring fame for its pharaoh
warning off foreign invaders

289
00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:17,520
but the ancient chinese must defend
themselves

290
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:18,700
against the enemy

291
00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:20,480
Within.

292
00:29:45,580 --> 00:29:51,080
Nearly 600 years after the Joes' victory
at the Battle of Meubier, their power

293
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,540
has dwindled and fragmented.

294
00:29:55,800 --> 00:30:01,340
With rival warring states locked in
perpetual civil war, each one is

295
00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:03,400
aggressively vying to take control.

296
00:30:06,860 --> 00:30:13,600
Armies are now made up of thousands of
peasants, but in their untrained hands,

297
00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:20,420
The traditional weapon of choice is no
longer fit for purpose.

298
00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:07,100
If one state is to win out, they need a
new simpler weapon.

299
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:14,320
And this is it.

300
00:31:54,199 --> 00:31:57,600
The simple trigger mechanism is the key.

301
00:31:58,540 --> 00:32:04,020
Now, even in untrained hands, the
crossbow is deadly.

302
00:32:28,580 --> 00:32:34,180
The crossbow is a major battlefield
innovation, one that won't be seen

303
00:32:34,180 --> 00:32:36,440
China for a thousand years.

304
00:32:37,189 --> 00:32:42,670
Capable of shooting arrows almost 200
meters, its big test comes at one of the

305
00:32:42,670 --> 00:32:45,110
bloodiest confrontations in history.

306
00:32:48,230 --> 00:32:52,170
The Battle of Changping rages on for
over two years.

307
00:32:53,010 --> 00:32:58,530
Over a million men from two of China's
strongest military powers, the Qin and

308
00:32:58,530 --> 00:33:00,730
the Zhao, fight to the death.

309
00:33:02,230 --> 00:33:04,370
450 ,000 are killed.

310
00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,680
And it's the Qin who have the
technological edge.

311
00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:40,520
After 250 years of civil war, the Qin
are victorious.

312
00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:47,340
They grant greater rights to their
peasant population who won them their

313
00:33:47,780 --> 00:33:52,040
ushering in a new age of prosperity.

314
00:33:57,100 --> 00:34:03,080
Thanks to new military technology, China
is now ruled by a single dynasty.

315
00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:11,380
Far to the west, the Greeks will use
their army to punch far above their

316
00:34:36,620 --> 00:34:41,860
Spartans held the Persians at bay at
Thermopylae, but since that heroic act,

317
00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:45,860
many Greek city -states have fallen to
their Persian foes.

318
00:34:47,860 --> 00:34:51,699
In the far north, one man is plotting
revenge.

319
00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:58,740
He is Philip II,

320
00:34:59,020 --> 00:35:05,580
desperate to take the fight to the
Persians.

321
00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:08,700
He creates an army like no other.

322
00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:16,920
Implementing stricter discipline,
improved training, swifter promotion,

323
00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:18,780
bonuses for exceptional service.

324
00:35:20,260 --> 00:35:22,740
It's a fearsome fighting force.

325
00:35:25,060 --> 00:35:27,580
And Philip leads from the front.

326
00:35:31,420 --> 00:35:36,040
This formidable warrior is protected by
his helmet of iron.

327
00:35:37,190 --> 00:35:39,290
His golden ivory shield.

328
00:35:42,130 --> 00:35:44,690
And a leather and gold breastplate.

329
00:35:47,510 --> 00:35:52,370
In his hand, he wields a leaf -shaped
sword called Cephos.

330
00:35:53,230 --> 00:35:55,530
Perfect for slashing and thrusting.

331
00:35:57,710 --> 00:36:00,470
And Philip isn't just protected by his
armor.

332
00:36:00,930 --> 00:36:03,790
He also believes the gods are on his
side.

333
00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,580
Golden gorgons adorn his tunic.

334
00:36:08,180 --> 00:36:13,320
These mythical beasts possess the power
to turn people to stone and are a

335
00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:14,980
powerful symbol of protection.

336
00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:22,520
The oak leaves and acorns on his crown
go one better, connecting him to Zeus,

337
00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,340
father of all gods and humans.

338
00:36:31,660 --> 00:36:33,280
Philip goes on the march.

339
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:39,640
With his new model army and God -given
charisma, he unifies almost all the

340
00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,260
city -states in just 15 years.

341
00:36:47,740 --> 00:36:49,080
But he wants more.

342
00:36:50,140 --> 00:36:54,200
And he's ready to go head -to -head with
his archenemy to get it.

343
00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,900
But in a twist of faith...

344
00:37:02,380 --> 00:37:03,960
Philip never gets the chance.

345
00:37:06,340 --> 00:37:12,220
On the eve of the invasion, he's
assassinated.

346
00:37:15,460 --> 00:37:18,020
Brutally stabbed by his own bodyguard.

