24 Historical Series on Netflix to Binge This Holiday Season

Whether you're in the mood for some royal drama, a bit of sword clashing, or getting wrapped up in some old-world espionage, there's a show on this list that'll hit just the right note.

1. The Last Kingdom (Drama, 2015)

Number of seasons: 5

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Set in the 9th century, this series chronicles the life of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon noble captured and raised by Vikings, who finds himself torn between his Saxon birthright and the people who raised him, amidst the birth of England.

2. Frontier (Drama, 2016)

Number of seasons: 3

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

In the late 18th century North America, a part-Irish, part-Native American outlaw campaigns to breach the fur trade monopoly controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company, entangling with various groups and violent conflicts.

3. Vikings: Valhalla ( History, 2022)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

A sequel to "Vikings," this series continues the story a century later, following legendary figures like Leif Erikson, Freydis Eiríksdóttir, and Harald Hardrada, as they navigate a changing world and fight for survival.

4. Rise of Empires: Ottoman (Documentary, 2020)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 84%

A docudrama that captures the rise of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Mehmed II, focusing on the epic conquest of Constantinople and reshaping of history.

5. Narcos (Drama, 2015)

Number of seasons: 3

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Chronicling the rise and fall of the infamous Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and the Medellin drug cartel, this series delves into the brutal world of drug trafficking and law enforcement's battle against it.

6. Barbarians (Drama, 2020)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Set in 9 A.D., the series depicts the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest where Germanic warriors halt the northward advance of the Roman Empire, focusing on the conflicted loyalties of the characters involved.

7. Outlander ( Drama, 2014)

Number of seasons: 7

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

A married former World War II nurse is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743 Scotland, where she encounters Highland warriors and becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings.

8. Troy: Fall of a City (War, 2018)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

A retelling of the Trojan War, this series explores the love affair between Paris and Helen of Troy, which triggers a siege on Troy and a saga of love, greed, and betrayal.

9. The Pacific (War, 2010)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

A companion piece to "Band of Brothers," this series focuses on the experiences of U.S. Marines in the Pacific Theater during World War II, depicting the harsh realities of war and the personal struggles of the soldiers.

10. La Révolution (Drama, 2020)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 70%

A reimagined history of the French Revolution, where future inventor of the guillotine uncovers a disease that drives the aristocracy to murder commoners, leading to a clash between rebels and the monarchy.

11. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (Documentary, 2019)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

A docudrama that explores the warring kingdoms of feudal Japan when several powerful warlords fought to become the absolute ruler, focusing on the most famous samurai leaders.

12. Kingdom (Drama, 2019)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

In medieval Korea, a crown prince is sent on a suicide mission to investigate a mysterious outbreak that turns people into zombies.

13. Arthdal Chronicles (Drama, 2019)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 95%

Set in a mythical land called Arth, the series tells the story of inhabitants of the ancient city of Arthdal and their quest for power and survival amid a sprawling saga of love, conflict, and ideology.

14. Mr. Sunshine (Drama, 2018)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 94%

Set in the early 20th century, a young Korean boy who ends up in the United States after the 1871 U.S. expedition to Korea returns to his homeland as an American soldier and falls in love with an aristocrat's daughter.

15. Band of Brothers (Drama, 2001)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose's nonfiction book, this series chronicles the experiences of the men of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from jump training in the U.S. through its participation in major actions in Europe, up until Japan's capitulation and the war's end.

16. My Country: The New Age (Romance, 2019)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 91%

During the transitional period from the Goryeo to the Joseon dynasty in Korea, two friends who become enemies due to a misunderstanding and then lead separate paths in a world brimming with political intrigue, idealism, and rebellion.

17. Dracula (Horror, 2020)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

A retelling of the classic Dracula tale, exploring the origins of the infamous Count Dracula and his battles with the descendants of Van Helsing.

18. Alchemy of Souls (Romance, 2022)

Number of seasons: 2

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 91%

Set in a fictional land where magic is real, this series tells the story of young magicians dealing with heaven and earth, featuring soul shifters who can change their human forms through a forbidden spell.

19. Bolívar (Drama, 2019)

Number of seasons: 1

A dramatization of the life of Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a key role in South America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire.

20. King's War (History, 2012)

Number of seasons: 1

Also known as "Legend of Chu and Han," this Chinese historical drama focuses on the conflict and eventual unification of the Chu and Han kingdoms during the end of the Qin Dynasty.

21. Mr. Queen (History, 2020)

Number of seasons: 1

A modern-day South Korean chef's spirit gets trapped in the body of a queen in the Joseon era, leading to a comedic clash of cultures and genders in a historical setting.

22. Who Rules the World (Drama, 2022)

Number of seasons: 1

Set in ancient China, this series follows the romance and adventures of a young martial arts couple, each with their own secrets and missions, as they navigate political intrigue and conflicts.

23. The Lost Pirate Kingdom (Documentary, 2021)

Number of seasons: 1

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

A docudrama that tells the real-life story of the golden age of piracy in the early 18th century, focusing on legendary pirates like Blackbeard and their quest for treasure, freedom, and infamy.

24. Luna Nera (History, 2020)

Number of seasons: 1

In 17th-century Italy, a teenage girl discovers she comes from a line of witches and must choose between a star-crossed love and fulfilling her powerful destiny, all while being hunted by witch-hunters.