Legacy: The Origins of Civilization
We humans have been on the Earth for more than a million years, but civilization – life in cities – has come about only in the last 5,000. Through history civilizations have rose and fell, carved out of nature, dependent on nature, in the end – nature took them back. But in the past few hundred years, one form of civilization – that of the West – has changed the balance of nature forever. And now it is civilization itself that has become the central problem of our planet. To understand why, we must look afresh at how we see history. Host Michael Wood traces the rise of both Asian and Western civilization in one global perspective in these thought-provoking videos. From the crumbling ruins in the Iraqi desert to those of Greece and Rome, viewers contemplate thriving cities and complex societies that have vanished, a reminder that other nations prospered for thousands of years. Now all that remains is their legacy.
Iraq: The Cradle of Civilization
After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5,000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates River. Civilization as we know it began with the glorious cultures of Ur, Nineveh, and Babylon.
India – The Empire of the Spirit
Ancient India is with us today in the living tradition of the Hindu religion, the basis of Indian culture. The traditions that are honored by millions of Hindus in the present were born in the Indus valley 5,000 years ago.
China – The Mandate of Heaven
Many breakthroughs on which the modern world is based were discovered in China long ago… iron-casting, gunpowder, even printing. When introduced to Europe, these things changed Western civilization. This episode presents the synthesis of East and West.
Egypt – The Habit of Civilization
A great documentary about Ancient Egypt that confirms that it was the birthplace of modern civilization, more than 5000 years ago. This documentary supports many of Dr. Walter Williams claims in regard to Egypts influence in the founding of Christianity and Islam.
Central America – The Burden of Time
Isolated from the rest of the world, the Mayans and Aztecs created sophisticated civilizations that in many ways paralleled ancient Mediterranean empires. God-like kings and a priestly ruling class dominated splendid cities of temples and pyramids.
The Barbarian West
Civilization arose in Asia, but it was the West which would create the first world culture. This final episode traces the origins of western culture through Greece and Rome prevailing by borrowing from the legacies of the original five old world civilizations.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:13
Michael Wood is a particularly annoying sort of modern Englishman. On the one hand, he ascribes to the widely discredited Afro centrist belief that Greece acquired all or most of its civilization from Egypt. On the other hand, he gives absolutely no credit to the Celtic people for any contribution to western civilization whatsoever, despite the fact that the Celts invented the European common market and saved civilization from the onslaught of the very Germanic hordes he loves so much, even going so far as to completely overlook the numerous and indispensable contributions of Scottish scientists and engineers to the industrial revolution. This is sad, but not surprising. It’s actually quite traditional for the English historian (or in Mr. Wood’s case, “historian”) to overlook or even disparage the Celtic people. Pre 20th century Englishmen said, “We Anglo Saxons are the crown of creation and civilization and we’ll bloody well make certain everyone knows it.”; 21st century Englishmen say, “Early English (read Western) civilization may come up short when compared to the ancient civilizations of Asia and Africa, but were still better than those damned Irish!”
November 16th, 2009 at 23:52
Just watched the cradle of civilization and found it very interesting. Like the way how he combines myths and historical research. Recommend it.
November 17th, 2009 at 00:00
Bloody english. They’d still be wearing animal skins, swilling mead, and praying to their saxon gods had we irish not re-educated them and converted them to christianity during the 5th and 6th centuries. Considering how they repaid us over the next millenia or so i’m sorry we did.
December 16th, 2009 at 19:23
Great doc. !! I really enjoy Michael Woods’ take on history.
December 23rd, 2009 at 21:05
Cradle of Civilization well highlighted the depth of history that comes from what is now Iraq. I couldn’t believe though he scavenged those pieces of ancient pottery and broken tile from the fallen buildings from the first civilizations… then again his film was supported by the British Museum.
January 1st, 2010 at 01:08
I always amused by the statements “the most destructive force the world has ever seen”: in this case, the Europeans coming to the new world. True, they were dreadful, but so throughout history were other conquerors. The Persians, the Turks, the Huns, the Mongols, just to name a few, razed everything in their path after taking the prized loot and slaves. White men, black men, oriental warlords, all did the same thing. I win, you lose was the game of war.
February 13th, 2010 at 14:57
An excellent series but I want to strongly agree with someone who was very annoyed with the anti-western comments and really ‘propaganda’ interjected in so many places.
What is especially offensive to me is that it comes off as so elitist and condescending. Its so ‘obligatory’ as he gives some ‘dark period’ or any sort of ‘down time’ for the foreign culture he must ‘throw them a bow’ by self-emasculating a chunk of his own bits to show ’see I do it to my own people too’ aren’t you satisfied now good.
Look, I am NOT asking for Europeans to be spared anything but likewise I don’t need to see them cherry-pick the worst, amp up the worst offenses and incidents and then present them as ‘what whites did to them’ either.
Seriously.. it was annoying the hell out of me, and, this type of thing has REAL consequences. Chinese people (for example) see that and really believe this is what English must have done to them and everyone knows it. It fuels hatred.
Meanwhile, how about discussing the majority of Brits who actually had EXCELLENT relations, respect and SERVICE and superb stories in China? Because that definitely happened. MANY great stories and many excellent ‘win-win’ relationships, deals, and wow.. believe this crazy story but… wow.. sometimes BENEFITS were gained by Chinese FROM British. What?
If you watch this series and did not know any better you would believe every people on earth were brilliant and civilized except one evil disgusting soulless bunch of phony sickos – Europeans. Get real!
Just recently I had to CORRECT this kind of **** as a Chinese girl was complaining that English had looted and pillaged some ancient arts and treasures. She saw this in a western documentary too. (probably one like these with anti-british ‘white guilt’ propaganda), however, she informed me that actually many local Chinese ALSO stole relics and arts.
Then I explained how some of those relics and ancient arts were in the British Museums and that (at the time) many Brits thought of themselves as ‘rescuing’ these artworks. I then explained how they spend millions of pounds preserving these and showing to the world. She was absolutely amazed to hear this!
She had NEVER heard that British RESCUED ancient works FROM local looters, and, she was actually amazed that Brits spent massive tax-payer money to preserve them.. which to her was.. didn’t even make sense.. she couldn’t believe anyone would give so much to help her history for no gain?
At the end she actually agreed that maybe the Brits HELPED China’s great culture in that sense. So do you see what I am saying here? These ‘whites are evil guilt’ propaganda films have REAL consequences and cause REAL confusion, and, annoy the hell out of me to be honest.
Having said all that – save the antichristian anti-white crap – the rest of these are fairly excellent. I could nitpick at a lot of other things too but ‘overall’ well done as great overviews and general information.