PBS's popular EMPIRES series delves into the histories of the world's greatest civilizations through a thrilling blend of location footage, dramatic re-creations, and interviews with historians. This collection presents five episodes of the series: THE GREEKS: CRUCIBLE OF CIVILIZATION (1999), THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE FIRST CENTURY (2001), EGYPT'S GOLDEN EMPIRE (2002), JAPAN: MEMOIRS OF A SECRET EMPIRE (2004), and THE MEDICI: GODFATHERS OF THE RENAISSANCE (2003). See individual titles for further details.