Ancient Invisible Cities

Dr Michael Scott uses the latest 3D-scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt. He explores the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and finds out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza. The 3D scans confirm just how accurately the Great Pyramid was designed and constructed. Michael also investigates the sphinx to try to determine which pharaoh it represents. But the history of Cairo is not only about the Ancient Egyptians. Michael goes in search of a Roman fortress hidden under a Greek Orthodox church. He also attempts to descend a 90-metre well carved into solid bedrock beneath the Arabic citadel built by Saladin in the 12th century AD. This remarkable well was built by Crusader prisoners of war, and provided the citadel with water in times of siege. Along the way Michael discovers that the Ancient Egyptians had built their capital, Memphis, close to where Cairo now stands on the banks of the river Nile. This evolved into a Roman fortress called Babylon. And finally the Arabs founded a city called Cairo. Today, it's the largest city in Africa.

Dr Michael Scott uses the latest 3D scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of ancient Athens. He begins his journey on the Acropolis, where, in the late 6th century BC the people of Athens overthrew a tyrant and set up the world's first democracy. There, he investigates a mysterious, asymmetrical temple called the Erechtheion that sits in the shadow of the world famous Parthenon and reveals it to be one of the most important buildings of Ancient Athens.

Historian Dr Michael Scott takes us on an extraordinary journey through the often-invisible treasures of one of the greatest ancient cities in the world Istanbul. But with many of the secrets of its Cathedrals, Aqueducts and the Roman chariot-racing track out of sight or underground, he turns to the latest 3D imaging technology. The scanning team helps us to see the city as no human eye ever could; peeling back the layers of history; showing how the city has had to reinvent itself over and over through its turbulent past.