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Join Dave Stotts on an adventure through world history as he tells the stories of the people, places, and events that shaped the ancient world, and how those ancient civilizations and the Christian faith shaped Western Civilization and the world we live in today.
While traveling to Italy, Greece, and Turkey, you'll learn about the ancient empires of Rome, Athens, and Constantinople. In studying the intersection of secular and biblical history, you'll learn how these ancient empires set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ and the birth of the early Christian Church.
This is the series that launched Drive Thru History!
Video sessions provided by RightNow Media.
The Rise of Western Civilization
In this first episode, we explore the founding and expansion of one of the most recognized civilizations in the ancient world, Rome. We visit the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Arch of Titus. We examine the intersection between the lives of Caesar Augustus and Jesus of Nazareth, two of the most influential individuals of ancient history. We end with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, and how that event continues to impact modern times.
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The Age of Conflict
We continue our journey through ancient Rome. We learn how the depravity and tyranny of Emperor Nero burned indelible scars into the Roman Empire, witness chariot races at the Circus Maximus, and walk the ruins of the Colosseum where they held gruesome gladiator games. We investigate the extreme persecution of Christians during this era of Roman history and the paradoxical impact it had on the growth of Christianity. We end with a tour of one of the most intricately engineered temples of the ancient world, the Roman Pantheon.
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A Time of Challenges
In this episode, we trace the epic exploits of Hannibal, one of Rome’s most relentless, strategic, and dangerous rivals. We step into the crossfire between Carthage and Rome in the Punic Wars and examine one of the most studied battles in ancient history. We peer more deeply into the lives of those who fought as gladiators in the Colosseum and witness the slow disintegration of the once powerful Roman Empire.
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Roots of Democracy
We’re off to Greece, where we dive into ancient Greek culture. We study the life and legacy of Homer, the famous poet who produced the Iliad and Odyssey and paved the way for modern literature. We trek to the peak of Mount Parnassus to investigate the infamous Oracle at Delphi, travel with the Apostle Paul as he journeyed through Athens, and follow the footsteps of Alexander the Great as he conquered huge expanses of the ancient world and left an unfading mark on history.
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Challenges of a New Religion
In this episode, we trace the footsteps of Saul of Tarsus as he radically shifted to become the Apostle Paul, a man of extreme courage and faith. We walk the streets of Athens and analyze Greek philosophy, architecture, and culture. We visit the ruins of the Acropolis, the center of Greek pagan worship. We end by following Paul on his journey from Mars Hill to his eventual imprisonment and execution in Rome.
The Spread of Christianity
We continue to trace the timeline of Christianity from East to West. We explore the streets of ancient Corinth, a port city bustling with life, trade, and immorality. We take a glimpse into the daily life of the Apostle Paul during his months in Corinth, experience the extreme corruption Christians struggled to escape in the city, and witness Paul’s trial unfold. We read passages of the impassioned letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and dissect its historical accuracy. We finish with an analysis of the engineering feat known as the Corinth Canal and its revolutionary impact on trade.
East Meets West
In this episode, we trek across Asia Minor to unearth the roots of Western Civilization. We begin by unraveling the history and archeology of the ancient city of Smyrna on the shore of the Aegean Sea. We meet a man named Polycarp whose martyrdom left an indelible mark on Christian history. We walk the ruins of Sardis and study the Apostle John’s compelling message to the city’s inhabitants, as preserved in the Book of Revelation.
Ruins and Romans
In this episode, we venture through the fertile Lycus Valley in the heart of Asia Minor with a mission to visit three cities that thrived during the 1st century: Hierapolis, Laodicea, and Colossae. We explore the grounds surrounding the Temple of Apollo, where people once believed the gateway to the underworld existed. We observe ancient architectural feats of this region and how they contributed to modern-day design. We analyze the Apostle John’s severe warning to early Christians who walked the lavish streets of Laodicea. We end among the unexcavated ruins of Colossae, where the Apostle Paul wrote in his famed letter to the Colossians during his arrest in Rome.
The Advancement of Knowledge
We meander through the Roman ruins of what was arguably the largest and most crucial city of Asia Minor during the New Testament era, Ephesus. We walk the halls of ancient libraries to learn how they revolutionized the ancient world’s access to knowledge and ultimately opened the doorway to modern thought and literature. We take a rapid tour of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,” and observe how the Temple of Artemis permeated the local culture and economy of Ephesus. We finish by tracing the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, as he narrowly escapes a lynching and boldly establishes a church amidst the moral depravity of the city.
Heart of Stone
In this episode, we venture deep into the heart of Turkey, approximately 300 miles from the city of Ephesus, to the remote region of Cappadocia. We explore ancient caves and dwellings carved into stone to uncover how this region stood as the first gateway from the civilized eastern hemisphere to the unexplored western hemisphere. observe how the waxing and waning of the infamous Ottoman Empire reverberates into modern-day conflict, unravel the Biblical timeline of the Hittites and the disparate eras of freedom and oppression of local Christians, and ultimately, find yourself in a deadly game of hide-and-seek in the underground tunnels that snake beneath the city.
Constantine and Constantinople
We drive deep into a city that once prevailed as the heart of Western Civilization, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). We witness the battle of thrones over this legendary city, trail the footsteps of Roman Emperor Constantine, and examine the religious freedoms Constantine gave to the Christians through the Edict of Milan. We watch as Constantinople crumbles and Saint Augustine takes a stand, ending our journey at the incredible Hagia Sophia.
The Best of the Ancient World
In this final episode, we retrace our footsteps across the map of ancient history. We take a seat in the Roman Colosseum and discuss the grave implications of Emperor Claudius’ lust for the brutality of his gladiator games. We then jump back in the Mini Cooper and speed through Greece, straight up the cliffs of the legendary Mount Parnassus, to pay a visit to the Oracle at Delphi. We observe the ripple effects of the Apostle Paul’s speech in Athens. We return to Turkey and dig deeper into the impact of Polycarp’s death on the spread of Christianity, and reconnect with the Apostle Paul to unravel some Biblical teachings in the area. We end by examining the expansion of Christianity in Western Civilization. We look at the defining qualities of the Christian faith -- the dignity of the individual, equality for all people, and a new foundation for morals based on the teachings of Jesus Christ – that changed the world and eventually formed the bedrock for the founding of America.