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A History of the World is a partnership between the Â鶹Éç and the British Museum that focuses on world history, involving collaborations between teams across the Â鶹Éç, and schools, museums and audiences across the UK. The project focuses on the things we have made, from flint to mobile phone.

Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, opens the second part of his global history with an exploration of the lives and methods of powerful rulers around the world 2000 years ago.

He tells the story of Alexander the Great through a small silver coin. He explores the power of the Indian ruler Asoka through a pillar fragment and discovers how the Chinese maintain loyalty and control via a lacquer cup.

He also studies how a larger than life bronze head helped Augustus enlarge the Roman Empire and returns to the Egypt of Ptolemy V by means of perhaps one of the British Museum’s best known artefacts – the Rosetta Stone.