In search of Myths and Heroes
In search of Myths and Heroes is a four-part television series presented by Michael Wood, exploring four of the world's most famous myths: The Queen of Sheba, Shangri-La, Jason and the Golden Fleece, and king Arthur. They are most well-known legends in the world: the tale of the Queen of Sheba is immortalized in the Hebrew Bible, the Muslim Koran and in many Christian traditions; the legend of Shangri-La is immortalized in James Hilton's novel about Shangri-La; the Greek tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece has been told for 3,000 years - older than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; and the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table has been adapted to many films and books. However, there are still basic questions about the myths and heroes: Who was the Queen of Sheba? Was there a real Shangri-La? Where does the ancient Greek legend of Jason's search for the Golden Fleece come from? What was the Holy Grail?
| Episode 1 - The Queen of Sheba |
Episode 1 - The Queen of Sheba
What lies behind the Bible story of the Queen of Sheba, King Solomon, and the Ark of the Covenant? Michael Wood takes a journey to uncover the legend of the Queen of Sheba, immortalized in the Hebrew Bible, the Muslim Koran and in many Christian traditions.
Episode 2 - Shangri-La
Michael Wood explores the truth of the medieval Indian legend of a lost civilization behind the western Himalayas. The legend was immortalized in James Hilton's novel about Shangri-La, and by Hollywood in Frank Capra's movie Lost Horizon.
Episode 3 - Jason and the Golden Fleece
The tale of Jason, the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece is one of the oldest stories in all of Greek myth. In this episode, Michael Wood traces the route of Jason and his famous boat, the Argo, along its route from Greece to Turkey and Georgia.
Episode 4 - Arthur, The Once and Future King
What was the Holy Grail? How did the search for this ultimate religious symbol come to be connected with Arthur, the once and future king? Michael Wood explores the greatest British myth: the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
| Related Links |
| Greek Mythology This is a collection of eBooks and films about Greek mythology, which is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes and the nature of the world. |
| The Real Queen of Sheba Traveling back through time along the ancient incense trails of the Near and Middle East, Josh Bernstein seeks to unearth the real story behind the legends of the mysterious Queen of Sheba. |
| Lost Treasures of Tibet Located in present-day Nepal, Mustang contains some of the last remaining relics of an almost vanished world of ancient Buddhist culture. |
| Michael Wood on Beowulf Historian Michael Wood returns to his first great love, the Anglo-Saxon world, to reveal the origins of our literary heritage. |