PBS - Roman City - David Macaulay 

I have been LOSING MY MIND trying to find out the name of "that history show about the romans with creepy animated druid sequences." It's been 23 years since I last saw this!

This special won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less).

Romans always have the coolest British accents. They spoke the King's English very well.

Props to the animators I was expecting something slapped together, but this was very well done. The movement was fluid and the details for the buildings were good. The writing was nice, the characters were fleshed out, and it could honestly be its own show. Ngl, I was kinda sad that Marcus and the chief’s daughter didn’t get together they seemed like a nice couple.

Did you notice the voice talent? Almost every one has been knighted and is now a “sir”.

My history teacher in High School would leave these videos when we had a sub - talk about a way to keep students educationally entertained!! Best part is, when I was a sub and covering his class, still showing David Macaulay! Great memories that last forever!

I'm just trying to look through the comments to find my answers

We had this on tape when I was a kid. Wonderful educational video - the animated portions are entertaining and educational for children but also build their curiosity for the portions that Macaulay narrates himself. Great way to introduce kids to Roman and architectural history.

POV: you are doing this for a school assignment

Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, AND Ian McKellen? They spared no expense for this one!

By the gods, that scene transition at 26:00 is astounding.

Who else is watching this because of school in quarantine? 😭

This is so well done! I miss the old programs like this. Fun, informative, while appealing to all ages, bravo!

14:21 "You'd better not be mixed up with the Druids." Best. Line. Ever. Dying to work it into daily conversation.

I actually support pbs now. They are such an underrated channel. They are the cause of many sleep sessions during video lectures back in 90s middle school. As an adult and you watch this now, it was actually chalk full of information (if history is your niche) that was really interesting. I visited Rome 5 years ago and my wife was in shock of the things i pointed out in Rome. Not sure if she was impressed or had doubts.

"At Least I do not have to go to Phoenicia." Love the comedy in this one. Lorens was a real pip.

I've been looking for this for so long after high school. My world history teacher played these Macaulay shows often and the whole class of course loved the animation segments the best. This one was particularly memorable just for the aggressively flamboyant slave.

No thumbs down from me; the David Macaulay videos are a stable of my youth in public schools. I always loved them - they were animation for the kid in all of us, yet David's narration was of a tone and style that felt he was talking to you as an equal, instead of talking DOWN to you. Thank you SO much for putting these up!

Is it just me or is the music really intense

I came to youtube for My Chemical Romance and left with PBS - Roman City

when I was in Turkey in the late 1950's, I saw the Valen's Acuaduct. The grand bazaar was cool. Istanbul had about 1 million people. I saw the hippodrome. The aya sophia which became a museum. The blue mosque was grand. We took the express ferry to Yalova, and then a civilian bus to our air base near Karamursel. At that time Karamursel was a village.

These documentaries by David were aired on Discovery Kids Latin America in 1998 under the name "Antiguos Mundos (Ancient Worlds)". Lovely times!

In actual class i wouldve loved this but im inonline school and im bored aff

Crazy how they had so much beautiful architecture it’s so fascinating. And like he said we got most of our ideas from them ! The romans were amazing people they set the standard in so many areas of civilization development.

Came here to do homework

Didn’t even know this existed!! But it’s awesome. And the voices so familiar I had to look them up.... Derek Jacobi and Brian Blessed??? Must have been like a small “I, Claudius” reunion!!

My art teacher had us watch this for some reason in 6th grade. Mind you this was wayyyy back in the dinosaur ages like 2002. It’s wild to me that this was assigned to high school kids during covid. I thought the druids were metal af seeing this as a kid.

loved it! Thanks for posting. I never heard of David Macaulay before your postings.

One of the best videos I've seen in a while. It's great to see something so digestible yet so informative - reminds me of my middle and high school history classes.

This is the best video for history lovers!

I used to love when they would wheel in the 24in color and VHS player to watch this stuff In school. I now do it in my spare time.

Man do these bring back memories, we watched them in high school history. THE BRIDGE IS BURNING THE BRIDGE IS BURNING!

They shut off the water to the rich people's homes first

When you’re school is now doing online learning bc of corona, and you’re stuck here 😭😭😭

I remember this. I used to have a recorded version on VHS for the longest time.

Enjoyed reading the book with my daughter. Interesting to find this video on it. Thanks for uploading it.

I FINALLY FOUND IT!! I’ve been looking for this ever since watching it in middle school

This is for my architectural history college class... and the sad part is this is probably older than me but its still being used guess that means they did a good job on it.

Very instructive and interresting. The adition of the cartoon sequences is a great idea. This is great entertainment!

I remember seeing this when I was little at an event about roman and greek history. It's nice to have rediscovered it. The animations haven't aged as well as I'd like, though.

So how did everybody’s homework gooo.....

I am having nostalgia watching this! The first documentary I saw narrated by David Macaulay was "Pyramid" and I loved the rest ever since the. Awesome how most of the cast of "I, Claudius" provided the voice talents for the characters in this :) The animated story accompanying this documentary is cool too! When it came to architecture the Romans certainly were masters at it. Licinus is a greedy bloated toad 11:15. Haha Laurens is too funny 12:59. Aiden is pretty and has a fiery spirit, was disappointed she and Marcus did not get married. Someday I will definitely visit Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, the provincial cities and Rome itself. Macaulay's documentaries are great in getting kids interested in History.

