NG Treasure Seekers - In the Shadow of Ancient Rome (2000)

More wealthy and more powerful than any other ancient civilization, the Roman Empire enjoyed a long period of prosperity known as the Pax Romana. But perhaps the greatest treasure of this period is not its riches, but it's myth. The abstract image of this extraordinary empire has inspired dreamers and dictators throughout the ages, luring some to return to Rome to fuel their own dreams of power. In the middle of the 14th century, Cola di Rienzo, Roman Inn keeper, rekindled the days of his city's former glory. Cola di Rienzo fought the power of the Catholic church and a clique of local aristocrats to proclaim a new Roman Republic. Although his efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful, he fuelled the Renaissance with his notion that Rome could rise again. Six hundred years later, Benito Mussollini rose to power in Italy and became increasingly obsessed with re-establishing it's imperial past. He embarked on an ambitious plan to recreate the glories of ancient Rome. Like Cola di Rienzo, Mussolini would die pursuing his fantasy, but his story lives on in the annals of history.

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