Parents' Guide to

Battles BC

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Action-heavy educational series brings ancient wars to life.

TV History Educational 2009
Battles BC Poster Image

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What's the Story?

The History Channel has perfected the art of bringing the past to life through a combination of live-action recreations of important moments, computer graphics, and knowledgeable talking heads. BATTLES BC, which focuses on warfare in the ancient world, is a perfect example of this genre. Each episode highlights an important military leader -- such as Hannibal of Carthage, Julius Caesar, or Alexander the Great -- and explains who the leader was fighting and why. Historians also offer commentary about the leaders' military tactics, the results of each battle, and how smaller clashes fit into each leader's overall campaign.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

The result is an entertaining, insightful history lecture. The scholars are good on TV, and the live-action recreations and computer graphics help viewers understand the tactical decisions that carried the day in some of the most important battles of the ancient world.

The show's subjects tend to be names that most people will recognize, but viewers may not know exactly what made them significant in the first place. Battles BC is a fun (albeit sometimes intense) way to fill in these knowledge gaps.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether war is ever justified. The series explains the combatants' motivations -- which range from revenge to economics to a desire for glory and power -- in detail. After hearing the scholars' explanations, which side do you think was in the right (if any)? Many movies and TV shows about war paint conflict in stark terms, with one side clearly fighting for the side of right. Do you think that's ever true? Sometimes true? Never true? Families can also discuss the impact of seeing violence in the media, whether real or fantasy.

TV Details

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