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.
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!”
Just watched the cradle of civilization and found it very interesting. Like the way how he combines myths and historical research. Recommend it.
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.
Great doc. !! I really enjoy Michael Woods’ take on history.
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.
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.
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 **** – 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.
dashu,I agree with your comment,why cant he just state facts and information on a nuetral plane and not compare to others,dynasty will come and grow and still will come and go,just like trade we all learn and borrow from one another good and bad look at all the 20 century inventions and technology that all the world enjoys especilaly refrigeration that contribute to the growth and sustain many peoples and of cultures with there right hand and wars and conflicks with there left hand,like are individual life,we have a beggining and end weather a virus,war or durration of time ,so does any civilization,we are competive people either by working or inventing uses to get ahead or survive or from taking from otheres,all societies have been guilty or contibute to another,everyone has been givers and takers in history,also the conflicks of those who move forward and who hang back,almost all wars are based on deception ,I heard onece edjucation had us fell fromthe garden and edjucation can bring us back provided is use for good and not evil.
Infinity says.
“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”
Really, are you sure, i thought it was the Romans during the first century. Firstly, i can’t believe your blaming modern English, like myself, for what the British did to Ireland that long ago, the people responsible for it are dead dude, get over it, or should we, following by your example hate the Germans for the blitz over London during WW2, and the Scadinavians for when the Vikings invaded 1000 years ago,No of course not. Seriously fella, you need to grow up, remembering the past is important, so we don’t make the same mistakes, but don’t live in it, or you’ll just fill yourself with hate.
“They’d still be wearing animal skins, swilling mead, and praying to their saxon gods” are you really that small minded to think thats actually true.
I haven’t even watched this Doc yet, but one smug Englishman doesn’t speak for us all, like you seem to think so, so maybe i should take what you say as the will of the Irish. But of course, i know that even with a small amount of intelligence thats not true.
I would like to add something to your knowledge :we have to overcome all the obstacles in order to Appeal to one Civilization to the One world.The overarching arguments of the new project would be only an appeal to one civilization for all human beings because we have starting from Nothingness and we will end our philosophy with Nothingness.
There is always a dark continent–who’s contribution to civilization is grossly ignored. And this series just did that.
Egypt is in Africa you numpty!
@ Robert Lewis
Mr. Woods presented six segments with one sixth devoted to, what many consider, the most astonishing civilization that has existed on this planet. In his presentation of Egypt he correctly identified the Nubian area where the worship of Ausar (Horus) apparently originated. He took the viewers back to that area so that the descendants of those people could be observed (avaiding confusion with the Arabization of modern Egypt). There was no Afro-Centric infusion that I could see. I suppose you became agitated with him pointing out Auset (Isis) Hathor and Anubis in the tomb scene in Alexandria where they wer prominently displayed above the Greek cultural motifs. Egypt certainly is in Africa and it shares its glorious past with African people. Do you resent your African roots?
News flash, they mapped the human genome and it turns out we’re all the same. One species.
Its kinda strange how we all did things independently of each other but ended up doing the same things all over the world.
i liked these docs, thanks v man.
OK let’s get some things straight here. The Romans were’nt Christianized until Constantine during the 4th century. Patrick was from Brittania and was a prisoner of the Irish until he escaped and then went back to Ireland as the 1st Bishop of Ireland and converted the Irish people to Christianity. Not that the Irish were uncivilized as so everyone thinks or lacking in technology. Ever been to Newgrange? It took some thinking to build that edifice. The Romans never did conquer Ireland or Scotland for that matter either. They tried to though but one look at the long-haired naked Irish brandishing weapons on the shore changed their minds pretty quick and when they got a look at the Picts in Scotland with painted blue faces they built Hadrians Wall. I myself am of Irish and Hungarian descent. The Romans did conquer the Slavic countries thus the etymology of the word slave from Slav. Mr. Woods is a very good narrator and presented this series tastefully and brutally honest I think. The European powers did a smash and grab of Africa and what they could of Asia and what the Spaniards did in Central America and Mexico was horrendous. And now there is US and what we did to our Native Americans and around the world under the False Flag Doctrine and Big Business. We’ve been sold a bill of goods and most don’t even know it….yet.
great docs Vlatko!!!!
I loved your take on history, But when the oil runs out! I will go back to my Viking roots and England and drink all of their Beer. ( life goes on )
I don’t see Caral here….the answers for why do people come together and start a civilization are there!
I found this series very ‘monotone” don’t get me wrong the subject and the civilisations in question are v interesting, but it felt more like a lecture than anything, the content I think, I would have found more interesting and more suited to a book.
Bloody English going around the world and subtly showing their superiority by conducting a survey of all other civilizations. What condescension. Why aren’t they coming to England to do a survey of her. The sun has set on the British Empire.
Haha, just joking, great series, his enthusiasm is infectious. As long as globalization does not ruin what is special to each civilization, which its seems to be doing, everyone becoming a bland monotone modern materialistic culture without any higher motives. The richness of the West and the development of her civilization through Rome, Greece, and Jerusalem is not imitated, but rather the modern lowbrow pop culture.
Two minutes into the documentary and he’s already whining about western civilization. He uses petrochemical products and I’ll bet he drives a car and lives in a nice house in suburbia. Michael Wood is the typical liberal hypocrite. If people don’t like western values there are many places in the world where they can go. It’s funny though how practically everyone in the world wants to live in the west.
This Doc is major Bull****. :/