Ancient Worlds: The Spartans

Today on Far Future Horizons we embark on another odyssey through time with acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes to visit the ancient Greek City State of Sparta and the infamous Spartans.

Cars, Planes and Rocket Ships of the Ancients

Ancient Chinese Wind-powered Car

Today on Far Future Horizons we explore the exciting possibility that the ancient civilizations of the classical world already had a conceptual inkling of transportation technology presaging that of the modern world.

Ancient New York

Today on Far Future Horizons we present another episode of the acclaimed History Channel documentary series Ancient Discoveries, which looks at the ancient antecedents of modern day urban planning as exemplified in a modern day metropolis such as New York City.

Ancient Discoveries: Ancient New York, explains how the technology developed by ancient civilizations helped lay the physical framework for New York City, and how those advancements still play a major part in the city's daily life.

The Ancient Supercity of Athens

Today on Far Future Horizons we travel back in time to the age of classical antiquity to visit the Ancient Supercity of Athens.

In the 5th century BC, one man led his city to greatness and paved the way for western civilization. The city was Athens and Pericles was not a king or prince, but an elected ruler. He directed the most costly and ambitious construction campaign undertaken in the western world, creating a model city of temples, houses, market places, civic buildings, and a highly innovative sanitation system.

Ancient Record Breakers

Today on Far Future Horizons we explore some ancient world records that still stand today.

The Siege of Troy

Today on Far Future Horizons we journey back in time three thousand years to one of the most epic battles of ancient history – the Siege of Troy

For three thousand years the Siege of Troy has remained steeped in mystery. Journey with us in this exciting episode of the acclaimed documentary series Ancient Discoveries, to the site in Turkey believed to be the location of the real Troy, as we analyze one of the world's greatest historical battlegrounds for new clues.

In Search of the Trojan War – Singer of Tales

Homer, author of the 
The Iliad and the Odyssey

 

Today on Far Future Horizons we join acclaimed BBC historian Michael Wood for the third episode of his acclaimed documentary series In Search of the Trojan War – Singer of Tales.

In this instalment of In Search of the Trojan War Michael Wood continues his search to discover whether Homer's story of Trojan War is a myth by studying modern bardic traditions then visiting the sites of the Trojan War and comparing Homer's descriptions with archaeological finds.

In Search of the Trojan War - The Legend Under Siege

Today on Far Future Horizons we join acclaimed BBC historian Michael Wood for the second episode of his acclaimed documentary series In Search of the Trojan War - The Legend Under Siege.

In Search of the Trojan War - The Age of Heroes

Today on Far Future Horizons we join acclaimed historian Michael Wood for the first installment of his acclaimed documentary series In Search of the Trojan War - The Age of Heroes.

In The Footsteps of Alexander the Great ~ Son of God

In 335 BC Alexander of Macedonia set off on an expedition to conqueror the world. The voyage of Alexander the Great covered more than 22,000 miles in ten years, from Greece to India and back, through some of the most difficult and unforgiving terrain.

 

Join us today more than two thousand year later, as we accompany BBC historian Michael Wood on an odyssey, from Greece to India, which retraces the footsteps of Alexander the Great in the acclaimed BBC documentary series - In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great.

Extent of Alexander's Conquests

Travelling with Lebanese traders, Iranian pilgrims and Afghan guerrillas, by jeep, train, boat, camel and on foot, Michael Wood interweaves the momentous events of the past with present day reality and brings us new insights into a man whose myth and achievements still resonate down the centuries and illustrates the impact Greek culture had in the lands Alexander conquered.

The Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece

Today on Far Future Horizons we take another voyage to antiquity and visit the birthplace of western civilization – Ancient Greece and its seven magnificent wonders.

In today’s documentary we will travel back in time to a land of breathtaking beauty, ancient intellect and philosophical wisdom.

Engineering an Empire – Greece: The Age of Alexander

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the fourth episode of the acclaimed documentary series Engineering an Empire that highlights the engineering and architectural achievements of some of history’s greatest civilizations and the empires they created.

The fourth installment of this series continues to highlight the amazing engineering accomplishments of the Ancient Greeks during the reign of Alexander the Great and after.

Engineering an Empire – Greece

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the third episode of the acclaimed documentary series Engineering an Empire that highlights the engineering and architectural achievements of some of history’s greatest civilizations and the empires they created.

The third instalment of this series highlights the amazing engineering accomplishments of the Ancient Greeks.

In Search of the Real Helen of Troy

Helen of Troy painting by Rossetti

She was 'the face that launched a thousand ships' and the woman blamed for starting a conflict that caused countless deaths. But, behind all the legend who was the real woman we know as Helen of Troy?

Today on Far Future Horizons we join Bettany Hughes on a voyage through time to the dawn of classical antiquity in search of the woman responsible for sparking one of the greatest conflicts in history – the Trojan War.

The Oracle of Delphi

Oracle of Delphi

Today on Far Future Horizons we join archaeologists, geologists, chemists and toxicologists in unlocking the secrets of the the Oracle of Delphi.

Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece, and in theory all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literally navel) of the world.

People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, usually cryptic, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war.

The Antikythera Star Clock

As I write this many of us today, the world over, will be counting the seconds as Mid Night approaches and a New Year dawns.

Time controls the rhythm of our lives like a Metronome ticking away and measuring the pace and tempo of our existence. From time immemorial we humans have been fascinated with the fundamental nature of time and keeping track of it by watching the rhythmic changes seen in the celestial heavens. 

Today being the first day of 2014 AD we at Far Future Horizons are going to explore the findings of the latest research to investigate the greatest and most surprising discovery made in the field of undersea archaeology with two very interesting documentaries.

In 1900, a group of Greek sponge divers accidentally stumbled on an ancient Roman shipwreck dating from the First Century BC. The wreck produced numerous statues dating back to the 4th century BC, as well as a mysterious object - a lump of calcified stone that contained within it several gearwheels welded together after years under the sea. 

The Antikythera mechanism (Fragment A - front)

The 2,000-year-old object, no bigger than a modern laptop, is now regarded as the world's oldest analog computer, devised to predict solar eclipses and, according to recent findings, calculate the timing of the ancient Olympics.

Following the efforts of an international team of scientists, the mysteries of the Antikythera Mechanism are uncovered, revealing surprising and awe-inspiring details of an object that continues to mystify.