Name: The Architecture of Power: Great Palaces of the Ancient World
Released: 2018-10-12T00:00:00.000Z
Cast: Steven L. Tuck

Available on Prime Video

An insider's look at some of history's most awe-inspiring structures; making one's way through storied sights such as Persepolis, Hadrian's Villa and Weiyang Palace; exploring the meaning of power; the ways it operates in societies across the globe.

Educational · 2018 · 34 min

Starring Steven L. Tuck

EPISODE 1

Palaces Past and Present

Exploring the palaces of Saddam Hussein; discovering how he calls upon the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians for inspiration; how the architecture changes over time in response to threats from Iran and the United States.

34 min · Oct 12, 2018
EPISODE 2

Malkata Palace: Pharaoh, Foreigners, and Gods

Traveling back to the 14th century B.C. in Egypt; how the Malkata Palace represents a microcosm of Egypt; architectural details reveal insights about religious rituals how pharaohs attempt to assert their domination over others.

32 min · Oct 12, 2018
EPISODE 3

Amarna: Palace of the First Sun King

Akhenaten shifts Egypt's capital to Amarna; how his worship of the sun disk defines an era built on temple crops, sacrifices and obedience to the pharaoh; how relocating his seat of power helps Akhenaten wrestle authority away from religious leaders.

30 min · Oct 12, 2018
EPISODE 4

Phaistos: Palaces Between Asia and Europe

Studying Bronze Age Crete; the myth of Daedalus and his labyrinth symbolizes Crete's location at the intersection of multiple cultures; discovering the Phaistos Palace, the site of extravagant religious rituals and entertainment spectacles.

31 min · Oct 12, 2018
EPISODE 5

Palace of Nestor at Pylos and Bronze Age Greece

Exploring the Palace of Nestor, a complex centered around the throne room; the ancient styles the Mycenaeans develop to bring these elaborate structures to life; what the arrangement of rooms reveals about how royals live and maintain control.

31 min · Oct 12, 2018
EPISODE 6

The Assyrian Palace at Nimrud: Empire in Stone

Ashurnasirpal II designs the Assyrian palace at Nimrud; he loves to write of his conquests of nature and his knowledge of tree species; clearly an intellectual, he describes in detail the glory of feasts he throws, as well as the math behind them.

33 min · Oct 12, 2018