Great Cities Of The Ancient World: Rome & Pompeii - Travel Video.

Questar Video. VHS. The grandeur of the empire that changed the world is recreated through extraordinary computer modeling. Stand before the Colosseum in the first century, as it is built before your eyes. Step inside and see 50,000 Romans wildly cheering gladiators locked in duels to the death. Get a first-hand look at the lavish lifestyles of Rome and Pompeii theaters, baths, markets, parties and home life. Finally, witness recreations of the great fire of Rome and volcanic devastation of Pompeii. 60 minutes Review: "This hour-long video covers the grandeur of the ancient cities of Rome and Pompeii. By reconstructing the ancient buildings, the viewer is given a glimpse of daily life in the early part of the first millennium. Using a collage of sculpture, paintings, and footage from black-and-white films about the Roman Empire, narrator Edmund Purdon takes the viewer on a journey through two cities that are considered part of the basis of modern civilization. Ruins are displayed in their present state, and then are rebuilt on video so we can see exactly what each building was used for. In this way, we can see how early Romans lived--how they shopped, what their theaters were like, their baths, their eating and drinking habits, and even their bloody gladiator fights. Pompeii is introduced in the same manner, and we learn of its destruction--the earthquake and volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which killed over 2,000 people and buried the city until it was discovered in the mid-18th century. This video, part of the Great Cities of the Ancient World series, is a wonderful introduction for anyone curious about these important cities and a terrific foundation in the history of the Roman Empire".