On the Trail of Spartacus

The Slave who Defied Rome

 

    Spartacus led a slave rebellion against ancient Rome that lasted two years and destroyed a series of Roman legions sent to stop it.  This was the Gladiator War of the 1st century BC and involved tens of thousands of people – not only slaves – who rose up against their oppressive Roman masters.  Maximus and Russell Crowe came much later - Spartacus, was the soldier of Rome, who became a slave, a gladiator and then a general of a powerful army that wreaked havoc in central Italy. Spartacus has inspired revolutionary leaders like Che Ghevara, writers, composers, TV mini series and film makers like Stanley Kubrick and actor Kirk Douglas in their 1960 classic, with its often quoted line, “I am Spartacus”.  

    Wood Brothers are Spartacus as they follow his journey across beautiful Italy on their bicycles, tracing his life as a soldier, slave and gladiator while exploring his victories against the mighty Roman juggernaut.  Hail Caesar - in your dreams mate!




Bicycling Distance:  up to 1800 miles

Start of the ride: Gladiator training camp – a boxing gym – in Capua Italy

End of the ride:   Strongoli in Calabria, the site of Spartacus’ last battle.

Show Highlights:  The vineyards and volcano of dramatic Mount Vesuvius, the ruins of Pompeii, beautiful Bologna and Florence, ancient Rome’s famous highway: the Appian Way and archaeological treasures from Calabria to Campania. 



On the Trail of the Seven Cities of Gold

 Middle Mexico to Kansas


     


The Wood Brothers go in search of El Dorado, the lost city of gold. This place of untold riches is thought to lie somewhere in the Americas and one ill fated 16th century expedition to find it identified El Dorado as the so called mysterious Seven Cities of Gold in an area called Cibola.  Based on the stories told by shipwrecked sailors and a missionary, Cibola was thought to be in the lands of a civilization called the Quivira.  In 1540, the Spanish conquistador and governor of northern Mexico, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado set off to find it, leading an expedition of more than 1000 men.  Wood Brothers follow his path from Compostela in Mexico, to Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and finally to Kansas.   They visit archaeological sites with intriguing Spanish and Indian remains and interview the experts still searching for traces of the Seven Cities of Gold.

 

Bicycling Distance:  up to 2400 miles

Start of the ride: Compostela, Mexico

End of the ride:   Salina, Kansas

Show Highlights:  The Mesoamerican and Spanish colonial splendors of Compostela and the legend of ‘The Gold Mask’ – an indigenous freedom fighter against the Spanish, Zuni in New Mexico - thought to be Cibola, location of the cities of gold -  and meeting the Zuni people who still live there, the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, Salina in Kansas – the lost city of gold.



On the Trail of King Harold

England’s last Anglo-Saxon King

        

 
Three modern brothers and amateur historians, Danny, Ben and Sam Wood trace the journey of three medieval brothers from one end of England to the other and tell the tale of a pivotal time in the history of England.  Wood Brothers investigate England's origins through the tragically short-lived reign of Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon King.  In 1066, Harold’s England faced two simultaneous seaborne invasions by formidable opponents who coveted the English crown: the Vikings and the French.  With his two brothers at his side, Harold’s force marched its way 200 miles from London to Stamford Bridge near York in the north and was able to defeat the Vikings.  The Norman, William the Conqueror, was already landing in the south, so Harold turned his army around and marched 300 miles to Hastings to meet him.  The battle was going Harold’s way until, according to legend, he was struck in the eye by an arrow and killed.  Harold’s men panicked and the Normans took the initiative.  Both Harold’s brothers – Leofwine and Gyrth – died at his side. It was to be the last successful foreign conquest of England in history, and although some English would rather not dwell on it, French rule and influence was to last for centuries. 

Bicycling Distance:  500 miles

Start of the ride: London

End of the ride:   Battle Abbey in Hastings, southern England where Harold died in battle.

Show Highlights: Wood Brothers will endure the privations of the forced march simulating the grueling round-trip by King Harold’s army and recreate the epic battles at Stamford Bridge and Hastings.  They’ll visit the churches, castle ruins and pubs that remember Harold’s reign and interview historians, medievalists and eccentric locals to provoke a debate about England’s origins.  They’ll also interview forensic archaeologists as they go in search of Harold’s final resting place.



On the Trail of Hercules

The most famous legend of all


The Wood Brothers join forces to go in search of the most famous mythological hero of them all: Hercules.  They track his adventures on their bicycles through Greece, the cradle of Western civilization.   They examine the archaeological remains that mark his story, from Athens to Sparta, from crystalline Mediterranean waters, to the land of the Gods on Mount Olympus, all the way to the mythical gates of hell.  On this scenic adventure into ancient history, Wood Brothers investigate the Hercules legacy in modern Greece and tell the tale of this hero’s greatest exploits, known in mythology as the Labors of Hercules.



Bicycling Distance:  400 up to 1000 miles

Start of the ride:  The Oracle in Delphi, a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Greece.  Hercules consulted the oracle here before undertaking his Labors.

End of the ride:   The annual Olympus Festival in the town of Dion, northern Greece at the foot of Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain and home of the gods.

Show Highlights:   The magnificent Bronze Age castle ruins of Tiryns and Mycenae, homes of King Eurystheus who sent Hercules on his Labors.  Winetasting in the ancient vineyards of Nemea where the wine is known as ‘Hercules’ Blood’ after the grapes that grew from the blood the hero spilled fighting the ferocious Nemean Lion.  Bull jumping on Crete at the Palace of Knossos.  Initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries.  Hercules Fitness Club in Athens to find the modern Hercules.  




