Documentaries 2 x 50' HD - ZDF Enterprises

Documentaries
2 x 50' HD
Facts for your success
Absorbing reenactments, including
spectacular battle scenes
Dramatic events seen through the eyes of
“embedded” Roman soldier
Incorporates latest findings about Roman
military power

It is the worst defeat ever suffered by the Roman Empire:
three legions – 30,000 men – cut down in the
forests of Germania. Informed of the news, Emperor Augustus
roars “Give me back my legions!” A man the Romans
had trained and trusted has betrayed and defeated
them: Arminius, son of a Cheruscan tribe’s leader.
It is the year 9 A.D. A vast Roman convoy – legionnaires, pack
horses and civilians – under the command of Governor Quinctilius
Varus hacks its way through the dense forests of Germania,
hampered by mud and torrential rain. Unknown to the
Romans, they are under observation by a cunning enemy out
for revenge…
Arminius, a German raised in Rome as a Roman, had been sent
back to the northern province of Germania, where he rediscovered
his roots. He knows what makes the Romans strong – and
knows how to exploit their weaknesses. As the leader
and mastermind of the attack, he gathers together a massive
army of rebel soldiers who annihilate the Romans in the course
of three days. The Roman commander Varus commits suicide
and Arminius is hailed as the new king of the Teutons.
This dialogue-driven, fact-based drama draws on the most recent
historical evidence and incorporates new findings about
the nature of Roman military power and Roman rule. The film
explores how the Romans enforced their rule through the Pax
Romana by imposing taxes, building new settlements, absorbing
“Barbarian” tribes into their service and instilling within
them the Roman way of life.
The epic story of the battle is told through the
eyes of one of its survivors, Rufus, a typical
Roman officer of the time. The ancient Roman-Germanic
world is brought to life by
CGI technology, gritty battle scenes and
powerful dialogues. With a thriller-style
narrative, the film gathers circumstantial
evidence to tackle issues still subject to scientific
research today: Why did Arminius betray the
Romans? How did he succeed? And, finally, Where
exactly is the battlefield of Varus’ last stand?
ZDF Enterprises | 09.09
Format
Producer/Director
Executive Producer
Documentaries
2 x 50' HD
Christian Twente
Christian Feyerabend, Uwe Kersken
Address
ZDF Enterprises
Sales, Merchandising and Coproductions
Lise-Meitner-Strasse 9
D-55129 Mainz
Production Company
Gruppe 5 Filmproduktion
Contact
programinfo@zdf.de
www.sales.zdf-enterprises.de
Phone: +49 (0) 6131 - 991 281
Fax: +49 (0) 6131 - 991 259