Period Dramas Sorted by Historical Era

Looking for a period drama to watch?
Here are over 1100 films, sorted by era...

Ancient Period Dramas (4000 B.C - 500)
(such as: Jesus of Nazareth, Ben Hur, Troy,
The Ten Commandments, The Nativity Story and Cleopatra)

Medieval Period Dramas (500-1500)
(such as: Lord of the Rings, King Arthur, Tristan and Isolde,
The Princess Bride, A Knight's Tale and Robin Hood)

Renaissance Period Dramas (1400-1600)
(such as: Ever After, Shakespeare in Love, 1492, Elizabeth and The Other Boleyn Girl)


Baroque Period Dramas (1600-1750)
(such as: Pirates of the Caribbean, Le Roi Soleil, The Three Musketeers,
Vatel, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Lost in La Mancha)


Georgian Period Dramas (1714-1830)
(such as: The Aristocrats, Amazing Grace, Marie Antoinette,
John Adams, The Duchess and The Scarlet Pimpernel)
[Note: Jane Austen adaptations listed specifically in Regency era below]


Regency Period Dramas (1811-1820)
(such as: Pride and Prejudice, Bright Star, Persuasion,
Emma, and Sense and Sensibility)


Victorian Period Dramas (1837-1901)
(such as: The Young Victoria, Daniel Deronda, Little Women, Little House on the Prairie,
The Buccaneers, North and South, The Inheritance and Mrs. Brown)
[Considering that Queen Victoria's reign was so long,
this is the largest group of films sorted by era including almost 300 period dramas!]


Edwardian Period Dramas (1901-1914)

(such as: Downton Abbey, The Lost Prince, The Importance of Being Earnest,
Titanic, My Fair Lady, Anne of Green Gables)


Post-Edwardian Period Dramas (1915-1960s)
(such as: The Ladies in Lavender, The Remains of the Day, The Magic of Ordinary Days,
The Sound of Music, The Painted Veil, Foyle's War)

The above is solely a visual list of movies from each era.
The Film Index lists those period films which have been featured in greater detail.

Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. I have included mainly those that I've seen myself and/or those that are suitable for most audiences. I know that plenty of you have favourite dramas that might be missing from this list (sorry!) but I've tried to include a good selection of the quantity of period films available out there!
(Many are available to watch online.)

Top Ten Georgian Films

Here are the poll results of the most watched period dramas set during the Georgian era. Note: this poll did not include dramas set during the Regency years as a previous poll already covered those films specifically and was posted here: Top Ten Regency Films. Here are the top dramas set during the years 1714-1830 (11 are listed since two films were tied for 10th place).

Thanks to all who voted! (4300+ votes cast)

#1 Wuthering Heights
(viewed by 91%)

#2 The Duchess
(viewed by 85%)

#3 Marie Antoinette
(viewed by 85%)

#4 Amadeus
(viewed by 75%)

#5 The Patriot
(viewed by 72%)

#6 The Last of the Mohicans
(viewed by 67%)

#7 Amazing Grace
(viewed by 64%)

#8 Dangerous Liasons
(viewed by 59%)

#9 The Scarlet Pimpernel
(viewed by 53%)

#10 Horatio Hornblower
(viewed by 49%)

#10 Swiss Family Robinson
(viewed by 49%)

Poll is still open, you can vote here.

See more films from Georgian and other eras

Georgian-Era Period Dramas

Here are period films that are set during the Georgian era (1714-1830) spanning the reigns of the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain (later the United Kingdom): George I, George II, George III and George IV including some dramas set during the historic period of the founding of the United States. [Also within this era, there is the period ruled by the Prince Regent (1811-1820) and I've listed those period dramas here: Regency Films]

Top 10 Results from Poll

See period dramas set in other eras

How many have you seen? (Poll still open)

See period dramas from other eras

1776 (1972)
A Midwife's Tale (1996)
Dolley Madison (2010)
A Respectable Trade (1998)
A Royal Scandal (1996)
A Tale of Two Cities
Amadeus (1984)
Amazing Grace (2007)
April Morning (1988)
Aristocrats (1999)
Beau Brummell: This Charming Man (2006)
Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor (2002)
Catherine the Great (1995)
Dangerous Liasons (1988)
Felicity: An American Girl Adventure (2005)
Garrow's Law 1700S
Goya’s Ghosts 1792
Gulliver's Travels (1996)
Horatio Hornblower
Jefferson in Paris (1995)
John Adams
Kidnapped (1995)
Longitude (2000)
Marguerite Volant (1996)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Mesmer (1994)
Moll Flanders
Nomad (2005)
Pandaemonium (2000)
Plunkett and Macleane (1999)
Poldark
Revolution (1985)
Rob Roy (1995)
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (2000)
Stranded (2002)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
That Hamilton Woman (1941)
The Abduction Club (2002)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
The Bounty (1984)
The Clandestine Marriage (1999)
The Crossing (1999)
The Duchess (2008)
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996)
The Glass Slipper (1955)
The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant (2005)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
The Madness of King George (1994)
The Mission (1986)
The Patriot (2000)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982. 1998)
The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
The Swiss Family Robinson (1975)
Wuthering Heights
Young Catherine (1991)