Product Review

This is a fabulous two-disc set, "Building The Dream & Heaven on Earth" and Envy of the World & For Ever and Ever." For more than 1,000 years, the Byzantine Empire was the eye of the entire world - the origin of great literature, fine art and modern government. Heir to Greece and Rome, it was the first Christian empire, spanning 11 centuries and three continents. In the end, plundered and sacked by invaders, Byzantium nearly became extinct. Now, after a year of filming on three continents, TLC unlocks this ancient region to uncover the great cultures that helped shape the Western world. Pass through the gates of Constantinople, the eye of the world, where East still meets West. Explore the magnificent mosque of Hagia Sophia. Visit the treasury of St. Mark's in Venice and see antiquities never before filmed for television. You'll be transported to a world that history has nearly forgotten. It's a journey you won't forget. Hosted by noted historian John Romer.