Civilisations: Rise and Fall is a landmark documentary series from BBC Arts that explores the dramatic collapse of four ancient civilizations: Rome, Egypt, the Aztecs, and Japan. The series brings to life the pivotal moments when these powerful societies faced disaster, drawing on beautiful art and artifacts held in the British Museum to reveal the human stories at the heart of each crisis.
Unfortunately, viewers in the US cannot watch this series directly since BBC iPlayer is inaccessible outside the UK due to licensing agreements and copyright regulations. As such, you will need PureVPN’s help to bypass regional barriers.
How to Watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US?
You can watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on BBC iPlayer. You will just need to connect to a server via PureVPN to overcome the platform’s regional content limitations. Follow these steps:
- Subscribe to PureVPN
- Install PureVPN app on your device.
- Connect to a UK-based server.
- Sign in to the BBC iPlayer app and login or sign up.
- Now, you can seamlessly watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US
Where to Watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US?
You can watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on BBC iPlayer. However, you will first need to connect to a server via PureVPN to overcome the platform’s regional content limitations.
Why is BBC iPlayer Inaccessible in the US?
BBC iPlayer is bound by specific licensing agreements and copyright regulations that prevent it from being accessible in the US. If someone tries to access BBC iPlayer directly in the US, they will only see an error message on the screen.
PureVPN solves the problem of inaccessibility by assigning the user’s device an IP address from the UK. This allows the user to appear as a person accessing the platform from within the UK. As such, they get to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on BBC iPlayer.
What is the Plot of Civilisations: Rise and Fall?
Civilisations: Rise and Fall examines the catastrophic moments when four of history’s greatest ancient civilizations faced their ultimate crises. The series begins with Rome in the early fifth century, when the Western Roman Empire confronts its greatest crisis in 800 years: the sack of Rome in 410. The child emperor Honorius inherits a vast but fragile empire plagued by rebellion, economic decline, and elite corruption. Guided by General Stilicho, he must navigate the threat posed by the Gothic peoples who have been recruited by Rome but then mistreated, now marching against the empire under their commander, Alaric. The second episode focuses on ancient Egypt and the rise and fall of the Ptolemies, the last pharaohs of Egypt, as Queen Cleopatra faces civil war with her brother, a devastating famine caused by the failure of the Nile’s flood cycle, and the increasing dominance of Rome.
The third episode explores the Aztec civilization at its height under Emperor Moctezuma II, centered on the spectacular island city of Tenochtitlan with around 100,000 people. In 1519, the arrival of Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes became one of the most fateful moments in world history, exposing the fault lines within the Aztec world. The final episode examines the samurai of Japan and the forces that led to their decline. Throughout the series, the documentary reveals how war, dictatorship, climate change, and pandemic brought the end of civilizations in the ancient world, drawing powerful parallels to the threats that still face societies today.
What is the Release Date of Civilisations: Rise and Fall?
Civilisations: Rise and Fall will premiere on BBC iPlayer on November 24th, 2025.
What is the Episode Count of Civilisations: Rise and Fall?
Civilisations: Rise and Fall is a four-part series.
What is the Cast of Civilisations: Rise and Fall?
The cast of Civilisations: Rise and Fall includes:
- Sophie Okonedo as Narrator
- Leander Vyvey as Alaric
- Jake Meniani as Mark Antony
- Melissanthi Mahut as Cleopatra
- Calin Bleau as Caesar
What is the Genre of Civilisations: Rise and Fall?
Civilisations: Rise and Fall falls under the history, documentary, and arts genres.
Official Trailer
Check out the official trailer for Civilisations: Rise and Fall below:
IMDb Rating
Civilisations: Rise and Fall is not yet rated on IMDb.
The Social Media Hype
Check out the hype on social media about Civilisations: Rise and Fall below:
Can I Stream Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on Fire TV Stick, Smart TV, iOS, and Android?
Yes, with PureVPN, you can stream Civilisations: Rise and Fall on Fire TV Stick, Smart TV, iOS, and Android. PureVPN offers dedicated apps for Fire TV Stick, Smart TVs, iOS, and Android devices, making it easy to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on BBC iPlayer on your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BBC iPlayer free?
Yes, BBC iPlayer is a free streaming platform.
Is Civilisations: Rise and Fall available on Netflix?
No, Civilisations: Rise and Fall is not available on Netflix.
Can I use a free VPN to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US?
While you can use a free VPN to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US, we must advise you to avoid using them. Free VPNs often compromise data security and even fail to bypass regional content barriers. In contrast, paid VPNs like PureVPN offer a safer medium to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on BBC iPlayer.
Popular & Upcoming Movies and Shows on BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer offers a vast collection of movies and shows. Here are some recommendations for what to watch on BBC iPlayer right away:
Popular Documentaries to Watch on BBC iPlayer
PureVPN – The best VPN to watch Civilisations: Rise and Fall in US
PureVPN gives you plenty of VPN servers in the UK to access BBC iPlayer no matter where you are.
Furthermore, using PureVPN barely takes a few clicks to circumvent BBC iPlayer’s geo-blocking and anti-VPN technologies. Our customer support team is also available 24/7 via live chat if you encounter issues while accessing BBC iPlayer.
Lastly, with PureVPN’s 20 Gbps servers, you can enjoy high-speed and buffer-free streaming of Civilisations: Rise and Fall in the US on your desired device. Still not sure about us? All PureVPN subscriptions come with a 31-day money-back guarantee to let you test out our VPN service risk-free!
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Tanzeel Ahmed
November 22, 2025
25 seconds ago
