On Behalf of the State: Memories of Hanging

True Story of the Roman Arena

Julius Caesar courted popular support with spectacular displays of gladiatorial combat. But new archaeological research explains what really went on inside the Roman amphitheatre, and how cruelty and violence became the corner-stone of political and social life. Drawing on contemporary accounts and featuring computer reconstructions of the Colosseum, the historical documentary series returns with a disturbing insight into the eternal appetite for violence in entertainment.