She features extraordinary Romans such as Eurysaces, a baker who made a fortune in the grain trade and built his tomb in the shape of a giant bread oven; Pupius Amicus, the purple dye seller making imperial dye from shellfish imported from Tunisia; and Baricha, Zabda and Achiba, three prisoners of war who became Roman citizens.

UK viewing figures: 1.97 million [2] She goes into the streets to discover the dirt, crime, sex and slum conditions in the world's first high-rise city, where the poorer you were the higher you lived with little space, light, or sanitation.

Rooms that were only slept in forced the poor to go outdoors into the city streets to eat, wash, get water and go to the lavatory.

She looks at the Roman Forum as a place of gamblers, dentists, thieves, prostitutes and rent boys.

UK viewing figures: 1.87 million [2] To learn about their family life, Beard looks at the thousands of tombstones of ordinary Romans, their children and slaves.