An excellent video. I am glad to have found it.

The world of the ancient Romans seems far more recognizable and familiar to us in modern times than the feudal Middle Ages.

32:00, fat guy says "With the lack of rains, there will surely be a shortage.". Look behind him xD

THIS VIDEO WAS AWESOME!! MORE PLEASE!!!!!

I'm here now for my european history class, and wow! great watch, kept my attention and i loved the breaks with animations and the real life parts. so informative!!

anthony223, thank you so much for posting this. I loved it!

The months July and August were named after Julius and Augustus Caesar. The more you know...

In case anyone was curious, if Verbonia was a real town, it'd be known in modern times as Verboine thanks to the evolution of Latin into French.

23:54 those faces xD. Interesting educational movie that I also watched in grade school. Also, does anyone else get the sense that some things were cut from the animated portions of the movie, like the blue wife was supposed to have some bigger role and potentially be some kind of traitor?

Patrick Stuart as a Roman General. I love it. Looks like it predates the Next Gen by about five years.

I seriously need a series of the architect and his adventures in Gaul with that sassy slave. I would watch that time and time again.

If only tv was great again 😢

This is an awesome video!!!

really inspirational i rly loved this amazing piece of education 🙏🙏

If you and your kid are at the house of one of the people who recently conquered your country for dinner, and one thing that made the evening awkward if the constant glaring between you and your kid, then you know you have family issues.

Gladiators did not fight to the death, rather, they were much like UFC fighters but armed and trained in armed combat.

I’m watching this again I watched it in my class it’s actually kinda cool

great cartoons really enjoyed them

THE SLAVE DUDE IS PEARL CONFURMED SALTY AF

I always wondered what Irish druids were doing in ancient France?

I had to watch this for school but it was still fascinating.

bought this one and the castle vid for my daughter years ago. great basis.

I used to love when they would wheel in the 24in color and VHS player to watch this stuff In school. I now do it in my spare time

love this video

I'm a slave!...You treat me like a wife.

Mr. Moss is a Boss who's as chill as Bob Ross

watching this for my university course, i love romans!

Very informative and entertaining on this rainy day. As a matter of fact, at 36:34 when the lightning struck the tree there was thunder right outside my window. Perfect timing. After scrolling the comments, can we all just please go down and start reporting that "Baris" spammer? I have been doing so on each of these videos, but the troll spammed so much that it would take hours. We don't need that kind of idiocy on such great content. Thank you, my fellow RU-vidrs ☺

You're right. The animation adds a lot.

thx really useful

I'm highly surprised people actually watch something educational.

I saw in the 9th grade mrs. Knowles class. Such a cool story!

I remember in the french Asterix comics where every (male) Gaul's name ends with "ix", like Asterix and Obelix and Panoramix (or Getafix in english), and the pet dog is called Idefix (Dogmatix in english). And the Romans' names all end with "us" like Ignoramus or Caligula Minus, and the Egyptian names end with "is," the Goths "ac" and so on. Needless to say, most of the names are puns...

Where is the scale model of ancient Rome at 3:50 located?

We watched this on school, like a lot of people are saying in the comments! For the longest time I thought I dreamt it because I couldn’t find it ANYWHERE!

While a good mix of information and entertainment, it would've been nice had they done a little more to show how the Romans were able to construct what they did, more in the spirit of MacCaulay's books.

Anyone know name of Roman cartoon in 12;00?

yes the animated part is og

I HAVE TO WATCH THIS AND DO 3 ASSIGNMENTS ON THIS ALL DUE TOMORROW AT 10 AM AND ITS 11 AT NIGHT Anyways Wish me luck 😗✌️

Wow! Brian Blessed AND Derek Jacobi!

I am sure I read this book City at primary school in 89 - still this is a good documentary even through the medium of animation. The use of the voices from I Claudius is a good reference. An amazing series on Roman building techniques is on Yale course channel. Professor Kleiner analyzes the major public architectural commissions of the emperor Trajan in Rome.

Patrick Stewart voice acting? Maybe I'm wrong but the Prefect sounds like him. Also, I was 3 or 4 when this was on PBS and this is awesome homework, had you seen the trash I had to watch in High school in the late 90s you would be very happy with this. lol

I was always bummed out by the ending to the story

anyone here in 2021?

I love the animation, anymore documentaries like this?

If you want a truly good laugh, turn on the closed captions.

Does anyone have the answers for the guided notes?

Nice

Help I’m being held hostage here by my social studies teacher

Хорошее видео, занимательное!

my latin teacher made us watch this at least i got a couple free periods

great drawings I'm visual person so this def helped understand

A pretty distinguished cast of vocal talent: Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen, etc.

The Evil Queen from Disney's Jesus The Miracle Maker (2001)

What’s the original air date of this special?!?

The Romans and the 'Barbarians' speak of eachother as crude, and hatefull, but not all of the 'Barbarians' hated the Romans coming to their land. They'd often welcome the new settlers, and see there magnificent structures. The Romans also let warriors from other tribes join their army if they wish to, and they got roman citizenship if you completed your minimal duty in the army, so you and your family where able to become the owner of land. That way, the 'barbarians' where able to make a decent living when Rome conquered them.

Thanks Mossbarger

I love that snooty, sarcastic slave!