347
00:37:24,740 --> 00:37:29,360
It's now down to his 20 -year -old son
to take the fight to the Persians.

348
00:37:32,140 --> 00:37:38,280
Alexander is a brilliant young general,
famed for his courage and intelligence.

349
00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:46,620
Equipped with his father's formidable
army, he rampages

350
00:37:46,620 --> 00:37:52,260
through Persian territories, liberating
occupied cities,

351
00:37:52,580 --> 00:37:56,880
overcoming violent counterattacks.

352
00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,040
and stealing Egypt from their grasp.

353
00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:12,040
With the Persians defeated, Alexander,
aged just 32, completes

354
00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:13,160
his father's work.

355
00:38:24,380 --> 00:38:28,920
Charismatic leaders and well -trained
troops bring Greece victory.

356
00:38:35,630 --> 00:38:38,210
the Romans will take this to another
level.

357
00:38:38,830 --> 00:38:41,790
To deliver total military domination.

358
00:39:02,190 --> 00:39:05,450
Rome's Republic has existed for 400
years.

359
00:39:06,770 --> 00:39:12,690
It dominates the Italian mainland, much
of southern Europe and parts of North

360
00:39:12,690 --> 00:39:13,690
Africa.

361
00:39:14,810 --> 00:39:17,710
But holding all this land is a struggle.

362
00:39:21,670 --> 00:39:26,330
Invasions and uprisings along its
frontiers stretch their army to its

363
00:39:26,610 --> 00:39:28,970
risking loss of territory.

364
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:32,920
The main problem is the army itself.

365
00:39:34,340 --> 00:39:39,320
A small, part -time force, it disbands
after each campaign.

366
00:39:41,540 --> 00:39:43,560
At that time, they had a militia army.

367
00:39:43,900 --> 00:39:48,300
There was a requirement, you had to be a
landowner, you had to provide your own

368
00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:52,340
equipment. So to be in the army really
was a wealthy man's game.

369
00:39:53,900 --> 00:39:58,800
What Rome needs is a larger, stronger
and more permanent military force.

370
00:40:00,620 --> 00:40:03,920
So it begins to recruit from the poorest
in Roman society.

371
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:10,900
People like absolutely nothing suddenly
have an opportunity at a profession,

372
00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:15,880
which means regular pay, regular meals,
shelter.

373
00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:21,060
From an army that once disbanded at the
end of the campaign and lost all the

374
00:40:21,060 --> 00:40:25,320
experience, now you have guys who are
signed up for 16 years of service.

375
00:40:25,690 --> 00:40:29,550
And that is really one of the key things
that makes Rome the military powerhouse

376
00:40:29,550 --> 00:40:30,550
of antiquity.

377
00:40:34,250 --> 00:40:35,790
Equipment is changing too.

378
00:40:36,250 --> 00:40:40,290
In the past, soldiers had bought their
own armor and weapons.

379
00:40:41,490 --> 00:40:43,290
Now, it's state -funded.

380
00:40:44,350 --> 00:40:48,250
Helmets, chain mail, swords, and spears
are all standard issue.

381
00:40:49,070 --> 00:40:53,310
They also make game -changing
improvements to the iron -plated armor.

382
00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:58,320
gives you a fantastic amount of
flexibility, covers the shoulders,

383
00:40:58,320 --> 00:40:59,460
heart, covers all the organs.

384
00:40:59,960 --> 00:41:03,720
But the most significant change is to
the shields.

385
00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:10,200
Out goes the old round design, which
offered little protection, and in comes

386
00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:12,840
long rectangular shield called a scutum.

387
00:41:13,580 --> 00:41:15,960
It's a revolutionary piece of kit.

388
00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:21,340
It's a fantastic piece of defence. It's
covering the entire body. You can hide

389
00:41:21,340 --> 00:41:23,720
behind it. It gives you a little bit of
visibility over the edge.

390
00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:28,620
And when used with the might of the
sword, it's a deadly combination.

391
00:41:29,240 --> 00:41:33,740
People forget that this is in itself a
weapon. If I'm facing my enemy such as

392
00:41:33,740 --> 00:41:37,800
this, I can shoulder barge into one,
strike the other.

393
00:41:47,100 --> 00:41:52,760
Fully equipped and full time, Rome's
first professional standing army is

394
00:42:07,150 --> 00:42:10,890
But its real strength comes from
improved battlefield organization.

395
00:42:12,150 --> 00:42:18,130
Troops are divided into identical
fighting units of 80 men, called

396
00:42:19,010 --> 00:42:25,290
Six of these make up a cohort, and
multiple cohorts combine to create the

397
00:42:25,290 --> 00:42:30,910
Legion. Working together, it's an almost
unbeatable force.

