OVERVIEW
A riveting four-hour television series, Ancient Roads II from Holy Empires to Holy Warriors takes viewers on a thrilling and visually dazzling journey to the awe-inspiring historic places where Christianity grew to become the most widespread spiritual movement in history.
Our epic voyage continues, with host Jonathan Phillips, on the trails of a forbidden gospel that survived ruthless persecution to become the vital heartbeat of an Empire that once sought to destroy it.
We witness the surge of Christianity across vast regions and the brutal resistance of clashing faiths that shaped it.
We encounter coveted treasures, violent wars, and extraordinary means for promoting salvation– including the First Crusade.
Join us in the next chapter of the Ancient Roads Series as we witness the stories, sites and figures that shaped the global rise of the world’s largest faith– Christianity.
EPISODE ONE
Constantine and the Christian Roman Empire
Constantine forged Christianity into a unifying force amidst tense rivalries of emerging kingdoms–but an existential question remained: what does it mean to be a Christian? Radical practices of spiritual devotion explode, from sacred pilgrimages and remote monasticism, to extreme rituals of daily piety.
EPISODE TWO
The Fall of Rome and the Birth of Christendom
The ancient map of the world is shattered! Christianity has swept the globe, but the mighty Roman Empire is fractured into a volatile landscape of shifting borders and religious upheaval. As conflicting doctrines spark discord within Christendom, the rise of Islam ignites a powerful new Caliphate that will change the world forever.
EPISODE THREE
The Power of Images and Words
Deep in the cracks of a fragmented dogma, the lines blur between conquest and conversion, between faithful salvation and rigid orthodoxy. One ruler seizes an opportunity to fuse the fragments into a blade of supreme authority–Charlemagne binds the power of the papacy and the endurance of the written word to build a formidable dynasty with a zeal for sovereignty.
EPISODE FOUR
Popes, Emperors and Crusaders
Apocalyptic dread... Doomsday preparations… Fears of an Anti-Christ and the turn of a millenium? This isn’t Y2K, it's Y1K, and tensions erupt! Kingdoms collide, emperors and popes battle crown to crown, and crusaders embark on a bloody quest to escape eternal damnation.