Julius Caesar's ambition created a colossal empire, and he gave his name to the rulers who succeeded him. He has been a symbol of power and majesty for 2,000 years.
Caesar's military brilliance forged a new Rome, but it was Augustus' political genius that made it an empire for the ages.
He was seventeen when he took the throne, and during his capricious, fourteen-year rule, Nero almost brought the Empire to ruin. He was unable to quell rebellions and he had many political enemies killed.
He overturned centuries-old policies, declaring an end to expansions and abandoning far-flung territories. Hadrian was an enthusiastic patron of the arts, a champion of the common Roman and a tireless diplomat who toured the entire Empire.
How Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity and unified a Roman world deep in crisis.
He lived more than 500 years after Caesar. He ruled from Constantinople, not Rome. But Justinian restored the Empire to its former glory one last time.
Brian Cox
Narrator
Phil Grabsky
Director
Peter Nicholson