Absolute History

How Lord Byron Became A Greek Hero | The Scandalous Adventures Of Lord Byron examines the specific people, events and evidence presented in this documentary. Rupert Everett follows in the footsteps of romantic poet Lord Byron, 200 years after he embarked on his infamous tour of Europe. Described as 'mad, bad and dangerous to know', Byron sought to escape his notoriety in Britain by travelling through Portugal, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. Everett goes on the trail of one of history's best known romantic explorers in this fascinating, witty and enlightening documentary.

In this episode, it's the end of the journey for the shopkeepers and their customers as they move into the 1970s. There are two new arrivals, the Sandher family take over the general store and David Lashmar has the challenge of selling vinyl to 21st century shoppers from his 1970s record shop. Amidst the explosion of popular culture the supermarket reminds everyone of the part the 1970s played in our quest for cheap food and convenient shopping. At the cornershop the Sandher kids find out just how hard their dad worked when his family left India to set up shop in Britain and they are shocked to hear his memories of the 1970s. The record shop treats the town to a Eurovision winning band performance and all the traders prepare for a Silver Jubilee street party. The town has experienced one hundred years of high street history, but will power cuts, the 1970s shopping experience and the Great British weather dampen the community spirit that has built up over the years?

The ancients saw the wilderness as a place of mystery and darkness, where a traveler could find rewards - as well as danger. We explore the tragic Greek myth of Actaeon, the Celtic Otherworld, the Kraken and the woods of Brothers Grimm.

The World's First Sex Symbol | The Scandalous Adventures Of Lord Byron examines the specific people, events and evidence presented in this documentary. Rupert Everett follows in the footsteps of romantic poet Lord Byron, 200 years after he embarked on his infamous tour of Europe. Described as 'mad, bad and dangerous to know', Byron sought to escape his notoriety in Britain by travelling through Portugal, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. Everett goes on the trail of one of history's best known romantic explorers in this fascinating, witty and enlightening documentary.

In this episode the shopkeepers move into the swinging sixties, and big changes hit the high street. Every shop has transformed completely - 1960s mass production of meat, bread and clothing means the bakers find themselves running a milk bar, the butcher sells hardware and the dressmaker is now running a hair salon. The grocers has become self-service, bringing a more modern shopping experience to customers. The bakers have to produce milkshakes and burgers, while the dressmaker turns her hand to bouffants and beehives. The butcher finds himself in direct competition with the grocer. As the shopkeepers struggle with the changes in their trades, the town sees first-hand why Britain turned its back on traditional shops and embraced the supermarket. At the end of the week, history dictates that, for some, it is time to leave, and customers realise just what they're losing.

Hero-villain stories are among the most beloved in European mythology. This episode explores the strange Slavic story of Ivan and Koschei the Deathless, the origins of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin, the journey of Odysseus as he resists the beautiful songs of the Sirens, and finally, Sigurd and his battle with the dragon Fafnir.

For the first time profit isn't everything, as the shopkeepers find themselves dealing with rationing, promoting make do and mend, and trying to persuade an entire town to pull together as it would have done sixty years ago. The grocer family struggle with wartime rules and regulations, and customers have to decide whether to stick to rations or to buy from the black market. The bakers feed the town from their British restaurant, while the butcher promotes mutton to modern shoppers. The dressmaker and the blacksmith convince the town of the benefits of 1940s style recycling. But shortages, an air raid and hungry customers all take their toll; will they keep the town onside in the run up to the VE day celebrations at the end of the week?

As government regulations reduce working hours and cheap sugar means lots of sweets, life gets a bit sweeter for our shopkeepers. Nostalgia boosts sales for the grocers, who have masses of 1930s recognisable brands, the dressmaker has to sell thirties glamour to the town, and the butcher has good old British beef. The Edwardian bazaar is now a toy shop, reflecting the shopkeepers' target customers - children. But it is far from plain sailing; the Bakers find themselves running a cake shop, but cakes aren't their forte. Rivalry builds between the grocers and the butchers, undermining the community spirit of the high street. The shopkeepers spend a week selling the 1930s to the town, but they have to pull out all the stops for Empire day - can they persuade a whole new generation of the joys of the traditional high street?

