Hunting down the female gladiators who fought in the great amphitheatres of ancient Rome, an international team uncover evidence that restores these amazing women to their rightful place in history.

For decades most experts have been convinced that Africa is the cradle of mankind, but researchers have come across more finds in recent years that cast doubt on this well-established theory.

WWII was a war in the skies; though the Treaty of Versailles had prevented the Germans from developing new weapons, they sponsored air clubs and pushed for supremacy in the air.

Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, oversaw the industrialised murder of over a million people. After the war, his confessions exposed the horrifying mechanics behind the Nazi death camps.

Bettany travels to Azerbaijan, which sits between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountain range; it was a strategic position on the ancient Silk Roads that left a legacy of diverse cultures.

In the eastern Maya Lowlands, a dynasty once shrouded in mystery gradually emerges as the most powerful political force of the Classic Maya world: the Kaanul, identified by their serpent emblem.

WWII was a war in the skies; though the Treaty of Versailles had prevented the Germans from developing new weapons, they sponsored air clubs and pushed for supremacy in the air.

After France's defeat, British and French consuls battled for Egypt's antiquities. Explorer Belzoni joined the race to seize the colossal Young Memnon as their ruthless rivalry intensified.

In this episode, we explore the first few years on the European battlefield, from the invasion of France and the subsequent Dunkirk evacuation to Hitler's betrayal of his pact with Stalin.

The early years of WWII caused devastation throughout Europe; the 1939 non-aggression pact between the Germans and Russians had promised safety for the Soviet Union, but Hitler was not to be trusted.

Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, oversaw the industrialised murder of over a million people. After the war, his confessions exposed the horrifying mechanics behind the Nazi death camps.

A Canadian family of explorers uncover an inconvenient piece of history and answer the question of whether Vikings made it further inland in North America earlier than history has documented.

The team is testing the gear they will use in their bigger quest. Jo, Johann and David set out for Berens River, a place with potential clues of lost Vikings on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg.

The team are near Bloodvein, Manitoba, where a large boulder may hold a mystery of a lost Viking expedition. Meanwhile, Joe tries his hand at metal detecting near a historic fur trading fort.

The search continues, taking them into Minnesota to examine the fabled Kensington Runestone. Is there proof the lost Viking walked these parts 500 years earlier than history states?

We examine key movements in the Pacific Theatre - the Fall of Singapore, the Battle of Midway and the Kokoda Campaign - Rommel's offensives in Africa, and the Allied bombing campaign over Europe.

Nazi Germany's fate was all but sealed by late 1944, but Hitler's manic denial of this impending defeat would lead to his final gamble at the Battle of the Bulge.

The island of Cyprus lies between the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa; Bettany explores the legacy of these diverse influences on Cyprus through four of its unique treasures.

The rivalry between Calakmul and Tikal reached its climax. Warfare, once a source of strength, became a catalyst for instability. This set the stage for the decline of the Classic Maya world.

Adolf Hitler was famously against using chemical and biological weapons, but chemistry and biological science still played an incredible role in the Nazis' unquenchable quest for power.

Belzoni uncovered Egypt's ancient wonders while Champollion raced Thomas Young to decipher the Rosetta Stone. His breakthrough gave a civilisation silent for 1,400 years its voice again.

Adolf Eichmann, the meticulous bureaucrat behind the mass deportation of Jews, organised genocide from behind a desk. After the war, he vanished - only to be hunted down and tried decades later.

A Canadian family of explorers uncover an inconvenient piece of history and answer the question of whether Vikings made it further inland in North America earlier than history has documented.

The team is testing the gear they will use in their bigger quest. Jo, Johann and David set out for Berens River, a place with potential clues of lost Vikings on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg.