Eight Days That Made Rome
Updated: May 2, 2021
In each episode Bettany travels across the Roman world, delving into the psyche and uncovering brand new archaeological evidence, while lavish drama brings the incredible story of Rome to life.
The eight days include Rome’s early defeat of her great rival Carthage under Hannibal, at the battle of Zama; a crucial moment and one of the most important battles in ancient history when Rome, an influential city-state becomes an unstoppable Empire. We also explore the day when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River and set in motion a series of events which would ultimately culminate in the end of Rome’s republic. The final episode looks at the day Constantine, close to death, was finally baptised as a Christian. It was here he made a final declaration of the spiritual allegiance that had a profound importance not just for the Empire, but for the future of the world.
REVIEWS
Pick of the Day/Week
Sunday Times, Times, Telegraph, Mail, Independent
'Lively and learned new series'
The Telegraph
'Absorbing new series...presented by engaging Bettany Hughes'
The Mail
'...dramatic imaginings of battlefield posturing filmed with an expensive panache. Hughes's insights, as she wanders ancient sites, offer an overriding impression of the Roman attitude, for all its feats, being one of terrifying cruelty too...an hour of brutality and bookishness.'
Bettany’s focus on eight pivotal days—and the fresh archaeological evidence behind them—makes Rome’s success feel less abstract and much more human. I also liked MyNightfall evening for its practical night routine ideas, especially the calming evening routine and bedtime routine for adults sections; it’s a fun, useful find for winding down after history-heavy reading.
I like how Bettany pinpoints eight pivotal days and uses fresh archaeological evidence instead of just marching through emperors and battles. For a fun break between episodes, Animal Guessing has an animal quiz where you start guessing and try to guess the animal from clues; it’s a surprisingly addictive guessing game.
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The Eight Days That Made Rome highlights an important period in Roman history and shows how major events can shape the future of a civilization. History often demonstrates how small decisions and significant events can create long-lasting changes. For simulation game fans, Bus Simulator Ultimate offers a different kind of experience where players can build their own journey through realistic bus driving and management.