Tag Archives: Romans

Exploring the Romans

Roman Towns, Forts and Museums

Since I began presenting my Roman Workshop Day in schools I have visited as many archaeological sites and museums as possible in order to gather information, add to my existing knowledge and create my own photographic record for use in my school visits. Here are some of the wonderful places I have been able to explore so far.

Aldborough, Roman Town

In Roman times Aldborough was the civitas capital of the Brigantes tribal area. It was therefore an important centre of local government. Remains of the town wall can be seen as well as some very fine mosaic floors. There is a very small museum located at the entrance.

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Arbeia, Roman Fort

Originally a fort but later a main supply depot.  Although South Shields is not on the “tourist trail” for Hadrian’s Wall this site is well worth a visit. There is a reconstruction of a gate house, commandant’s quarters and a barrack block. The small on site museum also contains some very interesting objects.

Binchester, Roman Fort

Just on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland lies Binchester, a Roman cavalry fort. The bath house can be explored and parts of the barracks and the roman road “Dere Street” are also uncovered.

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Caerleon, Roman Legionary Fortress

Once the home to 5,000 Roman legionary soldiers, the fortress covers a considerable area. Some of the barrack blocks are visible together with the amphitheatre, baths and perimeter walls.

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Chesters, Roman Fort

Built where Hadrian’s Wall crosses the River Tyne, Chesters has an excellent museum with a huge selection of finds on display. Much of the fort can be explored and down by the river are the remains of the bath house.

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Chichester, Roman Town

Look at a modern day map of Chichester and you can immediately see the layout of the town centre follows the original Roman town plan. The museum in the town centre is built on the site of the public baths and later Roman town walls are still in existence.

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Colchester, Roman Town

This is where the Emperor Claudius came to accept the surrender of the south eastern tribes following the invasion of AD43. It was the first Roman Colonia and was burnt to the ground by Boudicca during the rebellion of AD60. Colchester has the only known circus for chariot racing in Britain. The castle museum has a floor devoted to Roman times with many fabulous exhibits relating to all aspects of Roman life and culture.

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Corbridge, Roman Town

This must have been a very busy place in Roman times as it was the main supply base for the garrison of Hadrian’s Wall. Here you can see the remains of the Roman town, walk down the main street and enjoy the superb museum. The remains of the original fort can also be seen.

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Fishbourne Palace

It is thought that Fishbourne Palace was built by the Romans for a local British king as a reward for loyalty during the Roman conquest. It covers an extensive area although a large part of it lies beneath a local housing estate. No expense was spared in the construction of the buildings and much of the stone and marble as well as the specialist craftsmen had to be imported for the task. Whoever lived here must have been very important. There are some wonderful mosaics, a huge ornamental garden and a museum.

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Herculaneum, Roman Town

When Vesuvius erupted in AD79 the town of Herculaneum was buried under a sea of volcanic ash. Today part of the town has been excavated and some of the best preserved buildings can be seen here. Even some of the original timber beams, doors and window frames have survived.

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Hermann Monument

Under Emperor Augustus the Roman Army had been campaigning in Germany with a view to establishing control over the territory between Rhine and the River Elbe. In AD9 Germanic tribes lead by Arminius delivered a crushing defeat on the Romans wiping out three entire Roman Legions in the Teutoberg Forest. After this the Rhine became the northern frontier of the empire and a period of consolidation began. Today the Hermann monument with Arminius raising his sword in triumph is a symbol of German unification.

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Housesteads, Roman Fort

Possibly one of the most popular forts on Hadrian’s Wall here you can clearly see the layout of the buildings, the perimeter walls, gates and roads. As Houseteads is  high on a hill it has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. There is a scale model reconstruction of the fort in the museum.

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Lincoln, Roman Town

After four years most of southern Britain had been subjugated. The Roman Army had moved forward to a line roughly between the Humber and the Severn. Two new colonia were founded. One at Gloucester and the other at Lincoln. On visiting the latter there are still some visible remains of the Roman town to be seen including parts of the original town walls.

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Mainz Museum of Ancient Shipping

Here you can see fully reconstructed Roman ships. There are warships and merchant ships some of which are full size and others scaled down. Unfortunately photography is not allowed and so I was unable to use my camera.

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Naples, Archaeological Museum

This museum contains an astonishing collection of statues, mosaics, paintings and objects from Herculaneum and Pompeii. Although not very well curated there are a great many fabulous exhibits. Well worth the effort to get to this place.

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Piercebridge, Roman Fort

Built where Dere Street crosses the River Tees, this was one of a number of forts on the line of this important road which ran from York to Corbridge, Hadrian’s Wall and beyond. Much of the fort remains are exposed and nearby the bridge abutments for the roman bridge can be seen too.

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Pompeii, Roman Town

The entire town was buried under volcanic ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. Here you can explore a complete Roman town. Visit the forums, temples, basilicas, public baths, theatres, roads, shops, houses, amphitheatre, gladiator barracks, walls, tombs. Pompeii has it all. This is the ultimate step back in time!

