ZED - Ancient Megacities (2024)

At the heart of desert landscapes, once stood three giants, three builders' masterpieces, three symbols of all powerful civilizations: Carthage, Troy and Persepolis.
Their remains testify to their titanic proportions, unique designs and unprecedented constructions. But how did the Carthaginians come to create a cutting-edge hydraulic system? How did Trojans architects construct a city known to be indestructible? How did Darius I, "king of kings", made built one of the largest palatial complexes ever? This series aims to solve the many secrets of these architectural tour-de-force.
Troy, Carthage, and Persepolis: three ancient metropolises, laden with myth and steeped in legend. How did their downfall come about? What secrets can archaeologists still uncover from their ruins today? Through experts' insights, 3D modeling and the use of ultramodern techniques (magnetic resonance, satellite scans, photogrammetry…), Ancient Megacities meticulously explores the sites where once stood these architectural jewels, retraces step by step their construction process and tries to decipher the remaining mysteries about their disappearance.

Part 1: Persepolis: Delusion of Greatness
Persepolis: an ancient metropolis that becomes a myth. In the 6th century BC, the king of the Persian Empire, Darius I, began building this royal city in present-day Iran. Darius designed majestic palaces. A sophisticated irrigation system transformed the area surrounding Persepolis into a fertile oasis—a wonder of the ancient world. How could Alexander the Great bring down such a powerful city?
To consolidate his power and control his vast empire, Darius had a series of majestic palaces built on an artificial terrace. It is a gigantic structure, one of the greatest sites of the ancient world. To irrigate the fields and orchards surrounding the palace complex, the city planners developed one of the most advanced water systems in the ancient world. A pipeline system more than 15 kilometers long brought water from the mountains to the city. Persepolis became a green paradise in the middle of the arid highlands.
Today, archaeological excavations reveal a city larger than ever imagined. What do recent discoveries reveal about the city's true role? Why were centuries of architectural genius destroyed in a matter of hours?

Part 2: Carthage: One City, Two Empires
Carthage: in ancient times, the dazzling capital of the Mediterranean trading power, today a field of ruins in a suburb of Tunis. Why did this important metropolis fall?
Carthage's location on the Mediterranean – at the center of important trade routes – was strategically ideal. The seafaring Carthaginians ruled the Mediterranean at that time. The remains of their architecturally sophisticated harbor complex are still visible today. During the Third Punic War, the Romans conquered and destroyed the city in 146 BC. As Carthage flourished again within the Roman Empire, imposing buildings such as the Baths of Antonius Pius and an amphitheater were built. The 135-kilometer-long aqueduct, which supplies the city with water, also went down in history as an ingenious Roman construction.
Today, Byrsa hill showcases intertwined Punic and Roman relics, symbolizing Carthage's enduring legacy linking two civilizations. Phoenicians and Romans, two civilizations eternally connected in the ruins of Carthage on the Mediterranean.

Part 3: Troy: Birth of a Myth
Myth or legend? The city of Troy is said to have been the scene of a legendary conflict: Greeks versus Trojans. But did the Trojan War actually take place?
Troy – supposedly destroyed and rebuilt nine times – was one of the wealthiest metropolises in the region. Archaeologists discovered a legendary treasure in the ruins, protected by massive fortress walls. The fall of Troy, however, remains a great mystery. Troy's history is that of a small village that became one of the best-fortified cities of antiquity. Archaeologists believe the remains are located on the hill of Hisarlık Tepe in northwestern Turkey. Its strategic location at the entrance to the Black Sea made Troy a major power in the Mediterranean. To protect themselves from attacks, the Trojans built a gigantic fortress wall – according to legend, the work of the gods. It demonstrates how rich and powerful its inhabitants were.
How did the fall of this great city come about? How were the Greeks able to break through the sophisticated defenses? Archaeologists are trying to understand what happened back then based on skeletal remains and projectile traces.