The Ancient Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

Year: 2000 | Narration: Liam Neeson | PBS
Acclaimed series with groundbreaking digital reconstruction.

Three part series that recounts the rise, the glory, the demise, and the legacy of the empire that marked the dawn of western civilization.

It was perhaps the most spectacular flourishing of imagination and achievement in recorded history. In the fourth and fifth centuries BC, the Greeks built an empire that stretched across the Mediterranean from Asia to Spain — laying the foundations of modern science, politics, warfare, and philosophy, and producing some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever seen. 

Narrated by Liam Neeson, this three-part series recounts the full arc of that civilisation through the lives of its heroes. Through groundbreaking digital reconstruction and drawing on the expertise of the world’s leading academics, the series rebuilds the Acropolis, recreates the Battle of Marathon, and restores the grandeur of the Academy where Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle forged the foundations of Western thought. 

On its premiere on PBS in America, The Greeks was hailed as a landmark — drawing record audiences of over 10 million and outstanding reviews from coast to coast. Combining dramatic storytelling, stunning imagery, and distinguished scholarship, it remains a defining benchmark of historical documentary filmmaking.