BBC Four TV Guide — Thursday, 3 September 2026

Alexander Armstrong is joined by Dr Michael Scott to explore the underground treasures that made Rome the powerhouse of the ancient world. Using 3D scanning technology, he uncovers the lost subterranean world of the Colosseum, as well as the aqueducts and sewers that supplied and cleansed it, and helped run civilisation's first metropolis and its empire

Fred uncovers the construction techniques of stonemasons and carpenters through the ages, focusing on Norman cathedrals. The former steeplejack admires Peterborough Cathedral and Rochester Castle, where he demonstrates how tactics used to invade the fortress centuries ago resemble today's demolition methods

Archaeologist Ben Robinson travels to Seaton Sluice in Northumberland, home to the notorious Delaval family. These wealthy bottle-makers were some of the greatest players on the Georgian party scene. Their pranks and parties were infamous at their impressive mansion, but they also brought great innovation to the area, when they redesigned the harbour

Simon Sebag Montefiore charts Rome's rise from the abandonment and neglect of the 14th century into the everlasting seat of the Papacy recognised today. His story begins with the debauchery and decadence of the Renaissance, and takes viewers through the Catholic Reformation and on to the arrival of fascism and the creation of the Vatican State. He steps inside sensational palaces and churches, and talks about some of the world's most beloved art as he brings his exploration of Rome to a close