A new 8-part docudrama Barbarians Rising is coming to History (DStv 186) in 2016 that will follow the rise and fall of the Roman Empire as profiled through historical figures like Hannibal, Spartacus, Boudica, Attila and the Goths and Vandals.
Barbarians Rising will help History to show some history again on the channel that is a joint venture between A+E Networks UK and Sky - whose schedule line-up is littered with psuedo trash television ranging from Ancient Aliens and Pawn Stars to Banger Boys, Swamp People and UFO Hunters.
Barbarians Rising is produced by October Films and will be broadcast on History on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in 2016 in South Africa and the rest of the African continent and the rest of the world - 185 territories in total.
South African and African DStv subscribers won't be able to see Barbarians Rising in high definition (HD).
Adam Bullmore is executive producer, Simon George is the executive director and Michael Waterhouse (The Bible) is series producer for October Films. Executive producers for History are Kristen Burns, Russ McCarroll and Sally Habbershaw.
Barbarians Rising on History will document the fall of the Roman Empire from the viewpoint of the barbarian rebel leaders and A+E Networks UK describes it as "a visceral journey into the heart of a wave of rebellions against absolute power".
"The Roman Empire called them 'barbarians' – tribes the Romans viewed beyond the fringe of civilization that live a brutish and violent existence. However, these were also men and women who launched epic struggles that shaped the world to come".
The docuseries will cover Hannibal (who vowed a blood oath at the age of nine), Spartacus (the slave-turned-rebel who led a barbarian revolt), Boudica (the Celtic warrior queen), Arminius (the stolen son of Germany), Attila (scourge of the east), as well as the Goths (people betrayed by the empire) and the Vandals (the wandering raiders who dealt Rome's final death blow).
"These monumental tales tell the story of how one of the world's greatest Empires is undone by their aggressive quest for expansion," says History.
