The image of the bustling city has come to encapsulate everything we think of as modern. But what were the first cities like? This episode explores the hierarchical societies that evolved into our modern trades and professions, looking at the first ancient codes of law and how they were enforced, along with the origins of taxation.

The common thread that joined all great ancient powers was the need to trade. This episode of Secrets of Ancient Empires explains how trade was carried out across continents long before a single road was constructed. Nor was it only raw materials that were common currency –the program reveals how luxury items such as honey, jewelry and opium were bought and sold across the world via a complex network of trade routes.

This episode of Secrets of Ancient Empires collection features stunning re-creations and reconstructions as it tells the powerful story of the origins of organized warfare. The program reveals the truth behind the savagery of ancient battle; how weapons were made and developed; how sophisticated tactics were introduced and how great warriors made their reputation as they fought to win glory and protect their lands from foreign invasion.

The bloody act of human sacrifice combined with bizarre ritualized acts formed the backdrop to ancient organized religious systems. This powerful episode of the Secrets of Ancient Empires collection peers into the darker side of life in the ancient world, where acts that appear immoral to the modern eye were an integral part of temple life.