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Thousands of years ago, ancient powers
ruled our world.
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Egypt.
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00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:35,120
China.
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00:00:36,220 --> 00:00:37,220
India.
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00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:38,880
Greece.
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And Rome.
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Players in a high -stakes game of
strategy and luck.
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Success will bring them wealth and
immortality.
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failure, oblivion, and death.
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In their battle for survival, each
civilization will face the same
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challenges.
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How they respond will shape their
destiny.
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In this episode, Kill or be killed.
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In a world where enemies watch for
weakness, our ancient powers must use
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their strength and cunning to defend
their people and conquer new lands.
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Who will rise to the challenge of the
battlefield?
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Our ancient powers have settled, built
their cities, exploited their natural
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resources, and are getting rich through
trade.
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Now, each must protect their lands from
aggressive neighbors.
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00:02:51,530 --> 00:02:55,370
Greece is home to hundreds of
independent city -states.
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They exist as competing alliances.
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But collectively, they are becoming a
distinctive culture.
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It's a flourishing ancient power on the
verge of a golden age.
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But it's facing a crisis.
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To the east is Persia.
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the region's dominant force.
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It has already conquered nearly 5
million square kilometers of land across
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Mediterranean and Asia.
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Now it is turning its attention to
Greece.
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The Persian army is a quarter of a
million men strong.
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And in the summer of 480 BCE, they
invade mainland Greece.
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to confront the Greek forces here.
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Back then, the landscape was entirely
different.
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The coastline was up to the road as we
see it today.
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The small Greek army is vastly
outnumbered, and no, they don't stand a
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They must retreat and regroup.
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But how can they do this against such a
formidable aggressor?
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To buy them time, one unit must stay and
fight.
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These need to be the Greeks' fiercest
warriors.
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The obvious choice is the Spartans.
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led by their king, Leonidas.
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Sparta is one of the few Greek states
with a standing army, and for good
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They were in constant fear of slave
revolt, and their army was effectively a
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militarized police force whose main
objective was to control that slave
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population.
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Every Spartan male is a highly skilled
warrior.
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They train constantly and start young.
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Spartan children start their training
when they were about seven years of age
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and they had to forage for their own
food.
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That's why they had to sharpen their
skills in stealth, camouflage and
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objects.
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They were punished because they were
caught, not because they stole.
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And their training could be compared to
the modern special forces courses.
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The Spartans' courage and skills are
famous throughout the ancient world.
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Although one aspect of their modern
reputation isn't entirely true.
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Legend had it that Spartans fought
naked.
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And this is reinforced by modern people
seeing the statue of Leonidas that has
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the artistic concept of heroic nudity.
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But that's false.
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Fighting naked in ancient close combat
is not a smart thing to do.
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Spartans were the most heavily armed
infantry of Greece at that time.
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With their fearsome reputation,
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The Spartans are Greece's best hope of
holding the Persians at bay.
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But they aren't alone at Thermopylae.
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Everyone thinks, because of how history
is presented, that there were only 300
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Spartans here.
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Actually, there was a group between 7
,000 to 8 ,000 men from various city
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-states. They all were under the command
of the Spartans who were... the best
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warriors of Greece.
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King Leonidas positions his men between
the cliffs and the sea.
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This is a good place to attend because
it was a very narrow spot where a
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army could contain a larger army and the
larger army could not count on its
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numerical advantage.
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The Persians advance from the north.
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The bloody battle begin.
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In the ancient world, hand -to -hand
combat was extremely horrific and very
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brutal. The men were tightly packed and
they were shoving the enemy and
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puncturing with their spears.
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So a number of these men would be losing
their balance, go down.
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And the rear ranks would use their
spikes to cure the fallen enemies.
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Despite overwhelming odds, the Spartans
hold off the Persian advance for three
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days, buying the main Greek army enough
time to retreat.
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But it can't last.
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And eventually, the last of them falls.