On the Trail of Julius Caesar

Gallic Wars and Civil Wars with Rome’s Greatest General



Julius Caesar is Rome’s most famous son. He is known for his brilliant and ruthless leadership and for changing the course of Roman history. When he rose to fame Rome was a Republic, by the time he was assassinated he had put in train events that would lead inexorably to Imperium. Caesar traversed much of Europe and the Mediterranean proving his position as the first man in Rome and the Wood Brother’s will take up this journey on the brink of his greatest conquest; Gaul, and follow it until his downfall on the senate floor in Rome. This journey takes in classic French scenery in Provence, Burgundy, Rhone-Alpes and Champagne. The Wood Brother’s will land on English soil as Caesar did near the white cliffs of Dover and race across the country in search of an enemy to defeat. We will follow Caesar as civil war broke out and he traversed back across the Alps, cast his dice and crossed the Rubicon and then raced across the Mediterranean to Greece and Egypt hunting for Pompey and ultimate power in Rome.


Bicycling Distance:  up to 2500 miles

Start of the ride: The French Alps with a view of Gaul - “Veni, Vini, Vici!” “I came, I saw, I conquered!”

End of the ride: Rome – The senate building in the Forum where Caesar was murdered

Show Highlights: Descending into France from the Alpine peaks we explain Caesar’s story as we cycle towards some of ancient history’s most memorable encounters.  In England we’ll get to juxtapose the modern English at beach resorts with the fierce tribes that faced Caesar. The story of his civil wars will lead us to Greece where Roman fought Roman and to Alexandria and the opportunity to discuss Cleopatra along with the current regime changes post Mubarak.



On the Trail of Alexander the Great

Conquerer of the world



Alexander the Great conquered the known world by the time he was 33 and although only one Wood Brother can claim to at least have that possibility before him, the Brothers plan to follow in his footsteps from ancient Macedon, via Egypt all the way to India and back to Babylon in modern Iraq.


Alexander’s aim was to conquer the known Eastern world in retribution for the Persian invasions 150 years before his birth. His numerous victories as he marched over 20000 miles in a period of 11 years led him to believe he was a god.



The Wood brothers will follow this epic journey to deification doing their best to avoid modern conflicts, but in crossing these war torn countries explore the links between modern and ancient conquests. This trail will lead them through exotic and fascinating countries such as Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Pakistan and India. This journey will test both their will and endurance!


Bicycling Distance:  Over 20,000 miles

Start of the ride: The ruins of Pella, former capital of Macedon then crossing the Bosporus into the Eastern world.

End of the ride:   Babylon, Iraq where today a poster of Saddam Hussein hangs next to one of Nebuchadnezzar

Show Highlights:  Crossing the Bosporus into Istanbul, Visiting Troy to commemorate Alexander’s ancestors, trekking to the Amman Oracle in the middle of the Egyptian desert, bustling Alexandria founded by Alexander on this trip, riding down the Indus Valley in India and cycling to numerous archaeological sites like Tyre, Persepolis, Susa and Alexandria-Eschate.




On the Trail of Richard the Lionheart

A bad son, husband and king, but a gallant and splendid soldier


Richard the Lionheart is remembered as an iconic hero of the English speaking world. It is little known, however, that he didn’t speak English, hated living in England and at one stage said “I would sell London if I could find a buyer”! The Wood Brothers will tell the true story of Richard the Lionheart as they pick up his most famous campaign at the walls of Jerusalem. After some monumental battles the Third Crusade ended in failure – the Holy City remained in the possession of Saladin. On Richard’s return he was shipwrecked and held prisoner first by the Duke of Austria then by the Holy Roman Emperor. As the Wood Brothers cycle from Jerusalem and through central Europe they will tell the story of Richard’s rise to power; as his mother’s favourite he rebelled against his father and hounded him to an early death. First and foremost a soldier he squeezed his possessions to fund his crusade and his ransom – a quarter of the value of the property of his subjects was taxed to pay for his release! He was mortally wounded during a siege in central France and died in the arms of his mother.  





Bicycling Distance:  up to 2000 miles

Start of the ride: The walls of Jerusalem - the divided modern city was equally divided in 1192 – we explain the quarrelling crusader armies, Richards’s military prowess and his opponent Saladin’s equally impressive military record.

End of the ride: London – the statue of Richard the Lionheart outside the Houses of Parliament.

Show highlights: From Jerusalem we cycle to Acre via the crusader fortress of Belvoir. Then like Richard we take the sea route to Aquileia near Venice where he was ship wrecked and cycle the once dangerous overland route through Europe. It is now beautifully scenic even if a difficult ride. We visit some of the great cities of the continent – Vienna and Paris and Richard’s prisons in Austria and Germany; Dürnstein and Trifels castles. In France we pause at Château Gaillard - the castle Richard himself built and claimed he could hold even its walls were made of butter! Then onto Rouen where Richard’s “lion” heart is buried and finally the Houses of Parliament in London where his statue still stands in pride of place.       




OTHER IDEAS FOR EXPEDITIONS INCLUDE:


On the Silk Road with Marco Polo and Brothers

Venice to Beijing and back!!!!!


   
     





Suleiman the Magnificent

Damascas to Vienna:  Coffee, Coisssants and Islam


      




On the Trail of Tears 1838

Georgia to Oklahoma


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The Wood brothers’ ride into history is a format for exciting television that can be adapted to future expeditions.


A few examples:


FUTURE EXPEDITIONS: