In THE ASCENT OF WOMAN: A 10,000 YEAR STORY, Dr. Amanda Foreman journeys around the world to study the experiences and expectations of women living in various societies throughout history. Through her travels, she discovers that while there was no blueprint for gender inequality in early human settlements, civilization and patriarchy often went hand-in-hand. While some ancient societies - such as Egypt - remained more permissive, others - such as Athens and Assyria - completely removed women from public life. Over the course of this fascinating four-episode series, Dr. Foreman examines the lives of numerous extraordinary women who created their own routes to power, from ancient times through modern political movements.