This History Channel documentary details what happened during the Iron Age between 1,200 BC and 100 AD.  Among the topics it explains are the sacking of Mediterranean civilizations by the mysterious “Sea Peoples” bringing an end of the Bronze Age, metalworkers discovering how they could use plentiful iron intead of bronze to make metal, many Chinese inventions being introduced such as cast iron technology and crossbow weapons, and the advent of many modern religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Following are points the documentary talks about:

— Mysterious “Sea Peoples” sacked Bronze Age Mediterranean civilizations, causing a downfall of those cultures and bringing a “Dark Age” at that time.

— Metalworkers discovered that they could use iron instead of bronze to make metal after they discovered how to raise the heat of fires by blowing air into it.

— Iron is harder than bronze and it is very plentiful.

— Sparta Warriors from Greece are talked about.

— Greece had large iron reserves.

— Spartans defeated the Persians due to the invention of a strategy of the “phalanx” in battle.

— The Chinese invented cast iron technology in 200 BC, where liquid iron is poured into molds to create identical objects such as arrowheads and spears.

— The Chinese invention of the crossbow had five times the amount of power as a traditional bow.

— The Chinese implemented mass production techniques to create weapons of war such as crossbows, which resulted in Qin Shi Huang conquering most of China in nine years.

— Construction of the Great Wall of China started in 220 BC.

— The Chinese Emperor Shi Huang Chi Wan Di was buried with sacrifices of his wives and workers, along with 8,000 terra-cotta warrior statues.

— The Carthage King Hanno went on one of the first recorded expeditions down the west coast of Africa.

— Iron tools revolutionized ship building.

— The modern system of the alphabet that is in use in the West today was invented at that time.

— Many modern religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism arose at this time.

— Judaism was established, with adherents of the religion being exiled in Babylon, followed with an exodus to Jerusalem.