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The Spartan suicide mission allows their
Greek allies to fight another day and
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creates a fearsome military legend.
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The Spartans are remembered in history
as the epitome of the disciplined
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warrior.
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The warrior who stands his ground on the
battlefield no matter what, even if it
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costs him his life.
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The Greeks defend their homeland with
the ultimate warriors.
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In China, a new dynasty is turning to
technology in its fight for supremacy.
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The Shang Dynasty have ruled China for
500 years.
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Their territory extends over 1 .2
million square kilometers.
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But to the west, rebellion is brewing.
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The Zhou people, greedy for power, are
mobilizing.
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But their army is outnumbered ten to
one.
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What can they do to even the odds?
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The Joe put their faith in new
battlefield technology.
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Revealed in the giant tomb of a warrior
king.
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The Marquis Cyan is buried surrounded by
all the things that made him great.
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Weapons, armor, and dozens of horses.
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But pride of play is reserved for his
fleet of war chariots.
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War chariots like these are a
revolutionary addition to the Zhou's
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There are usually three people in the
car. The one in the middle is called
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Yuzhong. He drives the car.
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On the right side of Yuzhong, this
person is called Rongyou.
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Rongyou is the one who carries long
weapons.
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For example, the one who carries this
kind of grid or fur.
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What is the person on the left side of
Yuzhong doing?
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He is carrying short weapons and bows.
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He will shoot enemies from a distance.
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The Zhou's bid for glory comes to a head
on the banks of the Yellow River.
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Led by just 300 chariots, they face down
the vast Shang army.
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The Zhou chariots lead the charge and
smash into the mass ranks of Shang
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infantry.
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In the chaos, the Shang are easy
pickings for the advancing Zhou, who
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entire Shang army in a single day.
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Victorious, the Zhou are now China's new
leaders, building a dynasty that will
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rule for almost eight centuries, the
longest ever in China's history.
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for the Chinese new weapons technology
is key in the battle for control
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in India they turn to a very different
weapon to save
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themselves from destruction
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India is under threat.
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The most aggressive fighters on Earth
are gathering on its northern borders.
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The Macedonians.
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They want India for their growing
empire.
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Few have withstood their attacks.
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But one Indian kingdom has a secret
weapon.
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You cannot understand the history of the
Indian subcontinent unless you
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understand the history of the elephant.
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Indian societies, cultures, states,
civilization would not exist if not for
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elephant.
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Sacred and revered, elephants are
worshipped as gods.
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But can the Indians unleash this
animal's dark side to protect their
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These enormous creatures are capable of
such gentleness.
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But they're also, when provoked, capable
of absolutely terrifying acts of
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destruction.
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Elephants seem perfectly designed for
war, capable of charging the enemy.
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breaking their ranks and instilling
terror.
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They are put to the test in a battle on
the banks of the Hydaspis River in
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modern -day Punjab.
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200 elephants lead the charge,
petrifying the battle -hardened
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But the advantage doesn't last long.
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Poor training and inadequate armor mean
many of the elephants suffer crippling
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injuries.
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Frightened and in pain, they go berserk,
trampling their own soldiers.
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Defeat swiftly follows.
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This leaves the Indians with a
challenge.
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They need a new way to unlock the
elephant's destructive potential.
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These are highly intelligent, highly
sensitive, very social animals.
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You can't treat them like a chariot.
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You need to treat them like elite
warriors, like nobles, like kings even.
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All of them need to be trained in unique
ways. All of them have different
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preferences in terms of the kind of food
that they might want to eat.
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And these animals consume hundreds of
kilograms of food a day.
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The key is training.
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Both elephants and riders must learn the
art of war.
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They were taught how to attack dummies.
They were taught to charge on command,
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move on the battlefield, attack in
particular ways.
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And they invested in this in an
absolutely massive way.
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The elephants were possibly the single
biggest item of expenditure for the
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But there was a clear sense that even
though an elephant takes a lot of money
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upkeep, they more than make up for it
with their enormous capabilities on the
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battle.
