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Secrets of the Dead

Cracking the Queen's Code

Season 22 Episode 9 | 55m 15s

In early 2023, 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.

Aired: 10/21/25 | Expires: 11/19/25
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 • 2:53
Secrets of the Dead
Was This City the Real Camelot?
Did Cirencester remain the center of a prosperous post-Roman kingdom in the time of King Arthur?
Clip: S23 E4 | 2:53
Watch • 3:01
Secrets of the Dead
Discovered Ruins May Have Inspired the Round Table
New evidence suggests an amphitheater became a stronghold linked to Arthur’s Round Table.
Clip: S23 E4 | 3:01
Watch • 2:10
Secrets of the Dead
A Roman Dragon's Possible Link to King Arthur
A Roman military belt bearing a dragon design may hint at the military roots of King Arthur.
Clip: S23 E4 | 2:10
Watch • 3:01
Secrets of the Dead
New Evidence That Roman Life Continued After the Empire's Fall
New dating shows a Roman villa mosaic was laid in the 5th century, reshaping post-Roman Britain.
Clip: S23 E4 | 3:01
Watch • 1:53
Secrets of the Dead
How the Sword in the Stone May Have Begun
Iron smelting at a temple site may have inspired the legend of King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur.
Clip: S23 E4 | 1:53
Watch • 2:34
Secrets of the Dead
A Roman Poet’s Clue to Women Gladiators in the Arena
Martial described gladiatorial combat and hinted women fought—but can hand-copied texts be trusted?
Clip: S23 E3 | 2:34
Watch • 2:39
Secrets of the Dead
The Only Relief of Named Female Gladiators Ever Found
This rare depiction may be the greatest surviving monument to women in the Roman arena.
Clip: S23 E3 | 2:39
Watch • 2:54
Secrets of the Dead
This Roman Law May Be Proof of Female Gladiators
The ban hints at moral panic, and possibly the clearest proof that female gladiators truly existed.
Clip: S23 E3 | 2:54
Watch • 2:22
Secrets of the Dead
A Roman Satirist Mocked Female Fighters. Was He Describing Real Gladiators?
Did Juvenal’s mockery prove female gladiators existed?
Clip: S23 E3 | 2:22
All
  • All
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 23
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 22
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 21
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 20
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 19
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 18
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 17
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 16
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 15
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 14
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 13
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 12
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 11
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 10
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 9
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 8
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 7
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 6
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 5
  • Secrets of the Dead Season 4
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
Queens of Combat
Experts search for evidence that female gladiators once existed in Ancient Rome.
Episode: S23 E3 | 55:15
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
Picturing Shakespeare
Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article?
Episode: S23 E2 | 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
China's Bronze Kingdom
The chance discovery of a jade artifact unearths an ancient Chinese city.
Episode: S23 E1
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
Chasing the Plague
Scientists study medieval bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks.
Episode: S22 E10 | 55:15
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
Cleopatra's Last Temple
An unprecedented discovery could reveal new information about Cleopatra’s reign.
Episode: S22 E8 | 55:15
Watch • 55:15
Secrets of the Dead
The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
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
Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part Two)
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