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Secrets of the Dead

Queens of Combat

Season 23 Episode 3

What if women were hidden among the ranks of Ancient Rome’s fearsome gladiators? A group of experts searches for evidence to prove women once fought in the arena just like men. Combining history, archaeology, and forensic investigation, journey across Europe in a quest for answers. If a female gladiator's existence can be proven definitively, what can we learn about their lives?

Aired: 01/27/26
SECRETS OF THE DEAD is made possible, in part, by public television viewers.
Extras
Watch • 0:32
Secrets of the Dead
Preview | The Quest for Camelot
A professor seeks to prove Arthurian legends have roots in actual British history.
Preview: S23 E4 | 0:32
Watch • 0:32
Secrets of the Dead
Preview | Queens of Combat
Experts search for evidence that female gladiators once existed in Ancient Rome.
Preview: S23 E3 | 0:32
Watch • 1:24
Secrets of the Dead
Facial Recognition Finds 91% Match to Shakespeare
Facial recognition software suggests the portrait may depict William Shakespeare.
Clip: S23 E2 | 1:24
Watch • 2:02
Secrets of the Dead
X-Rays Reveal Hidden Clues: Is This the Only Portrait of Shakespeare from Life?
X-ray scans of the Wadlow Shakespeare portrait reveal details beneath several areas of overpaint.
Clip: S23 E2 | 2:02
Watch • 2:45
Secrets of the Dead
Experts Used Tree Rings to Date This Portrait to Shakespeare’s Lifetime
Dendrochronology reveals surprising results about Steven’s portrait of Shakespeare.
Clip: S23 E2 | 2:45
Watch • 2:10
Secrets of the Dead
Family Discovers Possible Shakespeare Portrait Hanging in Their Living Room
The portrait hung above the family TV for 50 years before they realized it might be Shakespeare.
Clip: S23 E2 | 2:10
Watch • 1:28
Secrets of the Dead
The Pandemic That Killed Half of Europe
The Black Death may have killed nearly 50 percent of the Europe's population.
Clip: S22 E10 | 1:28
Watch • 1:05
Secrets of the Dead
How the Black Death Set Sail for Europe
In 1347, ships reached Sicily with the Black Death. In a year, it spread across Europe to England.
Clip: S22 E10 | 1:05
Watch • 1:57
Secrets of the Dead
The Black Death Journal
The haunting journal of Agnolo di Tura reveals the horrors of the Black Plague.
Clip: S22 E10 | 1:57
Watch • 3:21
Secrets of the Dead
Could This Be the Black Death’s Earliest Victim?
Ancient gravestones in Kyrgyzstan hint the Black Death began long before it reached Europe.
Clip: S22 E10 | 3:21
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Secrets of the Dead
The Quest for Camelot
A professor seeks to prove Arthurian legends have roots in actual British history.
Episode: S23 E4
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
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Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article?
Episode: S23 E2 | 55:15
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Episode: S23 E1
Watch • 55:15
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Scientists study medieval bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks.
Episode: S22 E10 | 55:15
Watch • 55:15
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Episode: S22 E9 | 55:15
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Secrets of the Dead
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An unprecedented discovery could reveal new information about Cleopatra’s reign.
Episode: S22 E8 | 55:15
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
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The spectacular arena showcasing Ancient Rome’s power also contributed to its downfall.
Episode: S22 E7 | 55:15
Watch • 54:25
Secrets of the Dead
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Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the post-war life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Episode: S22 E6 | 54:25
Watch • 54:50
Secrets of the Dead
Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Episode: S22 E5 | 54:50
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold
Priceless artifacts in Laos reveal holy sites from the early days of the Khmer Empire.
Episode: S22 E4 | 55:15