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S22E7

The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum

Premiere: 10/8/2025 | 0:32 |

The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome’s vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum’s design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome’s power, so too did it contribute to the Empire’s downfall.

Premiere: 10/8/2025
PBS   •   PBS App

About the Episode

The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome’s vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum’s design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome’s power, so too did it contribute to the Empire’s downfall.


Secrets of the Dead: The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum is a Blink Films production for The WNET Group, in association with National Geographic, ARTE France and SBS Australia. Narrated by Jay O. Sanders. Produced and Directed by Pete Chinn, Bianca Zamfira & Ben Holgate. Executive Producers for Blink Films are Tom Adams and Dan Chambers. For Secrets of the Dead: Julian Lim is producer; Benjamin Phelps is senior supervising producer; Stephanie Carter is executive producer; Stephen Segaller is executive in charge.

Series funding for Secrets of the Dead is provided by public television viewers.

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Narrated by
JAY O. SANDERS

Produced and Directed by
PETE CHINN
BIANCA ZAMFIRA
BEN HOLGATE

Executive Producers
TOM ADAMS
DAN CHAMBERS

Edited by
RUSSELL STAINTON
ALEXANDRE REES
MARK GRAHAM
MIKHAEL JUNOD

Finishing Editor
OSCAR CHAN

Line Producer
ALEXIA CHEINOPOROU

Assistant Producers
MARIO TERZOLI
RACHELE FREGONESE

Production Coordinator
SOPHIE PIGGOTT

Shooting Producers
FABIO CERVEIRA
NICK GILLAM-SMITH

Drama Director of Photography
PIERS LEIGH

Fight Coordinator
SAM KHAN

Location Fixer
MARIA LAURA FRULLINI

Graphics Design & Animation
TIM VARLOW

Art Direction
TIME TARTS

Drone Operators
FLY AGE
MARCO GIORDANO
TERRA OVER FLY

Production Assistants
PAOLO FERRO
FRANCESCO MARIA PEPE

Online Editor
OWEN GRIFFITHS

Colorist
MATT EVERSFIELD

Audio Mix
STEVE CROOK

Additional Graphics
FABER COURTIAL GbR

Music
AUDIO NETWORK

Archival Material Provided by
ALAMY
FABIAN KANZ
JEAN-CLAUDE GOLVIN
POND5
VIDEO 77 LIMITED
WOLFGANG NEUBAUER

Filming Locations Furnished by
COLOSSEUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF POMPEII
ISTITUTO CENTRALE PER IL RESTAURO
ITALIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE
SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME
ROMAN CITY OF CARNUNTUM

For BLINK FILMS

Director of Operations
ULLA STREIB

Head of Production
LYNSEY NEALE

Finance Director
MATT FLEMING

Business Affairs
JULIA PEARCE

For SECRETS OF THE DEAD

Sr. Supervising Producer
BENJAMIN PHELPS

Producer
JULIAN LIM

Re-recording Mixer
DOUG JOHNSON

Budget Controller
SUE BARTELT

Legal Counsel
MARTA CASTAING

Audience Engagement
CHELSEY SAATKAMP

Station Relations
ROBIN RODRIGUEZ

Social Media
MAGGIE BOWER

Executive in Charge
STEPHEN SEGALLER

Executive Producer
STEPHANIE CARTER

Theatrical Distribution Partner
TIN ROOF MEDIA DISTRIBUTION – THEATRICAL

A BLINK FILMS production for THE WNET GROUP,
in association with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, ARTE FRANCE and SBS AUSTRALIA.

© 2025 BLINK ENTERTAINMENT LTD. and THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC.
All Rights Reserved

TRANSCRIPT

-On "Secrets of the Dead"... -The Colosseum is the most famous monument in the Roman world.

-An excavation sheds new light on the gladiator battles once held inside its walls.

-The sport is entirely different than we've been led to believe.

-And on the Roman Empire itself.

-Inside the games is a microcosm of the reality of the world order: Rome is in charge.

-The Rise and Fall of the Colosseum on "Secrets of the Dead."