Documentariesabout ancient civilizations are some of the most interesting, with several of them being engaging docuseries that keep viewers invested all the way through. Manydocumentaries like the Brat Pack documentary drop incredible reveals, teaching viewers and fans alike things they might not have known before. Viewers can findincredible documentaries on Amazon Prime, as well as other platforms, as there is no shortage of non-fiction content to watch.
There are documentaries about a variety of subjects, with topics ranging from grounded science todocumentaries about the paranormal. Still, ancient civilization is something that manages to fascinate viewers throughout the decades, with several documentaries on these subjects going back years and years. Still, there are new discoveries being made every day, with docuseries being made to teach about these age-old civilizations.
10Africa’s Great Civilizations (2017)
PBS Connects Africa’s Past To The Present
The history of Africa is something so often overlooked by modern-day historians, andAfrica’s Great Civilizationsseeks to rectify this. Told over the course of six hour-long episodes, the series goes into detail about the history of Africa across the entire continent. It documents around 200,000 years of history in total, showing everything from the origins of the African nation to the great kingdoms that rose and fell across the ages.
Praised for how it keeps the viewer hooked,Africa’s Great Civilizationsexplains the history of Africa without dramatizing too much. It walks a fine line, being instructive and also entertaining.This series was originally introduced at the United Nations, showing how much this documentary seeks to unite people across cultures.
9Meet The Romans With Mary Beard (2012)
This Docuseries Details The Lives Of Ordinary Romans
Slowly unfolding over the course of three episodes,Meet the Romans with Mary Beardfocuses somewhere many documentaries seem to forget. Instead of tackling the lives of famous emperors and detailing bloody wars,Beard instead focuses on the lives of everyday Romans during the years of the Roman Empire. This series covers topics such as family life and crime in the city, allowing viewers to have a more intimate understanding of what life must have been like during this time.
Mary Beard has appeared in several BBC documentary productions, includingCivilisations,Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town,andLockdown Culture.
As the series progresses, Beard visits the places mentioned throughout the series in the modern day, juxtaposing them between what they were like then and what they look like now. Things have changed, but not as much as one might think. Though it originally aired in 2012, it last aired on BBC in 2020.
8Civilisations (2018)
The BBC Focuses On Ancient Art In This Docuseries
Though there are many documentaries that examine the ancient world, there are few that focus specifically on the art created during these periods.Civilisationshas chosen to focus on art, examining different topics in each episode. These topics can range from everything including creation stories to depictions of nature, showing how each culture views life through a different lens.
Full of beautiful footage and rich depictions of the ancient world,Civilisationsemphasizes the beauty that can be found through knowledge of the past. Each artwork is carefully chosen, and it seems as though the production truly cared about setting the information of the docuseries in a setting that is enjoyable to watch and learn about. Each episode is self-contained, allowing for viewers to either pick and choose what they want to learn or binge right through.
7Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit (2016)
Mary Beard Takes Another Look At The Roman Empire
Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limitis another BBC miniseries spearheaded by Mary Beard. Similar to her work onMeet the Romans with Mary Beard,this series takes a unique approach of teaching Roman history by choosing to challenge the myths surrounding the Empire.It does so over the course of four information packed episodes, with each tackling a different facet of Roman history.
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Throughout the series, Beard visits several famous Roman sites, such as the Colosseum. She examines artifacts and personal histories, going into great detail on each while expelling rumors and misinformation. The series does a great job of thoroughly debunking common thought, taking great caution to make sure everything is right.
6Terry Jones' Barbarians (2006)
Another BBC Production Challenges The View Of The Barbarian
Written and presented by comedian and historian Tony Jones of Monty Python fame,Tony Jones' Barbariansseeks to examine what the cultures surrounding the Romans were actually like. Because history’s opinion of these people have been clouded by Roman Catholic thought, Jones shows what these people were actually like. In doing so, he challenges the notion of what “barbarian” truly means to history.
A companion book to the series, also titledTony Jones' Barbarians,was released when the series ended in June 2006.
Each of the series' four episodes elaborates on a different group of people.These cultures include the Celts and the Ancient Greeks, detailing how Roman stereotypes have persisted to the modern day. The miniseries is an eye-opening one, showing that the world has not always been as modern society has known it to be.