The butcher, the baker, the grocer and the ironmonger are joined by a dressmaker, and together they must provide a modern town with the exceptional service and luxuriant shop displays worthy of the Edwardians. The baker's family find themselves running an Edwardian tea shop, while the butchers must sell game in all its gory glory to modern customers. The grocer has trained staff, but the challenge of creating an early 20th century wedding breakfast piles on the pressure. All the shopkeepers struggle with maintaining standards, and it becomes clear that underneath its glossy veneer the Edwardian high street was a tough place for women and children. The arrival of call-up papers reminds the traders and the town of the terrible impact that World War One had on Britain's communities.

At the request of the Catholic Church in Lisbon, members of the Royal Archeology and Historical Association of Portugal excavate 78 mummies in a crypt beneath the altar of the Sacramento Church in Lisbon. In the course of excavation the researchers find handwritten books indicating there is a large amount of treasure buried - somewhere - near the mummy crypt. They also discover the exotic history of many of the mummies, including one known as 'The King of the Congo.'

A group of modern shopkeepers and their families are on the journey of a lifetime - they're taking over empty shops in a neglected market square in Shepton Mallet to see if they can turn back time for the British High Street. They'll live and trade through six key eras of history and in this episode they begin their journey in the 1870s, when the high street was born. The shopkeepers make up the key trades; there's the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker and the grocer. Overseeing it all is an expert Chamber of Commerce, headed up by greengrocer and Masterchef judge Gregg Wallace.

Tony talks to a survivor of the Bethnal Green tube disaster, an ATS driver who worked with Princess Elizabeth, a resistance fighter's daughter in Guernsey and a GI bride.

Tony travels back to Georgian times, learning of a sailor's attempt to leave behind his scurvy existence for a Tahitian girl, and a gin entrepreneur who fell foul of the law. Plus, a hungry poacher has a cunning plan.

Tony travels back to the 1800s, meeting a 13-year-old girl who worked 14-hour shifts in a match factory, a woman who worked down the mines, and one of the first employees of Marks and Spencer.

Tony finds out how a knacker became an executioner, and how clothes were made in Tudor times. He also finds the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's sunken ship, and shows us how food was prepared in Tudor England. Tony Robinson takes an entertaining look at the past, visiting tumultuous periods of British history to uncover tales of everyday people and explores the history fo the nation through the everyday lives of ordinary people.

The team arrive in a large square field about 20 miles from Colchester. This is an area typically rich in Roman activity. Several remains have previously been dug up, including coins, an elaborate key, and Samian ware. Adrian Thorpe, the farmer, wants to know more. The indications are of a settlement with high status buildings, maybe timber-framed. With recycled fragments of genuine Roman glass, fired up in a homemade furnace, glassblower Ed Iglehart creates an authentic conical beaker. Among hundreds of finds is a metal owl brooch.

In this episode, Sarah Darwin visits the last remaining members of a native tribe that was wiped out by a European disease. We also hear the history of the Beagle's incredible nautical resilience.

The team are at the Navan Fort, County Armagh, where according to Celtic legends three palaces were built. The evidence of two have been found and the team try to find evidence of the third.

An in-depth look at King Charles III as a young adult and the character behind his public façade. This is the story of a man caught between the pressures of public duty and the demands of private life with a publicly deteriorating marriage. It is a unique insight into the man whose destiny was always to be King.

Ruth Goodman and food historian Ivan Day try their hand at making a Christmas pudding using the same methods as Bob Cratchit's wife in A Christmas Carol. Meanwhile, Alex and Peter light the forge for the first time to re-shoe the farm workhorse Clumper - the first time a horse has been shod at this forge in over five decades. Alex goes in search of a Christmas tree for the banquet, while Ruth and Peter head for the Victorian town of Blists Hill for Christmas shopping. At the cottage, Ruth meets Debbie Bamford to dye an array of colourful Christmas ribbons to decorate the tree and the presents that sit beneath it. Finally it's time for the Christmas meal in the estate's School Hall. The next morning it'll be time for the team to bid a fond farewell to Mr Acton as they depart Acton Scott for good.

