The Lost Tales of Egypt

Unraveling the tale of a priest and his family by following the clues left to us by the ancients, Vassil Dobrev will attempt to reconstruct the past in his quest for the lost pharaoh. State of the art CGI brings the ancient necropolis to life.

The scene is Egypt, three thousand years ago, in the time of the great pharaoh Ramesses II. Upon his death at the age of 92, his mummy is buried in the heart of the Valley of the Kings. This is the beginning of his great journey towards the afterlife but only under one condition: that his tomb remains off limits forever. Now, modern archaeologist are investigating the true nature of his journey.

If you thought you knew the ancient world, think again. This program, presented by Terry Jones, is packed full of surprising and little-known facts that throw new light on our understanding of the ancient Egyptians.

The animals of the Pharaohs were worshipped as sacred and immortalized in the stunning Egyptian artwork. Explore this ancient world through the eyes of its animals, including crocodiles, hippos, various birds, and monkeys.

Beyond the gold and the lapis lazuli, behind the Pharaohs and their tombs, stands the beating heart of Ancient Egypt - the people. The story of the every-day lives of Egyptians is told through a mummified couple brought back to life. Their extraordinary civilization, built on ritual and culture as well as monumental burial structures, continues to enthrall us with its scale and grand ambition.

The ancient Egyptians were unique among the ancient civilizations in their attitude to sexual equality. Women held the title of 'Pharaoh' at least 18 times. Egyptian society was filled with female doctors, tutors, prime ministers and priestesses. How did they shape the society, government, and culture of this classical civilization? What can we learn from the reign of queens lost in history?

Once the biggest and most influential city on the planet, founded by Alexander the Great and home to Cleopatra, Archimedes and the largest library in the world. How did this shining beacon of civilization and knowledge meet its classical demise? Featuring stunning visualisations from the movie Agora, acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes journeys into Alexandria's glorious past and tragic demise.