The top destination for all things history.

HISTORYCHANNEL

Watch over 2 000 of HISTORY’s most fascinating documentaries and series  anytime  commercial-free.

HISTORY VAULT

The richest people who have ever lived had the resources and power to build entire cities from scratch.

History's Crazy Rich Ancients

We Built This City

Whether it's private planes, private trains or gold-plated limousines, the mega-rich have always flaunted their wealth by buying luxury vehicles, even when the only vehicles to buy were boats, chariots and horse-drawn carriages.

Sick Rides

Meeting the ancients who bankrolled the construction of massive churches and temples in an attempt to buy their way past the pearly gates.

Holy Rollers

The average American couple will drop five figures on their wedding, but that wouldn't even begin to cover the tab that these big spending couples racked up while throwing history's most baller nuptial celebrations.

Power Couples

The ancients realized they were destined to spend more time in the tomb than the throne room and spent big to build luxurious final resting places for themselves and their loved ones.

Mega Mausoleums

The homes of rich people have high expectations, and the homes of extremely rich people have even higher expectations; the ancient rich built palaces that became some of the largest, most luxurious buildings on Earth.

Unreal Estates

Gold has always been the ultimate status symbol; for these ancient figures, acquiring and spending huge stockpiles of gold was an all-consuming passion.

Gold Fever

From ancient civilizations to modern battlegrounds, see our heroes in action as they brave the front lines.

Military Heroes

No problem has loomed larger for history's crazy rich than how to keep themselves and their multi-million dollar homes safe and secure; these three figures broke the bank on security features designed to prevent break-ins.

Maximum Security

The prized possessions of some of history's richest people haven't been castles, jewels, or fine art, but something more exotic, with the ability to bite back; meeting the monarchs and millionaires who spent their fortunes collecting wild animals.

Dangerous Game

Lavish dining is the epitome of living it up, and these are the mega-moneyed gourmands who spent jaw-dropping sums in pursuit of the rarest, the richest, and the most forbidden food and drink money could buy.

Expensive Tastes

For the richest people to ever live, no price is too high to pay for an object of desire, no matter how expensive or strange it may be; fine art, rare books, and extremely large coconuts are all on display.

Epic Collections

When it comes to throwing parties, history's richest figures have always picked going big over going home; meeting the mega-millionaires who hosted parties so epic that they're still being talked about today.

Party Animals

Exploring mysterious icons from the past who shared one obsession, from exotic animals to billion-dollar parties to nine-figure palaces.

S1 E12 | We Built This City

E12 | We Built This City

E11 | Sick Rides

E10 | Holy Rollers

E9 | Power Couples

E8 | Mega Mausoleums

E7 | Unreal Estates

E6 | Gold Fever

E5 | Maximum Security

E4 | Dangerous Game

E3 | Expensive Tastes

E2 | Epic Collections

E1 | Party Animals