This documentary delivers unique insights into both historical combat and theatrical swordplay. The truth of the sword has been shrouded in antiquity, and the Renaissance martial arts that brought it to being are long forgotten. Featuring interviews from Hollywood fight choreographers and world-renowned historians.

20 years ago a teenage boy discovered a 400-year-old bronze cannon in water close to the south Devon coast. Nobody has yet identified the ship it belonged to. As usual, Time Team have only three days to figure out who it belonged to. Tony is looking forward to getting into his diving suit but the team cannot dive until the wreck's archaeological supervisor arrives. Meanwhile the wreck's finder, Simon Burton, tells his story. Undeterred by disappointing geophysics results, the divers go ahead with their search in murky water.

After Diana's death, the focus has shifted to Charles, the widower, parent and heir to the throne. This program examines his relationship with his sons William and Harry, his long-term lover Camilla and his future as King. With contributions by royal experts David Starkey and Anthony Holden.

The Victorian farm team tackle their biggest project yet: restoring the village blacksmith's forge. First they must make bricks to restore the chimney - a full five day and night process in which the farmer gets no sleep. As winter marches on and Christmas nears, they must source a yule log: firewood to burn for the Twelve Days of Christmas. At the cottage, Ruth winter-proofs the house, making a paper blanket and remedies for coughs and colds. It is also a chance to begin preparations for the Christmas banquet in earnest - in particular, a very Victorian invention, Christmas crackers. Ruth enlists the help of Christmas cracker historian Peter Kimpton.

A 13th century picture of Christ, strikingly similar to that on the Turin Shroud, has turned up. It's believed to belong to the Knights Templar, a medieval order of monks who gave their name to the village of Templecombe. The team investigate a manor house thought to be on the site of a monastery. What's left of the monastery, and who were the Templars anyway? So far all the evidence seems to be outside the house, where Phil and the team have already dug up pieces of encaustic tile.

This remarkable portrait of Princess Diana examines her life following her divorce from Prince Charles. She is overwhelmed by doubts and uncertainties, but still aims to achieve great good for her family, herself and the world.

There's an enormous amount of farm work to be done on the estate in the lead-up to the festive season, including the hay harvest to make food for the animals over winter. Peter travels to the Royal Agricultural Society's annual show with sheep expert Richard Spencer to choose a new ram for the flock. Back at the farm, Ruth makes mincemeat for the Christmas mince pies. She also prepares for the hoped-for hay harvest celebration with some essentials - bread and butter.

The team investigates a cave system recently discovered under the Forest of Dean on the border of England and South Wales. They are looking for ways to identify and date a series of bones possibly dating to the last ice age found over the last 13 years. Conditions are arduous and the expedition soon takes a heavy toll on a number of team members.

Time Team go to a gravel pit that is soon to become landfill, where they attempt to unearth 200,000-year-old remains of mammoths and other prehistoric animals. Gravel pits are typical sites for paleolithic remains, but the chances of finding evidence of any prehistoric peoples are remote.

The Dinosaurs That Inspired Darwin's Theory Of Evolution | Darwin's Beagle examines the specific people, events and evidence presented in this documentary. undefined

The team returns to the Shetland Islands, this time to investigate an iron age fortress known as Burgi Geos. Just getting to the site proves a nightmare as the crew must cross some of the deepest peat bogs in Europe. As the team begins investigations it becomes more apparent that the site was far more than a simple fort. But why was there a community to protect in the first place?

The team try to discover what a 2000-year-old underground chamber beneath a garden was used for. Dowser Hamish Miller shows the extent of the fogou beneath the lawn, and Tony tries his hand at dowsing. But Mick is skeptical, preferring to rely on the geophysical survey. They are also trying to find the Iron Age settlement that would have adjoined the fogou. Joining the team are archaeological geophysicist Susan Ovenden, and county archaeologist Nick Johnson.

