The Hittites: A Civilization That Changed the World (2004) narrated by Jeremy Irons

“This is the glorious story of the Hittites – the most powerful people in the Near East of their time. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, “The Hittites” brings the fascinating history of this mighty empire to life with expert interviews, stunning cinematography, dramatic reenactments, and visual effects. Highlights include a breathtaking recreation of the controversial battle of Kadesh that decimated the armies of Egypt’s Pharaoh Ramesses II. Based on the actual words of the Hittites, deciphered from ancient clay tablets excavated in the 20th century, their story unfolds as beautifully as it written almost 3500 years earlier. “

THE HISTORY CHANNEL: OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Ottoman Empire: The War Machine is a documentary on the six century reign of the Ottoman Empire

“The Ottoman state rose to become a world empire, which lasted from the late 13th century to 1923. Like that of the Habsburgs, its eventual rival, the Ottoman Empire was dynastic; its territories and character owed little to national, ethnic or religious boundaries, and were determined by the military and administrative power of the dynasty at any particular time. The Ottomans attempted to bring as much territory as possible into the Islamic fold. The non-Muslims living in these areas were then absorbed into the Empire as protected subjects.”http://www.theottomans.org/english/index.asp

Related articles

• The unending fear of the Ottoman Empire (opinion-maker.org)
• Albanian cities with Ottoman Heritage attract more tourists (worldbulletin.net)
• Syrian Refugees Welcomed By South America (syriacchristianity.wordpress.com)
• World War 1 was a direct consequence of the demise of the Ottoman Empire (machineguncorps.com)
• World War I and the Ottoman Home Front (jadaliyya.com)
• Historical Genetics: Researchers Find Traces of Crusades, Spread of Islam in Lebanon (23andme.com)

 

Al Jazeera World – Syria The Reckoning

“Al Jazeera World – Syria The Reckoning Since its independence from France in 1946, Syria has been rocked by periods of political instability. br Syria The Reckoning tells the story of the past and brings it right up to the present to provide deeper historical context to the events of today as war continues to rage in Syria with the unleashing of many of the forces which had been previously repressed. br br As the colonial hold of the great powers began to fade and the region witnessed a wave of Arab nationalism, Syria shifted through a succession of military coup”

BBC documentary – Birth of Israel – Birth of a Nation

 

Palestine and Israel, 41 Maps Covering 5,000 Years of History Introduction – 5,000 Years of Dynamic Maps

41 Maps Covering 5,000 Years of History Introduction – 5,000 Years of Dynamic Maps

‎”TIME PERIOD: Introduction
“For about two thousand years the name Palestine has been used internationally for the lands on both sides of the Jordan River… The name Palestine will here be used…to refer to the area from southern Syria (the Beqa Valley) to Egypt and the Sinai, and from the Mediterranean to the Arabian desert.
The Greek historian Herodotus called Cisjordan [the land west of the Jordan River] the Palestinian Syria or sometimes only Palaestina. Thus, there is a tradition from at least the fifth century B.C. for the use of this name…
Another well-known name for Palestine, which is the most common one in the Bible, is Canaan. The earliest known reference to this name, read as ‘Canaanites‘, is in a letter from [the kingdom of] Mari (on the Euphrates) [see 700 mile radius map] to Iasmah-Adad from the eighteenth century B.C… The letter does not give any information about the territory of these Canaanites… In many Egyptian texts Canaan refers to southern Syria and Palestine…
The Sinai peninsula is not part of Palestine, but because of its geographical location between Egypt proper and Palestine it has a place in a history of Palestine.”
Gosta W. Ahlst”http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000642…

Related articles

• Graphic ‘map’ reveals wealth and economic disparities between Israel and Israel-occupied Palestine (altahrir.wordpress.com)

[BBC – Twenties In Colour] Middle East, The Birth Of Nations

From the collection of Albert Kahn “No sooner had Europe declared an end to its Great War than the seeds of new conflict were sown—in the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire. With his characteristic global awareness, archivist and photography patron Albert Kahn chose to document the historic changes occurring in the colonial Middle East. This program traces his team’s expeditions into Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine as Western powers redrew the map of the region. The French takeover of Syria, the Balfour Declaration, and Turkey’s war with Greece come to life in Kahn’s street-level films and autochromes—which also serve as reminders that Jerusalem, like many other Middle East locations, suffered greatly during World War I. Contains mature subject matter. A BBC/Musée Albert-Kahn (Département des Hauts-de-Seine—France) Coproduction. A part of the series The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn.(52 minutes)”http://ffh.films.com/id/16382/Middle_East%E2%80%94The_Birth_of_Nations_Albert_Kahns_Archive_of_the_Planet.htm

“Series examining Albert Kahn’s ambitious Archives of the Planet project, in which he sent photographers around the world to document all aspects of human life.”