Engineering an Empire

Last updated
Engineering an Empire
Genre Documentary
Presented by Peter Weller
Narrated byMichael Carroll
Music by Michael Richard Plowman
Peter Boyer
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes14
Production
Executive producerDolores Gavin
ProducerRandy Martin
Running timeapprox. 44–90 minutes
Production companies Kralyevich Productions
Mechanism Digital
Original release
Network The History Channel
ReleaseSeptember 13, 2005 (2005-09-13) 
January 8, 2007 (2007-01-08)

Engineering an Empire is a television documentary miniseries that originally aired on The History Channel. The series explores the engineering and/or architectural feats that were characteristic of notable societies and cultures.

Contents

It is hosted by Peter Weller, who is most famous for playing the titular role in RoboCop (1987). When the series was made he had recently earned a master's degree in Roman and Renaissance Art at Syracuse University. [1] The show started as a documentary about the engineering feats of Ancient Rome and later evolved into a series.[ citation needed ] It originally ran for one full season of weekly episodes.

A video game, History: Egypt – Engineering an Empire, was released in 2010. [2] [3]

Reception

Engineering an Empire received critical acclaim. The premiere "Rome" won two Emmys after being nominated in four categories. [4]

Tracy Spurrier of the Archaeological Institute of America gave the episode "Egypt" a positive review and praised the show's live action and CGI reenactments of building the ancient monuments. However, she was disappointed about the absence of the Great Pyramids of Giza. [5]

Episodes

Episode NumberEpisode NameCivilizationOriginal Air Date
1Rome Ancient Rome September 13, 2005
2Egypt Ancient Egypt October 9, 2006
3Greece Ancient Greece October 16, 2006
4Greece: Age of Alexander Macedon October 23, 2006
5The Aztecs Aztec October 30, 2006
6Carthage Ancient Carthage November 6, 2006
7The Maya: Death Empire The Maya November 13, 2006
8Russia Russian Empire November 20, 2006
9Britain: Blood and Steel British Empire November 27, 2006
10The Persians First Persian Empire December 4, 2006
11China Imperial China December 11, 2006
12 Napoleon: Steel Monster First French Empire December 18, 2006
13The Byzantines Byzantine Empire December 25, 2006
14 Da Vinci's World Italian Renaissance January 8, 2007

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References

  1. Dafoe, Taylor (12 October 2018). "Former Robocop Actor Peter Weller on How an Epiphany at a Picasso Show Motivated Him to Become an Art Historian". Art World. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 16 November 2023. In 2004 he enrolled at Syracuse University, earning a Master's degree in Roman and Renaissance Art, then he earned his PhD in Italian Renaissance art history at UCLA in 2013.
  2. Moreno, Jim H. (16 September 2010). "HISTORY Egypt: Engineering an Empire – PC Game Review". Armchair General . Weider History Group . Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  3. "HISTORY™ Egypt : Engineering an Empire". Slitherine Software. Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  4. Emmys.com - Rome: Engineering An Empire
  5. Spurrier, Tracy (28 September 2006). "Ten Thousand Men, One Million Stone Blocks, and a Couple of Sleds". Archaeology Magazine . Archaeological Institute of America. Archived from the original on 2023-11-16. Retrieved 16 November 2023.