In 1831, Charles Darwin set sail on one of the most epic scientific journeys ever made. Darwin circumnavigated the Earth on the clipper Beagle, making discoveries that changed our ideas of time, space, chance, sex and nature. Almost 180 years later, his descendant Sarah Darwin and British author Redmond O'Hanlon repeat this epic expedition to find out how Darwin's world has changed.

In south west Wales the chance discovery of ancient coffins weathering out of a cliff face entice the team to examine who the graves belong to and how many people are actually buried in the area. As evidence is uncovered many of the team go through strange emotions as the truth about the site is revealed.

The team excavate a Saxon burial ground in a Wiltshire village which is situated on a building site owned by developer, David Buckland. Until all the graves have been mapped he is unable to continue with the development. They are joined by osteoarchaeologist Margaret Cox, archaeologists Peter Cox and Helena Cave-Penney, and conservator Meg Brooks; while blacksmith Ivor Lawton forges a Saxon blade from alternate leaves of steel and iron.

The Bible is full of references to the kinds of food ancients ate - but there are no recipes. Simcha learns what archaeology tells us about what people ate in ancient times; shops in Jerusalem for ingredients noted in the Bible and attempt to cook a meal fit for a king.

Tintagel a rocky outcrop on the Cornish coast has long been associated with the legends of King Arthur. The team needs to negotiate the rocky cliff faces to discover the truth about the site. Can they find evidence of inhabitation between the occupation of the Romans and the medieval conquest by the English?

In this episode the team try to determine whether the Roman road into London crossed the Thames at Lambeth or Tower Bridge, and if Lambeth or the City was the site of the first Roman settlement.

In North America it would be pretty unusual to have a bulldozer hit anything besides a hidden gas line or cable... but in Israel the cumbersome building tool often unearths ancient treasure. While digging a foundation for a new home, it's not uncommon to find the remains of an ancient city. We explore the four level basement of Siebenberg House and find relics that are two thousand years old.

The team travels to Parys Mountain on the island of Anglesey. They investigate if a connection between two bronze aged copper mines can be found. Their efforts will be complicated by the crumbling nature of the workings. Only recently pumped dry the expectation is the whole Bronze Age mine operation will collapse in on itself in a matter of months. This is the ultimate one shot expedition.

The team try to discover why a 15th century village church has a small pagan Roman statue embedded within its walls.

Why Are So Many Artifacts Being Faked? | The Naked Archaeologist examines the specific people, events and evidence presented in this documentary. The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.

The team travel to Culzean Castle in Scotland, built on a headland the castle stand over a series of caves whose occupation and use remains unclear. The team discovers human remains and the old legends of cannibals inhabiting the caves resurface.

This episode takes an in-depth look at archaeology as it happens in a derelict medieval castle stranded in the middle of a Sunderland housing estate.

Are These The Real Remains Of James, Brother Of Jesus? | The Naked Archaeologist examines the specific people, events and evidence presented in this documentary. The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.

The team travel to the Shetland Islands to visit a remote outcrop known as the Kame of Isbister that has a series of enigmatic structures. They are the first archaeological team ever to investigate the crumbling headland, and with the fast rate of erosion possibly the last. They hope to prove the settlement was either a Monastic retreat or a leper colony. Led by three fearless archaeologists, the team explores some of the toughest and most inaccessible regions to extract unique historic artifacts. Dr Alice Roberts, Katie Hirst and Dr Meg Watters will use their physical and mental guile to uncover untouched prehistoric sites.

The Team try to crack the mysteries of the Lords of the Isles on Islay in the Scottish Hebrides - where were these 13th-century Kings crowned and how did they live?

One of the most brutal and brilliant leaders of ancient times, the first century King left a disconcerting legacy. And, he died the most gruesome and mysterious death. He was famous for impressive public works and architecture; and, for the Biblical slaughter of the firstborn sons of Israel and extraordinary cruelty including murdering his own family.