Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts
★ 6.7 · 2026 · Documentary
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.
Episodes
1. Pompeii: A City Alive47m · 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.
2. I'm Spartacus47m · 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.
3. What Have the Etruscans Ever Done for Us?47m · 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.
4. The Streets of Turin47m · In the city of Parma, Alice surveys an underground hotel, a buried Roman bridge and a museum of offerings to the gods. A train takes Alice north to Turin, to find out how the city's grid system helped scientists crack an age-old mystery. She also heads across the Alps to discover how Hannibal dragged his army of elephants through the mountains.
5. The Rome of France47m · Alice arrives in Nimes after crossing the Alps by train. The image of a crocodile is everywhere, commemorating Emperor Augustus's victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31BCE. In Narbonne, Alice revels in more extraordinary Roman artefacts. The train follows the same route as Rome's Via Domitia, eventually leading Alice all the way to Spain.
6. New Carthage47m · Alice heads to Tarragona, once the capital of Iberian Rome, which boasts the largest Roman forum in the world and a vast amphitheatre unearthed below a church. In Cartagena, on Spain's south coast, Alice marvels at the area's subterranean riche and takes a skylift above the city to reflect on the many things her 1300-mile Roman odyssey has taught her.More Like This
Railway Adventures Across Australia
★ 10
Railway adventures across Australia follows the exploits of Scott McGregor on his quest to find the famous, unusual and unique trains and stories at the end of the line.
More info →
Rick Stein's Spain
2011 · ★ 7.5
Rick Stein has visited Spain since he was a young boy. In the past, French and Italian cooking have been seen to have more finesse, but thanks to a handful of really dedicated Spanish chefs and a growing enthusiasm for its rugged flavours, that has all begun to change. According to Rick, no one cooks fish with more respect or grills meat better. Now, he travels the length and breadth of the country in an old campervan, going off the beaten track to discover the authentic soul (‘duende’) of Spanish cooking.
More info →Voulez-vous fêter?
2014
A journey of discovery through the ritual celebrations of Quebec’s various immigrant communities, as seen through the eyes of the local Greek, Portuguese, Lebanese, Moroccan, Chinese, Brazilian, Russian, Senegalese and other communities.
More info →
Emancipation Road
2014
From The Creators Of The Best-Selling Documentary Series "Up From Slavery"... A 7-Part Compelling Journey Through America's Greatest Saga. In 1860, the nation founded upon an idea that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness had as many as four hundred thousand slave-owners and almost four million slaves. By denying these rights to more than twelve percent of its population, America would soon pay with the blood of a generation. The story of African Slavery in America started with the first permanent English Colony in the 17th century... and ended with the Civil War. But those two hundred and fifty years of struggle were just the beginning. The beginning of a journey down the long Emancipation Road...
More info →
Epic History TV
2015
Epic History makes videos about the most dramatic and important stories from our past, from the rise and fall of empires to global conflicts and revolutions. Our team have history degrees and decades of experience in documentary production, and regularly collaborate with specialist historians around the world, so you’re in safe hands as we explore some of the most epic moments in history.
More info →
