Episodes
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Trade
S1 E4 - 53m 40s
Examine an ancient civilization unlike any other, that of the Indus Valley. Rather than imposing order through war or religion, it relied on the free flow of trade. The exchange of goods promoted wealth, co-operation and trust.
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Cities
S1 E3 - 53m 40s
View the birthplace of civilization: the Middle East, site of the world’s first villages, towns and cities, from the hills of Turkey to the plains of Iraq. They were crucibles of invention and innovation — turbo-charging the pace of progress.
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Religion
S1 E2 - 53m 39s
Discover the secret to the stability and cohesion of Ancient Egypt — religion. When people share a core set of beliefs, they are more likely to identify as one. That was true for the first civilizations and it’s just as true today.
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War
S1 E1 - 53m 39s
Examine the process of “destructive creation” — the idea that fear, rivalry and conflict strengthen community bonds while stimulating an arms race of technological progress. The result is civilization. Ancient Mesoamerica exemplifies this development.
Extras + Features
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Raiding Oaxaca Valley
S1 E1 - 2m 36s
The birth place of agriculture in Mesoamerica, Oaxaca Valley became an area of conflict as raiding occurred between villages over resources.
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Culture of Violence
S1 E1 - 2m 50s
Archaeologist Yuki Huada explores the history of San Jose Mogote.
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Preview
S1 - 30s
Explore the seedbed civilizations of Mesoamerica, the Middle East and the Indus Valley to learn how and why early humans, who had been mobile foragers, created villages, towns, cities and states, establishing the blueprint for the modern world.
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