The publication by Armand Colin, in 1949, of the doctoral thesis of Fernand Braudel (1902-1985) on The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II of Spain, that is in the 16^th century, made this historian an important figure in the intellectual life in post-war France. Born in Meuse, which has no access to the Mediterranean, he had started his research during the inter-war period. The republication of this work, in 1967, gave the Professor at the Collège de France the opportunity to consider making his works accessible to a broader public.     

            It was with this objective in mind that, in 1974, Fernand Braudel undertook, in collaboration with the director of the École française de Rome, Georges Vallet (who headed the institution from 1970 to 1983), the production of a television series entitled Méditerranée. Inspired by his works, this series of twelve 50-minute episodes is a French-Italian co-production (RAI and Europe 1).

            The television seems to be a new means for the historian, having gained more fame, to relate the past of an area perceived as an opportunity “to reach back to the root causes behind our social and family behaviors, our ways of thinking and acting, our obsessions and our hopes.” The series focuses on the unity of this area, boasting centuries-old frescoes belonging to periods spanning a wide chronological range.  

            This episode, directed by documentary filmmaker and writer Folco Quilici, and broadcast on FR3 on September 24, 1976, is entitled “Terre” (Land). It is the first episode of the series. Intended as an introduction, and placing great emphasis on geography, it is devoted to the physical aspect of the Mediterranean region: mountain ranges, cliffs, volcanism, geology and seismology, coasts, compartmentalized seas, excessive climates, management of a capricious water. According to Braudel, the rugged geography and harsh climate have shaped the “Mediterranean civilizations”. Then, to highlight the “melting pot” concept, Sicily is taken as an example: located on the path of every conqueror, this island was influenced by the Arabs, the Spanish, the Romans, the Phoenicians and the Byzantines, whose art remnants are shown in the episode. Moreover, this first part focuses on the rural Mediterranean setting: farming methods, the importance of transhumance, grape harvest, olive-harvesting and harvest time. 

This series proved highly successful, helping convey to the general public Fernand Braudel’s message about a Mediterranean region with shared values, shaped by history and geography.    

-          Fernand Braudel (supervised by), The Mediterranean, 1. Space and History, and 2. Men and Heritage, Paris, Arts et Métiers Graphiques, 1977-78.

-          Giuliana Gemelli, Fernand Braudel, Paris, Odile Jacob, 1995.