Ancient Black Ops - The Assassins (Episode 1)

A 2014 UKTV History Documentary narrated by Alisdair Simpson.

From stone-age Hawaii to 16th-century Japan, from Ancient Greece to the Byzantine Empire, elite combat troops - men trained to perfection, skilled with a devastating array of weaponry - have been called upon to infiltrate, disrupt and destroy the enemy. This series illustrates the tactics of these highly trained killers, showcasing the fatal tactics, immense physical strength and treacherous know-how of the most feared assassins, elite units and mercenaries throughout time.

Each episode brings history to life with a mixture of dramatic reconstruction and documentary filming. Plus, interviews with military commanders help draw modern-day comparisons to today's special forces.

Episode 1: Conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims tears away at 11th-century Persia when Ismailian Hassan-i Sabbah founds the Assassins. Originally a persecuted band of Ismailis, a Shi'ite Muslim sect, they found themselves vastly outnumbered by the Sunnis of medieval Persia. So they developed a special way of fighting back - killing their enemies' leaders by using stealth, infiltration and their skills with a dagger. Nizari Isma'ili sect lived in the mountains of Persia and Syria between 1090 and 1275. During that time, the sect spread terror throughout the Middle East through the covert murder of first Muslim, and later Christian, leaders. The modern term assassination is based on the tactics used by the Assassins.