Florence in Italy during the 16th Century was undergoing a renaissance. Poets, painters and craftsmen created genuine works of arts. However, something is not right in this cradle of civilisation. The city’s leader is the unhinged and power-hungry Duke de Medici. He is opposed by a coalition of Republicans, one of note being legendary artist Marco del Monte - painter, swordsman, and champion of the downtrodden – Robin Hood for the Mediterranean. He uses his wits, cunning and weaponry in the bid to restore freedom to the area.

Another of ITC’s successful historical adventure series, Sword of Freedom stars Edmund Purdom, with guest stars including Kenneth Williams, Peter Wyngarde, Geoffrey Bayldon, John Le Mesurier, Patrick Troughton, Roger Delgado, Paul Eddington, Charles Gray, Michael Bryant and Andrew Keir. Thanks to Network DVD, this is the first time that the complete series has been released in any format and is presented in production order.

Terrorism, kidnapping, hijacking and espionage are the daily dangers faced by David Barber and Tom Duffy, chief operatives for Saracen - a private security firm whose clients are governments, industry and individual contractors worldwide.  Barber? Duffy? Yes, just think Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals.

Their backgrounds and personalities are radically different to their initial inspirations, though – not a permed hairstyle in sight! Barber is tall, dark and with typical English reserve, having left the SAS when a mission went tragically wrong. The blond, ruthless Duffy is a relaxed, ruggedly charming American trained in the elite Delta Force. Under Saracen’s founder and director, retired army officer Colonel Patrick Ansell, the agents take on high-risk tasks too sensitive or unpredictable for other agencies to handle.