The Silk Road

This documentary follows historian and writer Dr Sam Willis as he explores the Silk Road, the most famous trade route in history. Episodes track the global superhighway, which ran from Xian, China's ancient capital, through to Central Asia and Persia, reaching Istanbul and Venice. Significantly, the path created a network of merchants, traders, envoys, pilgrims and travellers, where they exchanged ideas, cultures and religions. Along the 5000-mile stretch, new materials, inventions and products crossed borders and shaped the development of those societies.

Streaming info last checked: 20 Jan 2026