History - In Search Of History The Roman Legions

It was the most impressive fighting machine ever assembled. Its prowess on the battlefields of the ancient world was unmatched, and its power could challenge even that of the emperor. From its humble beginnings as a band of part-time soldiers to its ultimate evolution as the most feared, disciplined and accomplished fighting force the world had ever seen, this is the definitive story of the Roman Legion. Military experts revisit its epic campaigns, such as the hundred-year struggle to win Carthage, andreveal the incredible tactics and weaponry it developed and employed. Leading historians tell of the legions' awesome influence in Roman politics, laying the empire at the feet of Caesar, yet snatching it away from the demented Caligula. Finally, tracethe inevitable decline of the force that had bent most of the known world to its will. Itis the ultimate examination of the legendary ROMAN LEGIONS.

• documentary