The History of Warfare is a 3660-minute documentary series about the most famous wars and battles in world history focusing primarily on the military annals of Great Britain.
The series was created during the 1990s, when Cromwell Productions Ltd became a production company specialising in historical and arts documentaries taking the example of other shows from Cromwell such as Line of Fire and Battlefield.
Presentation
The series dedicates numerous episodes to determine conflicts such as the English Civil Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the American Civil War. In addition to having segments such as Discovery To Revolution about the discovery and colonisation of the American continent by the Spanish, Dutch, French and English and Under Siege about the most famous battles of siege warfare.
The series has the participation as narrators of many British actors such as Robert Powell, Iain Cuthbertson and Brian Blessed. Bob Carruthers served as screenwriter and producer. The series included interviews with many military historians such as David G. Chandler then professor at the Sandhurst Military Academy.
Episodes
N. Title Synopsis Narrated by Studio Year Released DVD release date Run time1 The Greek And Persian Wars This documentary focuses on the conflicts between the Greek city states and the Persian Empire in the fifth century BC, including the famous Greek victory at Marathon, and the Spartans' defence of the pass at Thermopylae, which ensured Greek freedom and victory. Features dramatised reconstructions and analysis by experts in the field of ancient history. This is the story of bloody conflicts between the Greeks and the Persians that lasted for more than fifty years in the fourth century BC. It includes the famous battle of Marathon, a victory that has echoed down the year, and Thermopylae, where the Spartans made a heroic defence of the pass. The running battles did not cease until 449 BC, when the Persians finally gave up hope of annexing Greece.Brian Blessed Cromwell 499 BC-449 BC 50 min 2 Hoplite Warfare The nature of infantry warfare in the Peloponnesian Wars between the Greek city states of Athens and Sparta in 450 BC. The hoplites were the regular infantry of both sides, armed with the long thrusting spear and fighting in powerful phalanxes, but it was the Spartans who used them to greater effect, eventually defeating Athens and subjugating her utterly. The mighty armoured warriors at the heart of Greek legend were famous Hoplites. Fighting shoulder to shoulder, armed with their long thrusting spears and colourful shields, these were the men who dominated the battlefields of the ancient world during the conflicts of the Peloponnesian Wars.