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But training alone isn't enough.
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To become effective weapons, the
elephants also need protection.
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As time goes on, we begin to see
depictions of elephants wearing armor of
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overlapping plates. That would have
allowed them a great deal of flexibility
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maneuverability in combat, as well as
providing protection from projectiles,
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flashing weapons, as well as piercing
weapons like spears.
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We also begin to see that they're
provided with infantry escorts and
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guards to ensure that their advance to
and retreat from the battlefield is
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better covered.
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The last piece in the jigsaw is a turret
on the elephant's back.
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From these, archers can safely rain down
arrows on the enemy.
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India's superweapon is complete.
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And about to prove its worth.
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In 322 BCE,
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A new Indian power, the Mauryan Empire,
is on the rise.
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The Mauryans assembled a force of
elephants that numbered at least a
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if not more. Perhaps the single largest
elephant army the world had ever seen.
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And it becomes fundamental to their
success as an ancient power.
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The vast Mauryan elephant army makes
them almost invincible.
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Over the next 90 years, they conquer an
empire which stretches from modern -day
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Bangladesh in the east to Pakistan in
the west.
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And news of its terrifying new weapon
spreads quickly.
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There's a clear recognition from the
ancient powers that the elephants are
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tanks of the battlefield, and they
invest extraordinary amounts in getting
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hands on these priceless animals.
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There's one particular Greek general who
trades his daughter's hand in marriage
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for 500 war elephants.
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The war elephant helps keep the Mauryans
in power for almost 140 years.
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And while India thrives, its superweapon
is adopted across the Middle East,
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They spread from the borders of Mauryan
Par in Afghanistan all the way through
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Iran into the battlefields of Iraq and
Syria and into North Africa.
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Eventually, during the might of Imperial
Rome, they even reached the shores of
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Britain and fight in battles near the
Thames River.
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And that is the ultimate resounding sign
of the elephant's success.
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Indians' control of their living weapon
helps them conquer an empire.
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In Egypt, they will use battlefield
technology to defend their borders and
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propaganda to create a legend.
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Egypt is in its 19th dynasty.
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00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:41,220
Wealthy and prosperous, it's blessed
with an abundance of natural resources.
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Gold.
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And stone.
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Thanks to trade, it's getting richer.
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00:21:58,830 --> 00:22:04,370
But as a new young pharaoh, Ramesses II,
takes the throne, Egyptian territory
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and trade routes fall into enemy hands,
threatening his kingdom's wealth and
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security.
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What can he do to win them back?
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Ramesses II is perhaps Egypt's most
celebrated pharaoh after Tutankhamen.
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He was an extraordinary person.
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taller than the average Egyptian by a
lot, and also a fantastic warrior.
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But he had an ego, so he really wanted
to make his mark.
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And the easiest way for a hothead would
be to go to battle.
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Ramesses' enemy is the new superpower,
the Hittites.
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They control the land on Egypt's
northern border.
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00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:56,760
The Hittites lived in Anatolia, which is
modern -day Turkey, and they were quite
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warlike. They were known for being
brutal and also power -hungry.
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Equipped with a huge army, they are
Egypt's greatest threat.
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If Ramethes can beat them, he'll kill
two birds with one stone.
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Making his name as a warrior pharaoh...
and taking back his valuable trade
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territories.
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The two forces come face to face at the
city of Kadesh on the Egyptian -Hittite
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border.
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00:23:31,330 --> 00:23:35,570
There would have been about 20 ,000
people on each side, which would have
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phenomenally huge.
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And this is the first military
engagement ever described properly in
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00:23:43,330 --> 00:23:44,330
history.
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Ramathes records details of the conflict
here at his own temple, the Ramaseum.
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He shows both armies are well equipped
with infantry, horses,
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00:24:00,570 --> 00:24:02,350
and chariots.
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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.
41258
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