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The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization is a PBS documentary series narrated by Liam Neeson, chronicling the rise and fall of the civilization of ancient Greece. The series consists of three episodes that recount the rise, glory, demise and legacy of the ancient Greek civilization through the eyes of heroes of the time. The first episode tells the story of the troubled birth of the world's first democracy, ancient Athens, through the life of Cleisthenes. The second episode recounts the Greeks' heroic victory against the mighty Persian empire through the life of Themistocles. And the third and final episode shows the tragic descent of Athenian democracy into mob rule through the eyes of Socrates.

Episode 1 - The Birth of Democracy


Episode 1 - The Birth of Democracy
This episode tells the story of the troubled birth of the world's first democracy, ancient Athens, through the life of an Athenian nobleman, Cleisthenes.

Episode 2 - The Golden Age
This episode recounts the Greeks' heroic victory against the mighty Persian empire through the life of Themistocles, one of Athens' greatest generals.

Episode 3 - The Collapse of Confidence
Through the eyes of Socrates, Athens' first philosopher, this episode shows the tragic descent of Athenian democracy into mob rule.


Related Links
Ancient Greece - wikipedia
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