Series synopsis
Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts is a British documentary television series that premiered on Channel 4 on February 7, 2026. It stars Alice Roberts.
Alice embarks on her most ambitious journey to date, in search of the Roman Empire, travelling 1300 miles through Italy, France and Spain to discover the origins and secrets of Rome’s success.
Premise
Alice embarks on her most ambitious journey to date, in search of the Roman Empire, travelling 1300 miles through Italy, France and Spain to discover the origins and secrets of Rome’s success.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Alice Roberts as Self - Presenter
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 6 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | February 7, 2026 | March 21, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pompeii: A City Alive The anthropologist embarks on a journey by train visiting key sites of the Roman empire. Alice begins her Roman tour at Pompeii, where she explores ingenious Roman engineering, racy artworks, the role of slaves and a surprising tax levied on local laundries. Alice also gets access beyond the tourist trail to a fresh dig that casts new light on one of Ancient Rome's notorious and mysterious cults. |
February 7, 2026 |
| 2 |
I'm Spartacus Alice heads seven miles south of Naples to Herculaneum, a town that, like Pompeii, was buried in volcanic ash in 79 CE. She also pays a visit to Capua's giant amphitheatre, second in size only to Rome's Colosseum, where gladiators battled wild creatures from the farthest corners of the empire, including lions and tigers. Alice gets a chance to handle the world's most famous sword. |
February 14, 2026 |
| 3 |
What Have the Etruscans Ever Done for Us? Alice explores Rome, from the ingenuity of ancient Roman aqueducts to the story behind Trajan's Column, and finds the original road that drove the expansion of the empire. She visits two of the city's most spectacular private estates, including one with its own giant mausoleum and private sporting arena. At a live dig in the hills north of Rome, the Etruscan origins of many of Rome's most impressive developments are revealed. |
February 21, 2026 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| First aired | February 7, 2026 |
| Last aired | March 21, 2026 |
| Status | continue |
| Schedule | Saturday at 20:30:00 |