"Christianity didn't invent itself as an empire from nothing: it adapted existing Roman structures"

ALICE ROBERTS speaks to Danny Bird about the evolution of the new religion that swept across the Roman empire and beyond

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Danny Bird What made you decide to write about the collapse of the western Roman empire and the rise of Christianity?

Alice Roberts I've long been fascinated by this historical period, especially in Britain, where written records are scarce. This book grew from my interest in burial archaeology, shaped by excavations I took part in 20 years ago on a Welsh cliff. Bones were eroding from the cliff face, and we uncovered cist graves – stone-lined, coffin-like structures – some dating from as early as the fifth century. One grave even had a stone lid carved with a simple cross. These early Christian burials sparked my curiosity.

More recently, I visited an excavation at Llantwit Major, where archaeologists are investigating what may be Britain's earliest monastery, possibly dating to the fifth century. This raised further questions: why was Christianity spreading so early? And who was behind it?

Rather than relying on broad generalisations, my book focuses on individuals: the people who carried Christianity across regions, and their motives. A story that began with burials in Wales led me across the Roman world from Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) to Alexandria, aiming to find out how Christianity spread so widely, and what that reveals about the fall of the western Roman empire.

Christianity presents itself as a faith for the powerless, but your book suggests that it was adopted by urban elites in its early centuries. How does this challenge the mythology surrounding its origins?

It stands in stark contrast, really. It's a tricky point, because those writing about Christianity were necessarily literate members of the elite. So, from the outset, we're seeing a movement that appears to have spread among relatively well-off individuals.