Known through the ages as 'Bad' King John, was the Plantagenet ruler of England and France the buffoon depicted in tales of Robin Hood or a sadistic killer fuelled by his insecurity?

In 486 BCE, Xerxes launched an invasion to crush Athens. In response, Themistocles pushed for a radical defence: a navy powered by the working class and unity among rival Greek states.

In 480 BCE, Xerxes' army invaded Greece as Themistocles led the Greek fleet at Artemisium. Leonidas and 300 Spartans held Thermopylae, but Xerxes' Immortals outflanked them.

In 1942, the Allies were losing the air war; a mysterious technology was helping the Luftwaffe with the Blitz. Desperate for answers, British intelligence set its sights on an installation in France.

Ancient history knows few rulers like Constantine the Great. This first episode follows archaeologists on the stages of his life from Naissus to Rome.

In 1942, the Allies were losing the air war; a mysterious technology was helping the Luftwaffe with the Blitz. Desperate for answers, British intelligence set its sights on an installation in France.

As Whitechapel reels from three brutal murders, Fred Best and colleagues at the Star spin a lone killer theory to sell papers.

After a snub in Munich, the Soviets make a pact with the Germans; with the invasion of Poland, the pretence of peace is gone as France and the UK declare war on Germany.

What is a tank? From the early concepts to the first tank prototype, we examine how the battlefields of WWI set the scene for the mechanised warfare of WWII.

Geli Raubal and Eva Braun, two women brought into Hitler's private life. One met a tragic end during his rise to power, the other followed him to a deadly finale.

Young, handsome and athletic, he was the jewel in England's crown - King Henry the Eighth had just one problem... was he a potential psychopath in the making?

He is infamous for ordering the murder of all first-born male children in an attempt to prevent the coming of the Son of God Jesus Christ, but Herod may not be as evil as the Bible made out.

After Rome's First Punic War victory, Carthage's power was diminished. In 218 BCE, driven by vengeance, Hannibal led a daring invasion across the Alps, striking at Rome's heart with tactical genius.

After 15 years of warfare, Hannibal returned to defend his homeland, but Scipio's innovative strategy challenged tradition. Their clash decided the fate of empires and shaped the course of history.

Operation Barbarossa's endgame does not come to fruition; with the world distracted, Japan launch their attack on Pearl Harbor, forcing American isolationists to join the war in earnest.

WWII has begun; new tank strategies take the world by storm and completely change the way wars are fought. As war engulfs Europe, each country learns to adapt to mechanised warfare in its own way.

Archaeologists hunt for clues to the origins and explosive rise of the mighty Inca Empire - at their height, the largest empire in the world.

Amid Whitechapel's panic, the Star stirs antisemitic violence; as the killer strikes again, journalist Fred Best forges a letter from the murderer.

1943: as the Allies bombed Nazi-occupied Europe, a massive concrete dome rose from the French countryside. This huge shell reportedly concealed a crucial component of Hitler's plan for victory.

Constantine's claim to power knew no bounds. This final episode follows the emperor's archaeological traces to the new Rome, Constantinople.

Carin and Emmy Göring enabled Hermann Göring's ambitions in the Nazi regime. One a beloved companion committed to the Nazi vision, the other a star of the stage with little taste for politics.

Young, handsome and athletic, he was the jewel in England's crown - King Henry the Eighth had just one problem... was he a potential psychopath in the making?