Near the end of the third century, civil war has torn the empire apart and left its borders vulnerable to barbarian invasion. Romans living on the eastern and western frontiers, far from Rome, are left to defend themselves, which they do by building their own armies and naming their own emperors. As the empire divides against itself, one extraordinary man rises from the rank of soldier to become emperor in Rome. His name is Aurelian, and with an unshakeable trust in the sun god he fights back the barbarians who by now threaten Rome itself. Once he secures the great city, Aurelian pursues the rulers of the splinter empires: an eastern warrior queen and a proud western general. Defeating both, he reunites the empire in five short years, earning the title, "Restorer of the World." But in 275 A.D., Aurelian is assassinated; his death is mourned by Romans across the empire who know too well the scarcity of greatness in their rulers.

The civil wars of the third century are finally ended by Emperor Diocletian, who shares rule of the empire with three co-emperors. In the eastern court and army of this powerful emperor, a young Constantine receives the training of a future leader. When Diocletian retires, Constantine returns to his father, one of the emperors in the west, who dies soon thereafter, making Constantine his successor. As emperor of Spain, Gaul, and Britain, Constantine proves his strength against his barbarian enemies. But when the other Roman emperors begin to turn on each other again, Constantine determines to put an end to such rivalries once and for all. Defeating emperor after emperor, he slowly gains control of the entire Roman Empire and establishes a new capital in the east. Along the way, he has a vision that will change the course of western civilization forever.

By the end of the fourth century, Romans and barbarians live together uneasily in the empire, a situation that often explodes into violence. When Emperor Theodosius enlists the Goths as mercenaries, he relies on his trusted general, the half Vandal, half Roman Stilicho, to ensure the Goths' loyalty. But Theodosius uses the Goth soldiers as canon fodder in a civil war, causing them to rebel under the leadership of Alaric, a man they call king. Theodosius dies soon thereafter and leaves the empire to his two young sons, naming Stilicho as regent in the west. As Alaric seeks to find a home for his people in the empire and Stilicho fights to protect that empire from new enemies, the two men will cross paths, sometimes as allies, sometimes as enemies. But in the end, both fall victim to Roman prejudice. And the Goths, realizing that Romans want nothing to do with barbarians, strike back against Rome itself.

In 450 A.D. Rome is a mere shadow of its former self. Gone is the superior civilization and great expanses of land. Now, Roman rulers are at the mercy of their barbarian invaders, offering them power and territory in exchange for peace. In the midst of the Empire's low decline, three comrades rise in the ranks of the Roman military: Ricimer, Aegidius, and Majorian, all competing for imperial control. Majorian is the first to be named emperor, and Aegidius is made his prime general, but Ricimer, a soldier of barbarian descent, is the real puppet master. Eventually, any man who threatens his own authority, including his friends, will meet their bloody end at the edge of his sword.

In the middle of the 5th century, as the Empire fights a losing battle against its formidable barbarian opponents, one Roman named Orestes finds service in the court of Attila the Hun. Schooled in the strategy of his enemy, Orestes eventually makes his way back to Italy, determined to resurrect Rome. But first, he must face down barbarians in the royal court, and pretenders sent from the East. Naming his young son, emperor, Orestes attempts to purify Rome of her barbarian influences. However, he learns the sad truth that without barbarians, there is no Rome. After hundreds of years of using the foreign invaders as mercenary soldiers, they outnumber the Romans, and the Empire can't afford to dismiss them. Though Orestes fights valiantly, he meets his end at the hands of the leader of the barbarian mercenaries, Odacer--an event that spells the end of Rome in 476 A.D. the last emperor, just a boy, is sent into exile, and the Roman Empire is no more.

In this one-hour, recreation-driven documentary, we focus on law and order in ancient Rome. As we recount Roman true crime stories, we also explore the creation and function of various Roman law enforcement agencies, including the Vigiles.

This documentary looks inside the scandalous private lives of the people who ruled the vast Roman Empire.

Research into ancient Han Dynasty records have turned up many intriguing clues that hint at the presence of Roman mercenaries in China--more than four thousand miles from Rome! But the evidence has also sparked a growing controversy over the trail of glory left by Rome's Lost Legion.