"With narration by Jim Lee, who tells the epic story of the rise and fall of the Silk Road empiresThe first complete history of Central Eurasia from ancient times to the present day, Empires of the Silk Road represents a fundamental rethinking of the origins, history, and significance of this major world region. Christopher Beckwith describes the rise and fall of the great Central Eurasian empires, including those of the Scythians, Attila the Hun, the Turks and Tibetans, and Genghis Khan and the Mongols. In addition, he explains why the heartland of Central Eurasia led the world economically, scientifically, and artistically for many centuries despite invasions by Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Chinese, and others. In retelling the story of the Old World from the perspective of Central Eurasia, Beckwith provides a new understanding of the internal and external dynamics of the Central Eurasian states and shows how their people repeatedly revolutionized Eurasian civilization.Beckwith recounts the Indo-Europeans' migration out of Central Eurasia, their mixture with local peoples, and the resulting development of the Graeco-Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations; he details the basis for the thriving economy of premodern Central Eurasia, the economy's disintegration following the region's partition by the Chinese and Russians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the damaging of Central Eurasian culture by Modernism; and he discusses the significance for world history of the partial reemergence of Central Eurasian nations after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Empires of the Silk Road places Central Eurasia within a world historical framework and demonstrates why the region is central to understanding the history of civilization."

"With narration by Jim Lee, who tells the epic story of the rise and fall of the Silk Road empiresThe first complete history of Central Eurasia from ancient times to the present day, Empires of the Silk Road represents a fundamental rethinking of the origins, history, and significance of this major world region. Christopher Beckwith describes the rise and fall of the great Central Eurasian empires, including those of the Scythians, Attila the Hun, the Turks and Tibetans, and Genghis Khan and the Mongols. In addition, he explains why the heartland of Central Eurasia led the world economically, scientifically, and artistically for many centuries despite invasions by Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Chinese, and others. In retelling the story of the Old World from the perspective of Central Eurasia, Beckwith provides a new understanding of the internal and external dynamics of the Central Eurasian states and shows how their people repeatedly revolutionized Eurasian civilization.Beckwith recounts the Indo-Europeans' migration out of Central Eurasia, their mixture with local peoples, and the resulting development of the Graeco-Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations; he details the basis for the thriving economy of premodern Central Eurasia, the economy's disintegration following the region's partition by the Chinese and Russians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the damaging of Central Eurasian culture by Modernism; and he discusses the significance for world history of the partial reemergence of Central Eurasian nations after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Empires of the Silk Road places Central Eurasia within a world historical framework and demonstrates why the region is central to understanding the history of civilization."

"Rudolf Steiner explores the astonishing, special relationship and deep spiritual connection between our own time and that of ancient Egypt. He tells us why it is important to study Eygpt, with its vast wisdom and knowledge of cosmic laws and myths.

Egyptian Myths and Mysteries are a series of 12 lectures in which he goes into the experiences of the Egyptian initiations, facts of occult anatomy and physiology, and the stages of evolution of the human form, concluding with a lecture on Christ as the conqueror of matter."

"Wild animals have been associated with many legends and superstitions since time immemorial. With animations by John Howe, famed for his artworks inspired by J.R.R Tolkien’s worlds, a wildlife documentary that takes a fresh look at creatures from folklore."

"The film is set in the criminal underground of Copenhagen, Denmark, and tells the story of the drug dealer Frank (Kim Bodnia) who, after losing a large amount of money in a drug deal gone wrong, falls into desperation as he only has a few days to raise the money he owes."

"Eight of Geoffrey Chaucer’s lusty tales come to life on-screen in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s gutsy and delirious The Canterbury Tales, which was shot in England and offers a remarkably earthy re-creation of the medieval era. From the story of a nobleman struck blind after marrying a much younger and promiscuous bride to a climactic trip to a hell populated by friars and demons (surely one of the most outrageously conceived and realized sequences ever committed to film), this is an endlessly imaginative work of merry blasphemy, framed by Pasolini’s portrayal of Chaucer himself. "

"The film is an adaptation of the ancient Arabic anthology One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights. It is the last of Pasolini's "Trilogy of Life", which began with The Decameron and continued with The Canterbury Tales. The lead was played by young Franco Merli who was discovered for this film by Pasolini. The film is an adaptation of several stories within the original collection but they are presented out of order and without the Scheherazade, Dunyazad and King Shahriyar frame story.

The film contains abundant nudity, sex and slapstick humor. It preserves the eroticism and the story within a story structure of Arabian Nights and has been called "perhaps the best and certainly the most intelligent" of Arabian Nights film adaptations.

With this film, Pasolini intended to make a film of Arabian Nights based on his 'memory of it as a boy'. In preparation for the film, Pasolini re-read the 1001 Nights with a more critical lens and chose only the stories that he felt were the most 'beautiful'. "

English Dubbed

"In this landmark study of Italy from the 14th through the early 16th centuries, Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt chronicles the rise of Florence and Venice as powerful city-states, the breakup of the medieval worldview that came with the rediscovery of Greek and Roman culture, and the new emphasis on the role of the individual. All these, Burckhardt explains, went hand in hand with the explorations of science and the more naturalistic depiction of the world in art and literature.

