Access to this video is a benefit for members through PBS Passport.
Back to Show
Watch Preview
Secrets of the Dead
The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
Season 22
Episode 7
The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome’s vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum’s design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome’s power, so too did it contribute to the Empire’s downfall.
Support Provided By
55:15
Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article?
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Scientists study medieval bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
See how secret letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots, were finally decoded.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
An unprecedented discovery could reveal new information about Cleopatra’s reign.
Unlock with PBS Passport
54:25
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the post-war life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Unlock with PBS Passport
54:50
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Priceless artifacts in Laos reveal holy sites from the early days of the Khmer Empire.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
The discovery of priceless artifacts in Laos sheds light on the ancient Khmer Empire.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Uncover the mystery behind the discovery of more than 50 "vampire" burials.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:23
A search for the remains of Black Union soldiers murdered toward the end of the Civil War.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Scientists attempt to read ancient scrolls carbonized by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Learn the untold story of Maria Anna Mozart, Wolfgang’s older sister and collaborator.