398
00:42:32,750 --> 00:42:36,850
What they created was this impenetrable
wall of tanks, essentially.

399
00:42:37,070 --> 00:42:42,310
And because they're all dressed in the
uniform, this itself, the image of the

400
00:42:42,310 --> 00:42:45,650
Roman soldier, of the legionary, struck
fear into anybody who crossed them.

401
00:42:54,790 --> 00:43:00,190
Locking shields, the centurions create a
unique defense known as the testudo, or

402
00:43:00,190 --> 00:43:03,940
tortoise. What you see here is like
building a fortress.

403
00:43:04,300 --> 00:43:09,260
They've got good vision, but any arrows
that are raining down, slingshots,

404
00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:10,440
they're well protected.

405
00:43:11,420 --> 00:43:17,060
While the testudo is perfect for
defense, for attack, something else is

406
00:43:17,580 --> 00:43:21,600
This technique is where the Romans
really show how their discipline, their

407
00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:26,180
mentality, their approach to being a
soldier and to war comes into perfect

408
00:43:26,380 --> 00:43:29,220
This is the mutatio. So what you have
is, remember, you've got your line of

409
00:43:29,220 --> 00:43:32,850
soldiers. Right behind you, he's holding
my sword belt, which means that if I go

410
00:43:32,850 --> 00:43:34,630
too far forward, he brings me back.

411
00:43:35,230 --> 00:43:37,550
At a certain point, the whistle is
blown.

412
00:43:38,390 --> 00:43:45,010
I'm thrown to the side. He comes forward
and protects me. I go to the back of

413
00:43:45,010 --> 00:43:45,828
the line.

414
00:43:45,830 --> 00:43:49,510
If I have any injuries, if I'm able to
fight, I get a little bit of food, a

415
00:43:49,510 --> 00:43:52,310
little bit of water. I start back at the
end of the line.

416
00:43:57,399 --> 00:44:01,040
Rome's new professional army makes it
almost invincible.

417
00:44:01,820 --> 00:44:04,600
It secures and expands its territory.

418
00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:12,600
By 107 CE, it's no longer a republic,
but an empire.

419
00:44:13,780 --> 00:44:19,860
And its new emperor, Trajan, has total
European domination in his sights.

420
00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:24,580
Only the Dacians in modern Romania stand
in his way.

421
00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:34,500
Crossing the Danube ahead of a mighty
army, Trajan spends years laying siege

422
00:44:34,500 --> 00:44:35,500
the Dacian capital.

423
00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:42,260
Finally, his forces prevail when the
king takes his own life and the city

424
00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:54,580
To celebrate this military victory,
Trajan erects an intricately carved

425
00:44:54,580 --> 00:44:56,120
in the heart of Rome.

426
00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:04,060
I think what you're looking at is
nothing less than the first example of

427
00:45:04,060 --> 00:45:05,060
cinema.

428
00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:15,320
If you look at it, physically it looks
like a reel of film wrapped around a

429
00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:20,240
pole, and cinema is a great tool,
because at the end of the day, most

430
00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:21,240
illiterate.

431
00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:27,360
This is a chance for them to experience
what's happening on the frontier.

432
00:45:31,310 --> 00:45:34,090
But it's also Trajan saying to people, I
did this.

433
00:45:39,690 --> 00:45:44,110
Trajan's conquest extends Rome's borders
to its greatest extent.

434
00:45:45,350 --> 00:45:51,550
A mighty empire of over five million
square kilometers with tens of millions

435
00:45:51,550 --> 00:45:52,750
people under its yoke.

436
00:45:54,050 --> 00:45:58,630
Rome is at its zenith, thanks to its
powerful new army.

437
00:46:00,990 --> 00:46:05,550
disciplined, regimented, and tactically
perfect, the most brutally efficient

438
00:46:05,550 --> 00:46:08,310
killing machine in the ancient world.

439
00:46:15,790 --> 00:46:21,110
For all the ancient powers, if killed,
will be killed.

440
00:46:22,070 --> 00:46:24,390
But there are different routes to
victory.

441
00:46:26,060 --> 00:46:31,340
The Greeks use unrivaled bravery and
charisma to inspire their people to

442
00:46:39,160 --> 00:46:44,620
Egypt's sparrows consolidate their great
triumphs with propaganda.

443
00:46:47,240 --> 00:46:52,360
China pushes the boundaries of
technology to achieve total domination.

444
00:46:59,600 --> 00:47:05,380
India embraces the value of training to
turn its elephants into living

445
00:47:05,380 --> 00:47:06,380
superweapons.

446
00:47:09,540 --> 00:47:16,400
And Rome employs its legions to build an
empire almost unopposed.

447
00:47:21,460 --> 00:47:28,400
But with their enemies subdued, the next
challenge is to ensure the obedience

448
00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:30,280
of their own people.