Terry Jones' Barbarians (2DVD)

Finally, the version of Roman history that makes so much more sense! The Barbarians were not 'barbaric' at all, unlike the Holy Roman Empire that was brutally, viciously violent and barbaric. Terry Jones manges to present solid evidence of this enlightened view, while entertaining us the whole time! So much of Western Civilization was built on the Roman version of history. Jones' brilliant revisionist approach invites us to reconsider the story we were taught in schools and universities. Western culture could potentially become so much more humane and enlightened if we learn to respect the peacful ways of the peoples that Rome maligned by calling them Barbarians.

Koch Vision and BBC presents "TERRY JONES' BARBARIANS" (2007) (205 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) ---Terry Jones' Barbarians is a 4-part TV documentary series first broadcast on BBC 2 in 2006 --- It was presented and written by ex-Python Terry Jones, challenging the received Roman and Roman Catholic notion of the barbarian --- It could be compared to his earlier series Terry Jones' Medieval Lives in that it questions aspects of history that everyone takes for granted --- So you think you know everything about the Romans? They gave us sophisticated road systems, chariots and the modern-day calendar --- And of course they had to contend with barbarian hordes who continually threatened the peace, safety and prosperity of their Empire. Didn't they?

Terence Graham Parry Jones (born 1 February 1942) is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter and actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator and TV documentary host --- He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team --- As a member of the Monty Python troupe, Jones is remembered for his roles as middle-aged women and the bowler-hatted "man in the street" --- He typically wrote sketches in partnership with Palin.

EPISODES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THE PRIMITIVE CELTS (First broadcast 26th May 2006)
1. Celtic Barbarians
2. Caesar's Gallic Wars

THE SAVAGE GOTHS (First broadcast 2nd June 2006)
1. Arminius
2. Dacian Wars
3. Alaric I's sack of Rome

THE BRAINY BARBARIANS (First broadcast 9th June 2006)
Jones argues that the ancient Greeks and Persians were in reality far from the Roman view of them as effeminate and addicted to luxury. The Greeks valued science and mathematics, while the Persians had initially allowed multiculturalism among the different ethnic groups of its empire (until years of war with Rome).
1. Antikythera Mechanism
2. Archimedes and Syracuse
3. Parthians
4. Sassanids

THE END OF THE WORLD (First broadcast 16th June 2006)
Around 400 AD, two Barbarian babies were born. One would grow up to become the most feared of all - Attila the Hun. The other, Geiseric, led the Vandals whom history has cast as destroyers. Jones finds out that Roman civilization wasn't destroyed by the invasion of these tribes, but by the loss of the North African tax base. He sees the common view of Rome and "Barbarians" as a result of the Roman Catholic Church popularizing the Roman version of the truth.
1. Sack of Rome (455)
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.

Total Time: 205 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV-6469 ~ (1/08/2008)

In this 2-DVD set, Jones' inimitable humour brings ancient Roman history to life. The programs demonstrate that people we know as Barbarians maintained civilizations far more advanced than commonly assumed. The pejorative label implies inferior people of a lesser civilization, but for Romans, it described anyone from outside the empire's centre. Jones makes the point that we learn history through the eyes of the victors and he argues effectively that northern European tribes are due greater respect than granted by popular history.

Jones shows examples of Celtic culture and engineering throughout Europe and talks with experts on location. The 2006 production for BBC and History Channel uses dramatic re-creations and computer generated imagery with appropriate restraint.