Tonight | Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts on SBS: Alice Roberts begins her rail journey in Pompeii – Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts airs tonight on SBS. Professor Alice Roberts begins a six-part railway journey through the lands shaped by the Roman Empire.
The series follows Roberts through Italy, over the Alps into southern France and along the Spanish coast. Rail travel gives the history a clear route, connecting surviving cities, landscapes and archaeological sites with the expansion and decline of Roman power.
The episode has a clear reason to watch tonight. They visit a family home once shared with a donkey, examine a shopfront carrying political slogans and enter an area that is still being excavated. Those details move the story beyond monuments and emperors, using domestic space and public messages to show daily life in the ancient city.
What happens in the premiere?
The premiere begins at the Bay of Naples, where Mount Vesuvius still dominates the skyline. Roberts travels to Pompeii and meets lead archaeologist Sophie Hay to learn about the ordinary people who lived there before the eruption.
When is the series on SBS?
Don’t miss Roman Empire by Train with Alice Roberts, Sunday 20 September at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
For more free-to-air coverage, visit TV Central’s SBS news and highlights. Viewers can also watch and catch up through SBS On Demand.
