Historia - Prof Martin Carver: Five Alpha Females

Many stories of great first millennium women still lie buried, waiting to be told.

Martin Carver uses evidence of burials and settlements to highlight the roles and reputations of five personalities who lived between the sixth and tenth centuries.

We meet a matron from Wasperton, a spiritual specialist from Bidford-on-Avon, an upper-class rich kid from Swallowcliffe Down - and of course Raedwald's queen. The fifth great figure is Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, politician and probably England's most successful field marshal.