Ancient Mesopotamia proved that fertile land and the knowledge to cultivate it was a fortuitous recipe for wealth and civilization. Learn how this "land between two rivers" became the birthplace of the world's first cities, advancements in math and science, and the earliest evidence of literacy and a legal system.

Examines the role of women in Egyptian religion, especially "God's Wife of Amun," the highest priestess in the Egyptian religion and temple estate at Karnak.

In the wake of the Persian Wars Athens, as the leading member of the Greek Delian League, thrives and becomes a preeminent city in the Mediterranean.

In a meeting with ranking military and government staff, an American professor argues in favor of a first strike policy: one in which the United States attacks the Soviet Union first. He is countered by a general who questions the morality of such a stance and such action. This clip highlights the extremities in Cold War thinking.

Highlights the importance of drama as shared entertainment for ancient Greeks, who built theaters in all of their major cities and were particularly drawn to tragedies.