The BCs are back.

Some of Hollywood’s most epic tales of love, loss, betrayal, and redemption are set thousands of years before our time, but we can’t seem to get enough of them. From the days of gladiators and Vikings to kings and queens, there’s an essence of heroism and strength that may seem alien to today’s modern standards but remains hugely popular, from HBO’s eight-season Games of Thrones to 2024’s acclaimed FX series Shōgun. Bloody wars, political alliances, and epic battle scenes spiral out of control in our top picks below. Who said history can’t be sexy?

Legendary Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) rises from lowly peasant to fearsome Viking hero in this 2013-20 drama. In a brutal world of terrifying battles and bloody axes, failure means death, but Ragnar has no intention of being defeated as his determination and deep fascination with exploring new lands leads him to the throne. He and his loyal followers pillage and raid across England and France; his wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), a powerful shieldmaiden, fights fiercely beside him.

History was bloody and sexy in this action-packed 2010-2013 tale of a 1st-century B.C. gladiator who inspires a slave revolt. (How bloody? Often the entire screen was filled with red as limbs and heads were hacked off . . . usually in slow motion.) The hit series ran for three seasons, plus a prequel starring Andy Whitfield, who first played the nameless Thracian soldier who becomes Spartacus after killing four men in the arena. Sadly, Whitfield died in 2011 and was replaced in the role by Liam McIntyre. The story took bold liberties with the facts, but with its fast-paced plot, scantily clad warriors, and intensely graphic battles, not to mention passionate romances, viewers didn't mind. A sequel, Spartacus: House of Ashur, is now in the works at Starz. —John Hogan