My mother, knowing my love for Ancient Rome, bought me History Channels/Magna Home Entertainment's 5-disc box set of Ancient Rome documentaries. Given History Channel's reputation should I trust the information on the DVD or should I watch it for entertainment purposes.

by solips_sonder

Not sure if this is the appropriate subreddit for this kind of question but I can't find much information on the internet. Any one who may have seen any of the following docs, any information you can give on the quality:

  • Roman Vice
  • In Search of History:
  1. Roman Roads: Paths to Empire
  2. Rome's Lost Harbour
  3. Rome's Eternal Wonders
  4. Rome's Glorious Cities
  • Sex in the Ancient World: Pompeii
  • Ancient Mysteries: Pompeii: Buried Alive
  • Criminal History: Ancient Rome
  • Rome: The Enduring Legacy

BONUS QUESTION: It Also came with a boxset on Ancient Greece "Ancient Greece: Gods and Battles", which I'm not as interested in but still look alright, so I may as well ask the same questions. How accurate are the following:

  • Gods and Goddesses
  • In Search of History
  1. The Greek Gods
  2. Oracle At Delphi
  • Last Stand of the 300
  • Decisive Battles:
  1. Marathon
  2. Thermopylae
  • Troy: The Passion of Helen
  • Battles BC:
  1. Judgement Day at Marathon
  2. Alexander: Lord of War
Tiako

The main problem with history channel documentaries (most documentaries really) is that they tend to take a simplified and uncritical perspective on history: something on Nero, for example, will more or less keep to the "Nero is a monster" line, something on Julius Caesar's campaigns will be about Rome's inexorable march to total conquest, etc. On any given topic there will always be a lot more that can be said or delved into, and it won't really give the complexities of the situations.

That being said, with some exceptions (Ancient Aliens, Hancrockery, etc) it will also give an accurate representation of basic facts and will string it together into a cohesive narrative. This is incredibly important for understanding Rome, so if there are any gaps in your knowledge you should definitely treat them as educational--just not the final word. Keep an open mind and don't hesitate to delve deeper into any topic they bring up that grabs your interests.