5Egypt’s Golden Empire (2001)
PBS Brings Egyptian Civilization To Life In This Miniseries
Ancient Egypt is a popular topic among historians, makingEgypt’s Golden Empirea must-watch for anyone interested in the time period. The four-episode docuseries examines the time period through letters and testimonies of people at the time, taking a look into their lives through their own words. It is beautifully realized, depicting Ancient Egypt as a time of glory.
Reviews ofEgypt’s Golden Empirehave described the series as a beautiful but ultimately flawed masterpiece, praising the details such as ancient letters depicted in the series but doubting some of its historical authenticity.
Reviews ofEgypt’s Golden Empirehave described the series as a beautiful but ultimately flawed masterpiece, praising the details such as ancient letters depicted in the series but doubting some of its historical authenticity. The visuals in this series are great, especially for a series published in 2001.However, much of what is presented in the series is speculation.
4The Celts: Blood, Iron, And Sacrifice (2015)
This Miniseries Fleshes Out Celtic Society
The Celts: Blood, Iron, and Sacrificeis another docuseries that seeks to right the misinformation about the people surrounding Rome that has been perpetuated by Roman society.However, instead of the scattershot approach favored byTony Jones' Barbarians, The Celts: Blood, Iron, and Sacrificeinstead chooses to focus on Celtic society. It, too, portrays this civilization as advanced rather than barbaric, showing the truth lingering behind history’s lies.
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Upon examining Celtic tribal society, this miniseries finds a sophisticated civilization that influenced the world around them. The series digs into how the Celts affected the world, going into detail about how they lived. They were not a people on the fringes of Europe, but rather a central part of the continent’s modern identity.
3Ancient Apocalypse (2022-2024)
Netflix’s Theory-Based Documentary Is A Controversial One
Ancient Apocalypseis known for being controversial, presenting theories about the ancient world that can often seem far-fetched at times.This series is based on the notion that there might have been an advanced civilization during the last Ice Age.This theory is presented by writer Graham Hancock, whose passion for his theory is part of what makes the series so entertaining to watch.
Ancient Apocalypse
Cast
Journalist Graham Hancock travels the globe hunting for evidence of mysterious, lost civilizations dating back to the last Ice Age.
Though the theory itself may seem wild to viewers, the series does go over plenty of ancient history. Hancock has been noted as saying he believes archaeologists are covering up his evidence, and presented his show along with Keanu Reeves inAncient Apocalypse’s second season. This, coupled with the fascinating theory at the center of the series, makes the series worth a watch for the drama alone.
2Epic Warrior Women (2018-2022)
This Series Follows Women Warriors Across Cultures
In a world where men have classically been associated with war and battle,Epic Warrior Womentells the tale of the women who have held these roles throughout history. This series features six episodes, with each detailing a different civilization and the warrior women that lived there. These civilizations include the likes of the Amazons, the Vikings, and even the Samurai.
Shown at several different film festivals and educational conferences,Epic Warrior Womentells the story of these women with style.The series uses dramatizations to depict ancient life, doing so realistically. The lives of these women are not watered down or stylized, makingEpic Warrior Womenan engaging docuseries to watch.
1Engineering An Empire (2005-2007)
This History Channel Series Shows What It Took To Build The World’s Ancient Marvels
Examining the different structures built around the world during ancient times,Engineering an Empiretakes an engineer’s approach to teaching history.Each episode shows a different civilization and focuses on a different structure, then thoroughly goes through how ancient people might have built that structure.Episodes go over architectural marvels such as those found in Rome and Egypt, really showing the viewer how amazing these builds are.
The series is hosted by Peter Weller, the actor who played the original RoboCop. He had recently received a master’s degree in Roman and Renaissance Art when this series was created.
The series is a highly reviewed one, even receiving Emmy Awards for its episode on Rome. These Emmy Awards praise the series' editing as well as its quality as a nonfiction special, showing the care that went into the creation of these episodes. The series uses both CGI and live-action to recreate the creation of these engineering masterpieces, and in doing so has created adocumentaryseries that is both educational and fun to watch.
