I, Caesar: Ruling the Roman Empire.6of6.Justinian (BBC, 1997)

Its army dominated the known world. Its culture forms the heart of Western Civilization. At its zenith, the Roman Empire extended from Persia to England, the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. And throughout its history, its fate rested in the hands of individuals men of genius and courage, madness and ambition. Starting with Julius Caesar, this classic award-winning series takes a fascinating look at the public and private lives of six key men who ruled ancient Rome: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, Hadrian, Constantine and Justinian.

Justinian: Last of the Romans

He lived more than 500 years after Caesar. He ruled from Constantinople, not Rome. But Justinian restored the Empire to its former glory one last time. He sent his armies west, where they recaptured territory lost to Barbican invasions in the 5th century, reclaiming most of the empire. He is remembered as 'the last of the Romans'.
Born a peasant, he became emperor of the Roman world. But it was an empire in decline. He spent his life trying to save it. And though he saw great victories, there were also terrible defeats. Some would call themselves emperor for another thousand years, but history remembers him as the "last of the Romans."
This episode explores the life and legacy Justinian, whose goal was to restore the glory of the ancient Roman Empire, and who nearly succeeded. Ancient accounts and dramatic re- enactments detail the campaigns that saw Italy, North Africa and Southern Spain restored to Roman rule, while experts reveal why the gains were doomed to be short lived. Justininan's vision of a centralized empire required the development of a uniform 'one state, one law, and one church' – formula. After Justinian's unsuccessful attempts to restore the Roman empire, what remained became decidedly Byzantine in aspect.

Chapters:
An Empire Divided 1:18
Power Behind the Throne 8:28
The Court of Justinian 14:26
Barbarians at the Gates 30:34
The Last of the Caesars 40:00