Historian Patrick Boucheron revisits the most important dates in history through the prisms of memory and collective imagination.
Cast: Patrick Boucheron
TV-PGHDCC
10 episodes
1. 33 AD: The Crucifixion of JesusChristians believe Jesus is a man who preached and performed miracles and died on the cross but was resurrected. But for historians, the crucifixion is the least unreliable indicator of the Jesus' existence.TV-PGCC27minMar 17, 2018
2. 24 September 622: The HegiraMuhammed’s first year in Medina, in year 622 of the Christian era, marks the beginning of the Muslim era and the birth of a new religion, civilisation, empire and calendar. The Hegira, Muhammed’s visit to the Mecca in Medina, also marks a major change : from then on, believers will pray in the direction of this new sacred place and no longer in the direction of Jerusalem.TV-PGCC27minMar 17, 2018
3. 323 BC: Death of Alexander the GreatAlexander’s death marks the loss of the greatest conquerors in History, the only man who managed to extend the Empire to Eurasia, the Mediterranean and India. Different versions of The Romance of Alexander were found in the Persian, Arabian and Latin regions of the world, but also in Mali.TV-PGCC27minMar 24, 2018
4. 1492: The New World1492 was officially the year the Americas were 'discovered', marking the end of the Middle Ages. Yet it's possible that Christopher Columbus setting foot on a West Indian beach in October obscures a far more complex story.TV-PGCC27minMar 24, 2018
5. 20 June 1789: The Tennis Court OathBecause of its abstract nature, one tends to forget that the Tennis Court Oath was the key tipping point of the French Revolution, both from a symbolic and legal standpoint. On June 20, 1789, the deputies of the Third Estate, gathered in the hall of the Jeu de Paume at Versailles, swore together not to separate before having written a constitution to France. What happened that day at Versailles? Who are these men who made the people the sovereign of the French nation?TV-PGCC27minMar 31, 2018
6. 11 February 1990: Liberation of Nelson Mandela“I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people” : those are the first words pronounced by Nelson Mandela after his release from prison, after 27 years of incarceration. The event struck a chord worldwide, reminding us that South Africa, historically, was not only the first country to be colonised but also the last country to be decolonised.TV-PGCC27minMar 31, 2018
7. 24 August 79: Destruction of PompeiiThe catastrophe led to a vast interdisciplinary project : volcanology reveals the force of the eruption, archeology and the study of texts uncover new objects of daily life found in the remains of buildings and roadways, including graffiti on the walls… The eruption of the Vesuvio froze the town of Pompei forever. But can one be sure that all of these discoveries date back to the eruption?TV-PGCC27minApr 7, 2018
8. 6 August, 1945: HiroshimaAs opposed to the official discourse, the United States viewed the Hiroshima operation as a large-scale scientific experiment to force the Japanese to capitulate and avoid a Russian invasion of Japan. The first mass bombing of the History: maybe 70.000 sustained fatal injuries.TV-PGCC27minApr 7, 2018
9. 1347: The Beginning of the Black DeathDid the first outbreaks occur in China or in the Caspian Sea ? Experts still argue. But how did the plague actually spread ? After many controversies, it seems that the rat flea was the major carrier of this disease.TV-PGCC27minApr 14, 2018
10. 1431: The Fall of AngkorThe fascinating discovery of Angkor’s ruins conveys images of magnificence and splendour : we’d like to believe in the idea of a lost civilisation, as was the case for the Roman Empire. Yet, the study of the ruins of these monumental temples gives no sign of any brutal disappearance : monumental inscriptions.TV-PGCC27minApr 14, 2018
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Dates That Made History
★ 8.6/1020183 seasons45 episodesReturning Series
Historian Patrick Boucheron revisits the most important dates in history through the prisms of memory and collective imagination.
Creators and cast
- Created by
- Patrick Boucheron, Denis van Waerebeke
- Studio
- Les Films d'Ici, ARTE, Histoire TV
Maturity rating
TV-PGCheck the rating before watching with younger viewers.
Audio languages
French
Where to watch
Stream
