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S18 Ep6

The End of the Romans

Premiere: 10/26/2022 | 00:00:32 | TV-PG |

Is history repeating Itself? Follow an in-depth investigation into the real causes of the decline of the Roman Empire. Three deadly epidemics and climate change could have caused its collapse — drawing frightening parallels to today.

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About the Episode

What if climate change and pandemics were the real causes of the decline of the Roman Empire? Scientists from a range of disciplines are accumulating clues to show that three successive waves of deadly epidemics and powerful temperature drops could have caused the collapse of the Empire — and draw frightening parallels to today. 

Film Interviewees

  • Benoit Rossignol – Professor of Roman History, Panthéon-Sorbonne University
  • Véronique Boudon-Millot – Head of Research, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
  • Ulf Büntgen – Dendrochronologist, University of Cambridge
  • Igor Sljusarenko – Archaeologist, University of Novossibirsk
  • Michael McCormick – Professor of Medieval History, Harvard University
  • Elena Korotkikh – Lab Manager, Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine
  • Paul Mayewski – Director, Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine
  • Benoit Ode – Archaeologist
  • Paul Raynaud – Archaeologist, University of Montpellier / CNRS
  • Nolwenn Germain – Archaeo-anthropology Student
  • Johannes Krause – Archaeogeneticist, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Secrets of the Dead: The End of the Romans is a co-production of Iliade Productions, Les Films de l’Odyssée, and ARTE France, in association with THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. Written and directed by Frédéric Wilner. Narrated by Jay O. Sanders. For Secrets of the Dead: Benjamin Phelps is supervising producer. Stephanie Carter is executive producer. Stephen Segaller is executive in charge.

Original production funding for The End of the Romans was provided by the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC) – COSIP and CVSA programs, and by The WNET Group’s PERIL & PROMISE multiplatform initiative.

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

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Narrated by
JAY O. SANDERS

Written and Directed by
FRÉDÉRIC WILNER

Cinematography
CHRISTOPHE TRARIEUX
VALERIO CARIGNANO
MATHIEU MONDOULET
URIEL SINAÏ

Drone Operators
CHRISTOPHE TRARIEUX
FRÉDÉRIC BERNARD
VLADAN ZDRAVKOVIC
TASOS FYTROS
AMIR TERKEL

Original Music and Sound Design
ALEXANDRE LECLUYSE
STÉPHANE GASSOT

Editor
SOPHIE LE STRAT

Assistant Camera Crew
PIERRE GAUDAIN
HUGO DARDELET
JEAN-BAPTISTE SEROR
NICOLAS SCARDONI

Sound
FABRICE FUZILLIER
SYLVÈRE LOHEAC
AMIT ELLA

Scientific Advisors
BENOÎT ROSSIGNOL
SYLVAIN JANNIARD

Researcher
BLANDINE GAROT

Production Manager
AURÉLIE BOYMOND

Head of Production
JEAN-BAPTISTE GALLOT

Production Administrator
MARTINE MICHON

Visual Effects
MAC GUFF

Producer
PHILIPPE SONRIER

Production ManagerS
ROMAIN JABOULAY
VICTOR VIARD GASCHAT

Visual Effects Supervision
FRANÇOIS BONNIÈRE

3D Graphic Designers
VASCO POTTER
PAUL-LOUIS AEBERHARDT
OPHELIA MÄHL

2D Graphic Designer
JULIEN BOURDIER-MARTIN

Technical Manager
VINCENT CHAMPSIAUX

R&D
ALEXANDRE “COCO” COCAULT
PIERRE “ZOOL” HADDAD

Colorists
REMY DE VLIEGER
FLORIAN PARE

Mix and Sound Design
REMI DUREL
JULIE TRIBOUT
ALICE LABAUBE
STUDIO OBSIDIENNE

Archival Material
BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

Location Assistance
ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE OF ELEFSINA
BATHS OF CARACALLA
CLIMATE CHANGE INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE COMPAGNONS DE MAGUELONE
DEPARTMENT OF WOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
MENDEL UNIVERSITY BRNO
NATIONAL MUSEUM IN POZAREVAC
NOVOSIBIRSK UNIVERSITY
VATICAN PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR ARCHAEOLOGY

Special Thanks
KYLE HARPER
FRANÇOIS CHAUSSON
JEAN-FRANÇOIS VINCENT
GÉRALDINE SACHAU-CARCEL
CORALIE DEMANGEOT
VALÉRIE GUILLAUME AND PHILIPPE CHARNOTET

For Planète+
Head of Documentaries
CHRISTINE CAUQUELIN
OLIVIER AGOGUE

Documentary Sales
MYRIAM ZEDIRA
GARANCE HAMELIN

For Iliade Productions
HENRI WILNER

For Les Films de l’Odyssée
JEAN-BAPTISTE GALLOT

For ARTE France
Specialist Factual Unit
HÉLÈNE COLDEFY
HÉLÈNE GANICHAUD

Programme Officer
ÉMILIE DUMOND

Administrator
NICOLAS PORTES

Administrative Officer
CHADIA LEBBADA

Head of Post-Production
DORA MANTZOROU

FOR SECRETS OF THE DEAD
Supervising Producer
BENJAMIN PHELPS

Sr. Coordinator
EMILIO SALDANA

Re-recording Mixer
DOUG JOHNSON

Additional Audio
JOSH BROOME

Budget Controller
SUE BARTELT

Legal Counsel
CINDY ABRAMSON

Station Relations
ROBIN RODRIGUEZ

Audience Engagement
JUNE JENNINGS

Social Media
MAGGIE BOWER

Executive in Charge
STEPHEN SEGALLER

Executive Producer
STEPHANIE CARTER

 

Original Production Funding Provided by
CENTRE NATIONAL DU CINÉMA ET DE L’IMAGE ANIMÉE (CNC) – COSIP and CVSA
THE WNET GROUP’S PERIL & PROMISE INITIATIVE

Produced with the participation of the
PLANÈTE+
SBS AUSTRALIA
CANAL+ POLSKA S.A.

A coproduction of Iliade Productions, Les Films de l’Odyssée, and ARTE France, in association with The WNET Group.

© 2022 ARTE France, Iliade Productions, & Les Films de l’Odyssée. All Rights Reserved.

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