Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire

Made for Italian television in 2010, this two-part miniseries traces the life of Saint Augustine, one of the founding theologians of Christianity. It follows the restless young Augustine as he struggles with belief and philosophy, his eventual conversion encouraged by the devoted prayers of his mother Monica, and his rise to become Bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa. The drama culminates in AD 430, when the Vandals lay siege to Hippo and the aging bishop tries to hold his flock together while the Roman world collapses around him.

Directed by Christian Duguay and filmed on location in Tunisia, the production aired on Rai 1 on 31 January and 1 February 2010. The screenplay was written by Francesco Arlanch, and the project was produced with companies including Rai Fiction and Lux Vide. The cast includes Monica Guerritore and Alessandro Preziosi. Known in Italy as Sant'Agostino, the miniseries was released in the United States under the title Restless Heart: The Confessions of Saint Augustine.