6 x 1 hour • Documentary Series • Produced in
association with: History Television Canada and
The History Channel US • Production year: 2010
Secrets of Christianity/Decoding the Ancients
takes the official story of the evolution of
Christianity, and turns it on its head.
Each episode is an investigative quest, an
adventure in which three time Emmy–award
winning journalist Simcha Jacobovici solves
ancient mysteries and finds that what really
happened is often not what we have been led to
believe.
Filmed in HD in spectacular locations including
Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Europe and Turkey, Secrets
of Christianity/Decoding the Ancients brings
the techniques of investigative journalism to
history, with Jacobovici connecting the dots of
many academic and scientific disciplines to
present a new take on the past. The series
uncovers alternate truths that have either eluded
us, or been kept from us – until now.
Episode 1 - Nails of the Cross
In 1990, the tomb of the High Priest Caiaphas -
who, according to the Gospels, sent Jesus to the
cross - was unearthed in Jerusalem. Along with
other artifacts, two Roman nails were recorded
in the official excavation report! The nails
disappeared, and the tomb has literally been
covered up. A dramatic investigation ensues. The
goal is to find the missing artifacts and re-enter
the tomb. Expect shocking revelations along the
way.
Episode 2 - The Messiah Before Jesus
He lived in ancient Israel, he was called the “Good
Shepherd”, he was killed by the Romans and he
rose in three days. But he’s not Jesus! Shockingly,
an ancient stone tablet that has emerged from
the Jordanian antiquities market seems to
suggest that there was a dying and rising Messiah
before Jesus.
Episode 3 - Vesuvius & The Fear of God
It is commonly assumed that the Apostles Peter
and Paul spread Christianity across the planet,
turning a tiny religious sect into the world’s
largest religion. Is this possible? Can two people
really have had such global influence?
Long ignored archaeological evidence - found
beneath the ashes of Pompeii and Herculaneum -
seems to suggest that what put the fear of God
into pagan Romans was not Jesus, Peter or Paul.
It now seems that the event most responsible for
Christianity’s conquest of the Roman Empire was
the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
Episode 4 - The Lost Voyage of Jesus
There is a quaint perception that Jesus spent his
entire ministry - prior to going to Jerusalem
where he was crucified – in northern Israel,
walking along the shores of a tiny fresh water
lake called the “Sea of Galilee”. But is this
historical reality or theological fantasy?
It is explicitly stated in the Gospels that Jesus
undertook an adventurous sea journey to a place
called “the land of the Gadarenes”. Where is this
place? Why did Jesus go there? And why has this
story been covered up for over two millennia?
Episode 5 - Selling Christianity
History tells us that the Roman Emperor
Constantine converted to Christianity in the 4th
century. But did Christianity conquer Rome or
did pagan Rome conquer Christianity?
Archaeology in Rome and Istanbul, reveals that
the Emperor had the instincts of a marketing
genius. Strategically combining many deities,
Constantine “sold” Christ as an amalgamation of
sun gods -Mithras, for example, whose birthday
was on December 25th. By force of arms, the new
religion suppressed the original Jesus movement
and the hundreds of Christian alternatives that
had sprouted around it. Constantine’s
Christianity is still the world’s most successful
brand.
Episode 6 - The Roman Army’s Secret
Christians
Christianity is thought of as a religion of peace.
But this episode reveals something different. The
investigation begins with a mysterious symbol
found engraved on an ancient skull. The film
then discovers the same symbol on the walls of
Roman army barracks and on pillars of
underground churches. From Pompeii to the
farthest reaches of the Empire, this episode
reveals how Christianity secretly thrived within
the very army that was supposed to suppress it.
Series Producer & Director: Simcha Jacobovici
Executive Producers: Simcha Jacobovici and
Felix Golubev
Award highlights:
Silver World Medal, Religious Programs
Category, New York Festivals
Official selection 9th Annual Archaeological Film
Festival, Brussels

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