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Secrets of the Dead : Season 23
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Air date: 08 Oct '25 - 8 episodesPart detective story, part true-life drama, Secrets of the Dead investigators travel the globe unearthing evidence that throws fresh light on mysteries of the past. The PBS series is produced by WNET New York. The earliest programs are versions of shows originally produced in the UK and broadcast on Channel 4 starting in 1999. Those early shows purchased by PBS are indicated in the episode descriptions as (UK/PBS) and were re-edited, re-branded, and re-narrated by Americans. (PBS) indicates original PBS (thirteen/WNET) productions. Episode topics have included the Titanic, D-Day, the Shroud of Turin, the Salem Witch Trials, Blackbeard's lost ship, and the first English translations of the Bible. PBS premiered the series in the United States on May 15, 2000, airing four programs in three days. Despite an irregular schedule, new episodes continue to air. Run time varies from episode to episode but are edited to fit into an hour time slot for PBS.
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List of Episodes (8)
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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1. The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
08 Oct '25The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome's vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum's design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome's power, so too did it contribute to the Empire's downfall.
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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2. Cleopatra's Last Temple
15 Oct '25Just below the Mediterranean's surface, in Alexandria's harbor, lay the ruins of a mysterious ancient monument. For more than 20 years, French explorer Franck Goddio has been hoping to confirm these remains are a temple belonging to Cleopatra. If true, this discovery could reveal vital new information about Cleopatra's reign and her connection with the goddess Isis.
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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3. Cracking the Queen's Code
22 Oct '25In early 2003, three amateur codebreakers announced they had successfully decoded the secret correspondence of one of the most tragic characters in European history: Mary, Queen of Scots. 57 encrypted letters detail the exiled queen's efforts to free herself from imprisonment and gain advantage over her rival, Queen Elizabeth. Now, after four centuries, Mary's urgent pleas can be revealed.
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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4. Chasing the Plague
29 Oct '25Follow scientists as they track down the earliest known bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks, while historians and scholars explore the societal impact of the plague on medieval Europe. What happens when a third of a continent’s population is wiped out?
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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5. Picturing Shakespeare
12 Nov '25There are only two accepted representations of William Shakespeare that are considered "official"—but could a portrait that has been hanging over a family's mantelpiece for the last 50 years be the third? British window washer Steven Wadlow, whose father bought the portrait in the 1960s, is on the hunt to prove the painting is indeed genuine. If so, it could be worth as much as $200 million.
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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6. Queens of Combat
28 Jan '26What 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?
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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7. The Quest for Camelot
04 Feb '26The Quest for Camelot features Prof. Mark Horton investigating whether King Arthur's legends are based on real 5th-century British history. The episode explores archaeological sites and medieval texts to link myths to potential historical figures and locations.
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Secrets of the Dead (2000)
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8. China's Bronze Kingdom
11 Feb '26A mysterious ancient city lies hidden in the mountains of Sichuan—remnants of a kingdom consigned to oblivion for thousands of years, until the chance discovery of a jade artifact in 1986. More than 10,000 unusual items have been found at the site which experts believe may be as archaeologically important as the Terracotta Army of Xi'an. Could this be the capital of the ancient Shu kingdom?
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