Episode 3 | The Silk Road

Episode 1 | The Silk Road

Sam Willis traces the story of the famous trade route. He explores Venice's Renaissance architecture and art before travelling to the beginning of ...

Episode 2 | The Silk Road

Sam Willis travels west to Central Asia, a place of major innovations, big historical characters and a people - the Sogdians - whose role was pivot...

02: The Chinese | What the Ancients Did for Us

Adam Hart-Davis builds and tests some of the most extraordinary inventions from the ancient Chinese world.

05: The Last Empire | The Story of China

Michael Wood looks at China's Qing empire, which lasted from 1644 to 1912. Under the Qing, China doubled in size and became arguably...

01: Ancestors | The Story of China

Michael Wood explores the history of the world's newest superpower. Michael joins the Qin family reunion, as 300 relatives gather to worsh...

02: Silk Roads and China Ships | The Story of China

Michael Wood explores the history of the world's newest superpower. Michael tells the tale of China's first international...

03: The Golden Age | The Story of China

Michael Wood explores the history of the world's newest superpower. Here, he focuses on the Song dynasty era (960-1279), including it...

04: The Ming | The Story of China

Michael Wood explores the history of the world's newest superpower. The tale of the Ming dynasty begins with the amazing story of Hongwu, a...

The Shang Empire | Learning Zone

The Shang developed writing amongst other inventions. This Bronze Age society developed a powerful army using bronze weapons.