TVF - Ancient Splendours of Rome (2013)

When it comes to the mighty Empire of Rome, surely its greatest gift to posterity is the Colosseum that still commands the awe and admiration of people all over the world to this day. Built with 1 million bricks laid by the hands of 30,000 slaves, the Colosseum forced the Roman Genius to develop all-new building techniques which continue to benefit architects today. But it was also a tool used by clever emperors to manipulate public opinion in their favor.
However, not every aspect of Roman history is quite so triumphant: The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79 - an eruption so violent as to send clouds of ash soaring to a height of 20 miles, and to spew out 1.5 million tons of volcanic debris with each second that passed - drew down a veil over the bustling sea port of Pompeii. Encased in solidified volcanic ash, little was known about the fate that befell its inhabitants. Until now.

Part 1: The Colosseum: The Political Stage of Emperors
The first installment of the series centers on the single cultural artifact which best embodies the very pinnacle of Roman ingenuity and ambition - it is the great Colosseum itself. Standing 52 meters tall, with a circumference of 527 meters and a seating capacity of 50,000, and requiring 1 million bricks and 30,000 slaves to complete, it was an architectural miracle that required cutting-edge innovations in the engineering technology of the time in order to bring about its realization. It is estimated that during the opening ceremony (which lasted for 100 consecutive days) no fewer than 5,000 animals were slain in gladiatorial contests and, of course, many gladiators were also sacrificed for the pleasure of the spectating public.
But, more than being an awe-inspiring array of facts and figures, the Colosseum was the platform which shrewd emperors used to build a loyal support base amongst the regular citizens of Rome, without which their enjoyment of the title of Emperor was likely to be short-lived.

Part 2: Pompeii: The Remnants of an Empire
It had been almost like a benevolent guardian, holding the bustling sea port of Pompeii in its strong embrace and sharing its mineral wealth with the farming community, until one day Mt. Vesuvius erupted in a paroxysm of fire and fury, wiping this coastal outcrop of Roman civilization off the map for all eternity. Or so it seemed.
However, around 300 years ago, excavations revealed that not everything had been destroyed, and that many artifacts of historical import still remained. And yet one thing continued to puzzle archaeologists: why were there no human remains to speak of? It wasn't until Giuseppe Fiorelli, a professor at the University of Rome, struck upon the idea of pouring plaster into the mysterious cavities that punctuated the casing of volcanic ash which had served to protect the star-crossed city, thus revealing the agonized death-masks of its hapless residents, that we learned just what fate had befallen them.