Join host Joe Mantegna for a tour of the early years of the Roman Empire. Extensive on-location footage, ancient documents, and interviews with experts show how the early city overthrew the bonds of an Etruscan monarchy, defeated Carthage, and established the form of government that would lay the foundation for modern democracy.

The ascendancy of Julius Caesar brought about the end of a republic and marshaled in an age of empire the likes of which the world had never seen. From the brilliance of Augustus and defeat of Marc Anthony to the sickness of Nero, renowned scholars peel back the layers of history to breathe new life into the personal legacies of these godlike men.

Julius Caesar will forever be remembered as the leader who established Rome as the foremost power in the ancient world, and his successors extended its realm of influence even further.

This episode chronicles the decline of Rome, how its power shifted to the east to the new capital of Constantinople, a move cemented by the plundering of the city of Rome in 410 A.D. and how the influence of the ancient empire is still felt today.