Decoding da Vinci

Combine archaeology, forensic science and 3D reconstruction to investigate Europe’s oldest natural mummy and the violent circumstances of his death.

Eight men escape from the most isolated prison on earth. Only one man survives and the story he recounts shocks the British establishment to the core. This is the story of how one man endured the unimaginable by doing the unthinkable. The film follows the final days of Irish convict and bushranger Alexander Pearce as he awaits execution. In 1824, the British penal colony of Van Diemen's Land is little more than a living hell. Chained to a wall in the darkness of a cell under Hobart Gaol, Pearce is visited by Father Philip Conolly, the parish priest of the fledgling colony and a fellow Irishman. Pearce wishes to tell the priest his recollection of the horrors he endured in the three months spent traversing the brutal wilderness of Van Diemen's Land. Conolly struggles to reconcile his desire to grant absolution to the convict with the story Pearce tells him.

From the constant fear of death, to the physical toll of living in such squalid conditions and the psychological torment soldiers would have to endure, delve into the gritty details of life in the trenches of WW1. War Stories is your one stop shop for all things military history. From Waterloo to Verdun, we'll be bringing you only the best documentaries and stories from history's most engaging and dramatic conflicts. You can find more from us on

Around three quatres of all ancient Egyptian relics relate to death and the afterlife. Why was this ancient civilisation so fixated upon the afterlife and how did it shape the way they lived. Odyssey is your journey into the world of Ancient History; from the dawn of Mesopotamia to the fall of Rome. We'll be bringing you only the best documentaries that journey into the mysteries and ruins of worlds long lost. Subsribe so you don't miss out!

For centuries, the Roman Empire was one of the defining powers of the ancient world. But how did this all begin and what caused it to fall apart? Join Mary Beard as she delves into the history of this incredible Empire that shaped the world we know today. Odyssey is your journey into the world of Ancient History; from the dawn of Mesopotamia to the fall of Rome. We'll be bringing you only the best documentaries that journey into the mysteries and ruins of worlds long lost.

Historian Dan Snow reviews the top five historical movies of all time, as voted for by the public in a History Hit poll. First up, he reviews famous scenes from the Ridley Scott masterpiece Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Is it the greatest Hollywood movie set in the ancient world? You certainly thought so. Next, it's one of the greatest Hollywood movies about space exploration, Apollo 13 (1995). According to the astronauts who really took part in the ill-fated mission to the moon, this film is particularly faithful to the true story. Third, Dan reviews scenes from one of his own favourite films, Last of the Mohicans (1992). This movie brilliantly depicts combat between Native Americans and European colonial soldiers during the 1750s, and features an incredible lead performance from Daniel Day Lewis. In second place is one of the most moving films of the last century, Schindler's List (1993), in which Liam Neeson plays the leading role. Oskar Schindler really did save the lives of thousands of Jews during the Second World War, but Dan believes