I, Caesar | Julius Caesar - I am not King but Caesar (Episode 1)

A 1997 Seventh Art Production for the BBC and A&E Network Biography Documentary, written and Produced by Phil Grabsky, narrated by Brian Cox.

Its army dominated the known world. Its culture forms the heart of Western Civilization. At its zenith, the Roman Empire extended from Persia to England, the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. And throughout its history, its fate rested in the hands of individuals men of genius and courage, madness and ambition. Starting with Julius Caesar, films charts the rise and fall of the Roman power over 600 years, and this classic award-winning series takes a fascinating look at the public and private lives of six key men who ruled ancient Rome: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, Hadrian, Constantine and Justinian. Their careers were made up of bloody battles and tactical bribery, stunning innovation and profound corruption, dazzling rhetoric and vicious back-stabbing – and together they form a picture of the most sophisticated highs and most brutal lows of the Roman Empire's inception, heyday and final decline. Stretching at its peak, from the north of England to southern Egypt and from the west coast of Spain to Syria in the east, the Roman Empire included within its boundaries myriad people, cultures and climates. The task of ruling it seems an impossible one, even with today’s communication technology.

So how was it achieved two thousand years ago? And why has ancient Rome had such profound influence on western civilization ever since? Whether your interest is Caesar's brilliant military maneuvering, Rome's astonishing statuary and architecture or the political strategies behind imperial power, these films offer an accessible introduction to the subject. I, CAESAR spans three continents and seven centuries to tell the saga of the Roman Empire and the men who shaped it. Ancient accounts detail Nero's madness and Augustus's political brilliance. The battles of Caesar and Justinian come to life through dramatic re- enactments. Modern scholars explore Constantine's conversion to Christianity. Cutting- edge computer graphics capture the splendor of Hadrian's "golden age," and location footage from twenty-three countries shows the splendid ruins of Imperial Rome. In the riveting stories of its fabled rulers, the rise and fall of the Roman Empire comes alive. I, CAESAR takes a fresh look at the Roman Empire and shows that ancient history doesn't have to be a thing of the past.

Episode 1. Julius Caesar's ambition created a colossal empire, and he gave his name to the rulers who succeeded him. He has been a symbol of power and majesty for 2,000 years. But to his countryman, Caesar was an upstart, a gambler and a tyrant who destroyed the Roman Republic and paved the way for the rule of emperors. His reign transformed his nation and marked the beginning of the Roman Empire. His name inspires awe and admiration to this day. Julius Caesar is one of the towering figures of human history. He gave his name to the rulers that followed him, and passed down a vast empire carved from his determination and military genius. This definitive portrait uses countless ancient artifacts, texts, commentary from leading experts and dramatic re-enactments to explore his life and legacy.

Follow his meteoric rise to power and his brilliant military conquests. Hear his own descriptions of some of his greatest battles, and visit the sites of these legendary engagements. And investigate the controversy surrounding his legacy: was he an ambitious demagogue, as his detractors claim, or a defender of the people's rights against the vested powers of a controlling oligarchy? From his several wives to his storied death at the hands of Brutus, this episode proudly presents the life of Caesar.