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HISTORY VAULT

By the 4th Century AD, a divided Roman Empire is rocked by devastating earthquakes, fires, barbarian invasions and deep religious divides. As Rome declines, the Colosseum, which once stood as a proud symbol of the Empire's glory, lies empty. To restore Rome, one man, a devout worshipper of the Rome's old Gods, turns to the arena. Can staging elaborate and expensive games there reverse Rome's decline?

Colosseum

The Pagan

All of Rome's emperors have put great value on spectacles and games, but only one steps out of the Imperial Box and onto the sands of the arena; a far cry from his father, the great Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Commodus is quick to make enemies.

Commodus

Galen of Pergamon makes a name for himself as a physician for gladiators in the arena; a devastating plague sweeps through the city, and Galen catches the attention of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

The Scientist

The public execution of criminals is a staple, but during Trajan's 123 days of games in A.D. 107, one of these victims is no ordinary prisoner; Bishop Ignatius of Antioch is part of a growing underground religion, threatening Roman traditions.

The Martyr

The mighty Emperor Trajan throws his great games of A.D. 107, and the crowd is treated to a rare spectacle: female gladiators.

The Gladiatrix

As the Roman Empire continues to expand, so does the diversity of exotic beasts brought back to entertain the Colosseum crowds; over 1 million animals are slaughtered in the arena by trained beast masters, none more famous than Carpophorus.

The Beastmaster

When master builder Haterius constructs the Colosseum from the ashes of Nero's Golden House, his work is far from over; new Emperor Domitian tasks him with adding in a complex network of underground tunnels.

The Builder

After forming a close bond in the harsh environment of their training school, two gladiators, the barbarian Priscus, and Rome's champion, Verus, must now fight to the death in front of 50,000 spectators.

The Gladiators

Showcasing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire through the Colosseum, one of the most exhilarating and brutal arenas in the history of humanity.

S1 E5 | The Martyr