Within the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Burckhardt finds the first stirrings of the modern world and, in the Renaissance Italian, the first modern man. His book-length essay includes discussions of all aspects of Italian civilization: art, fashion, literature, and the music of the time, as well as the flourishing of intellectual and spiritual life.

Narrated by Geoffrey Howard"

"In this landmark study of Italy from the 14th through the early 16th centuries, Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt chronicles the rise of Florence and Venice as powerful city-states, the breakup of the medieval worldview that came with the rediscovery of Greek and Roman culture, and the new emphasis on the role of the individual. All these, Burckhardt explains, went hand in hand with the explorations of science and the more naturalistic depiction of the world in art and literature.

Within the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Burckhardt finds the first stirrings of the modern world and, in the Renaissance Italian, the first modern man. His book-length essay includes discussions of all aspects of Italian civilization: art, fashion, literature, and the music of the time, as well as the flourishing of intellectual and spiritual life.

Narrated by Geoffrey Howard"

"One of the most remarkable historical works of the 19th century came from the pen of French historian Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, a native of Paris. This amazing analysis of family and religious life among the ancient Greeks and Romans is the key to understanding ancient Mediterranean civilizations. The story begins in the misty period of the Bronze Age as the Indo-Europeans began to filter down into the Italian and Greek peninsulas. They brought with them a patriarchy that was based on ancestor worship and the veneration of hearth gods...the sacred fire which bonded family and state. As time passed, this hearth worship became codified and extremely complex. For thousands of years, there was no distinction whatsoever between religion and law. They were one and the same, even after the establishment of cities.

By the sixth century BC, the forces of societal evolution began to slowly erode this system. When citizens began to demand that laws be put into effect for the benefit of men instead of for the benefit of gods, it set in motion one of the world’s great revolutions. It transformed classical civilization, and eventually led to the destruction of the hearth gods. When Roman power and wealth expanded across the known world, it provoked a moral crisis. As a result, paganism decayed amid a general decline in religious authority and belief. This in turn led the Greeks and Romans to the realization that there could only be a single god. Thus, the way was eventually paved for the introduction of Christianity

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin."

"One of the most remarkable historical works of the 19th century came from the pen of French historian Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, a native of Paris. This amazing analysis of family and religious life among the ancient Greeks and Romans is the key to understanding ancient Mediterranean civilizations. The story begins in the misty period of the Bronze Age as the Indo-Europeans began to filter down into the Italian and Greek peninsulas. They brought with them a patriarchy that was based on ancestor worship and the veneration of hearth gods...the sacred fire which bonded family and state. As time passed, this hearth worship became codified and extremely complex. For thousands of years, there was no distinction whatsoever between religion and law. They were one and the same, even after the establishment of cities.

By the sixth century BC, the forces of societal evolution began to slowly erode this system. When citizens began to demand that laws be put into effect for the benefit of men instead of for the benefit of gods, it set in motion one of the world’s great revolutions. It transformed classical civilization, and eventually led to the destruction of the hearth gods. When Roman power and wealth expanded across the known world, it provoked a moral crisis. As a result, paganism decayed amid a general decline in religious authority and belief. This in turn led the Greeks and Romans to the realization that there could only be a single god. Thus, the way was eventually paved for the introduction of Christianity

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin."

"Jessie Weston, Robert Frederick (Narrator), "From Ritual to Romance"

In From Ritual to Romance, medievalist Jessie L. Weston proposes a radical understanding of the Holy Grail legends. She argues that ancient pagan rituals, brought to England by the Romans, were secretly kept alive through the tales of King Arthur and his Knights.

First published in 1920, this work has served as inspiration not only for fellow scholars, but also for artists like the poet T. S. Eliot and the filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola"

"We open this anthology with a dramatisation of Faust, which tells of a magus with an insatiable thirst for knowledge who makes a pact with the Devil. Featuring atmospheric music performed by the King's College Choir and the BBC Singers, it stars Simon Callow as Faust, with Ronald Pickup as Mephistopheles."

"The Nicomachean Ethics, the primary work (the title is said to come from his son Nicomachus and is generally regarded as having been essentially notes for lectures), is divided into 10 books. It opens with a statement on who should study ethics and why and that the pursuance of moral virtue leads to happiness. Courage, temperance, magnanimity, honesty and friendship are among the many qualities considered. Aristotle also outlines some of the obstacles to developing virtue. Throughout, the emphasis is placed on the practical advantages of developing positive ethics – this is practical philosophy.

Narrated by: Andrew Cullum
Nicomachean Ethics translation: W D Ross"

Directed by: Franco Piavoli

"In towns and neighborhoods, traditional festivals are renewed every year to celebrate the patron saint. They reflect a need for faith, conviviality and fun."