Gregory S. Aldrete

What distinguished Rome from neighboring city-states was the republic's dogged persistence in matters of war. Watch as the Romans conquered neighboring territories to gain control of the entire Italian peninsula - and witness defeats against the Gauls to the north and the Greeks to the east. See how the Romans treated those it conquered.

Just when the Roman Empire seemed on the verge of collapse, a series of hard-headed, practical emperors managed to rescue it. Follow the astonishing story of how these men, led by the reformer Diocletian, drove back the barbarians and stabilized the faltering Empire.

Continue your study of everyday Romans with a look at the epitaphs on their tombstones. While elaborate tombs were reserved for the very rich, people of all social classes had their thoughts and stories inscribed on tombstones. You will also explore how the Romans buried their dead.

By 133 B.C.E., Roman society was beginning to unravel. Veterans who had lost their fortunes in war, farmers who had lost their land, and neighboring citizens who had been conquered were all disgruntled. Factionalism was starting to emerge within the Roman government. These tensions began to wear away at the republic and attempted reform came from one of the most privileged Roman families.

While the western half of the Roman Empire had clearly collapsed by the end of the 5th century, the eastern Romans in the Byzantine Empire flourished for another thousand years. Visit the world of Constantinople, meet fascinating figures such as Justinian and Theodora, and see what made the Byzantine Empire so successful.

Witness the transition from the monarchy to the republic - a new era of government that would carry the city through half a millennium. Wade through the mythology and propaganda, as well as Roman historical sources such as the author Livy, to reconstruct how the transition happened, and what the new republic looked like.

Although the Romans had seen great military and political victory, they were still provincial in many ways until they conquered the Greeks. At that point, Greek civilization entered and began to influence the Romans in unexpected ways. But, as you'll learn, the Roman expansion beyond Italy may have been something of an accident.

Continue your study of ordinary Romans - this time with a look at the life of children, which could be quite brutal by today's standards. Learn about their toys and games, and then turn to the system of education. Finally, take a look at the Roman system of timekeeping, which organized the days, months, and years.

Generations of historians have struggled over - and disagreed about - the fundamental questions of when and why the Roman Empire fell. This episode critically evaluates a wide range of possible answers to these complex and enduring questions.

Roman literature had its roots in Greek influences, but by the time of the Empire, Roman writers had come into their own. The works you will study include the fiery rhetoric of Cicero; the poetry of Horace and Ovid; and Virgil's epic about Rome's founding, the Aeneid. You'll also review histories, technical works, and writings on Christianity.