Horrible Histories is a fascinating series of books for children, covering all such niceties as the Rotten Romans, the Savage Stone Age, and of course the err… Awful Egyptians. With over 20 million copies sold, the series was that much a success, that the CBBCturned it into into a series, which might just be even more horribly original than the books. The Tudors and Victorians were that popular they got their own theatre show and the Ruthless Romans made it into a computer game, available for PC, Wii and Nintendo. And then there’s the Terrible Treasures game online, which enlightens us by teaching us some facts of great importance:the Romans used a sponge as toilet paper, a bad hair day is solved by fresh gladiator’s blood and mashed mouse brains make excellent toothpaste. And it’s all really true (says the talking rat).
But one of their best creations must be ‘The Awful Egyptians’ – a horribly entertaining mummy-song. Where Dr. Zahi Hawass chose a more conservative, scientific way to explain all about the recepy for making a mummy, ‘Horrible Histories’ decided to go with a different tone.
Other sublime ancient history parody songs to check out on the BBC’s Horrible Histories website are Caveman Love and – my personal favourite – Aristotle and Archimedes performing ‘I am Greek’. All hum along: “Was their ever, ever, ever, such a bunch of chaps so clever.. if you want to know the answer? Ask a Greek!“
Catch some great edutainment with the ancient ‘Horrible Histories’ episodes on CCBCOctober 4th, 10.30AMwhen the Romans will be hosting their own cookery show and October 8th at 8AM to see a Stone Age doctor treating a modern patient and the invention of the pyramid.
PS. I finished the Rotten Roman game, collected the six pieced of the map – that wannabe gladiator is highly annoying – and claimed my treasure, which is now in the office fridge, if anybody fancies a bite tomorrow. Yet err… my ‘certificate’ would not print. That whilst it would have looked so horribly well on the office wall! ;(