The show accompanies her latest book and promises a captivating journey through history, archaeology and belief systems — with a focus on how Christianity spread across Europe as the Roman Empire declined.
Roberts, known for documentaries such as Digging for Britain and Britain’s Most Historic Towns, will guide audiences through archaeological finds, ancient letters, mosaics and coins to uncover the political and cultural forces behind one of history’s most transformative shifts.
“I wanted to tackle the big question — how did Christianity spread through the Roman Empire?” said Roberts. “I ended up looking at clues buried in ancient letters and genealogies, in new discoveries on archaeological digs — and in the meaning of symbols.”
Her talk will explore how rituals such as Roman graveside feasting evolved into Christian traditions, and how political power — rather than religious appeal alone — shaped the rise of Christianity.
“Lots of historians have seen the success of Christianity as down to something intrinsic in the religion,” she said. “But I see it as much more of a political question… Christianity was successful because it was adopted as the state religion of the Roman Empire.”
Roberts, who trained as a medical doctor before moving into academia and television, says the show will be a “thrilling revelation” for audiences, combining archaeological insight with historical storytelling.
“There are some things I’ve discovered during my research that surprised me — and other archaeologists, even. Not to spill all the beans, but the thing that surprised me the most is the conclusion I reached — that the western Roman Empire never really fell.”
Her Swansea appearance is part of a 26-date tour running from August to November 2025, with stops in Cardiff, Bath, Birmingham and London. Tickets for the Swansea show are priced at £35 and available via the Swansea Grand Theatre website.