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Richborough, Roman Fort and Amphitheatre

When the Romans invaded in AD43 they used the Wantsum Channel as a safe anchorage and landed their army at Richborough. The remains of the earthworks they built to protect their landing area is clearly visible. Richborough became the main entry and exit point for reinforcements, supplies and people coming from Gaul. On visiting the site it is possible to trace its development over the course of Roman occupation.

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Roman Army Museum

The Roman Army Museum on Hadrian’s Wall provides detailed information about the Roman Army in Britain and particularly the units engaged in the garrisoning of the northern frontier.

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Roman Legionary Museum

A very good museum dedicated to the Roman Army. Lots of information, objects and displays explaining the organization, weapons and equipment of the army and information about the Roman Army in Britain.

Rome

The heart of the Roman Empire. The Forum Romanum, Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus, Trajan’s Market, Ara Pacis and much much more.

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Saalburg, Roman Fort

Superb restored Roman Fort in North Germany with an amazing museum including a special exhibition on Roman siege artillery. Close by is a section of the “Limes” which is the German equivalent of Hadrian’s Wall built to protect the land between the natural obstacles of the Rhine and Danube rivers.

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Segedunum, Roman Fort

The viewing tower allows a birds eye view of the fort. There is also a reconstructed bath house and an excellent museum.

Trier, Roman Town

From 260 to 274 AD Britain was part of the breakaway Gallic Empire. For this period Britain was governed from Trier which was the capital city of the Gallic Empire. There are lots of interesting Roman sites here including three bath complexes, a basilica ( now a church ), an amphitheatre, an excellent museum an of course the famous “Potra Nigra” city gates.

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Vindolanda, Roman Fort

Prior to the construction of Hadrian’s Wall the northern frontier in Britain followed the Stanegate line. Vindolanda was one of the forts forming part of the Stanegate line. Remains of the fort and the vicus ( civilian settlement ) are visible. The on site museum is amazing with a massive collection of finds from the site on display. It is also possible to view the Vindolanda writing tablets which give an insight into life at the fort prior to the construction of Hadrian’s Wall.

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Xanten, Roman Town and Legionary Base

Now a huge archaeological park, Xanten was one of the most important Roman bases on the Rhine frontier. Today there are many reconstructed buildings, displays and exhibitions on many aspects of life in Roman times and a superb museum.

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York, Roman Town

When the Roman Army moved north York was chosen as the site for a Legionary Fortress and later it became a colonia. York was the most important town in Britain after London. There are few visible traces of Roman buildings to be seen today however you can see part of the public baths, the Roman walls and a few columns and statues. The city museum also has many interesting Roman exhibits.

More to follow…..

My Visit To Colchester Roman Circus

Chariot Racing in Britain

Colchester Roman Circus Centre is well worth a visit. I am so glad I made the effort!

The Ancient Romans were mad about chariot racing. Colchester has the only known chariot racing circuit in Britain. If there were others they have yet to be discovered. When the Romans invaded in 43AD they made straight for the heart land of the enemy. Camulodunum was the home of important tribal leaders and a spiritual settlement named after Camulus the celtic god of war. Once opposition had been subdued the Romans took over the area and founded their first colonae which they called called Victricensis, which translated from latin means city of victory. Thousands of retired soldiers were given land here and a model Roman town was built complete with all of the amenties Roman citizens expected and this included entertainment in the form of a theatre, amphitheatre and a circus.

 

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Although nothing remains above ground of the circus building, extensive archaeological investigation has revealed the foundations and clearly the original structure was massive. It was 450 metres long with a capacity for 16,000 spectators. The only Roman building in Britain bigger than this is Hadrian’s Wall.

 

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I have been to Circus Maximus in Rome. This was the biggest circus of all. However all there is to see is a huge open field. Colchester is far more interesting. The museum although containing very few artefacts does have some excellent displays, some of which are interactive. There is a reconstructed chariot and a superb scale model showing the layout of the race track and spectator stand. Outside there is a reconstruction of the foundations of the starting gates with a window to look through showing an elevation of how this part of the stadium might have looked. Very clever idea! There is also a metal frame work set up showing the profile of the spectator stands and the lines of the inner and outer walls have been marked out in the ground.

 

Profile of spectator stands

 

For anyone interested in Ancient Rome and chariot racing then I highly recommend a visit to this place. They have done an excellent job of providing information and designing displays both indoors and outside which enable the visitor to visualize what must have been a magnificent sports stadium. To the Romans this was surely their equivalent of Wembley

The Circus Centre is only a few minutes drive from the centre of Colchester and there is a car park on Butt Road ( which was free when I went ).

Contact details are as follows:

Roman Circus Centre, Roman Circus House, Roman Circus Walk, Colchester, CO2 7GZ.

Tel 01206 501785

www.thecolchesterarchaeologist.co.uk

 

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Understanding Roman Britain

Roman Britain Workshop Day

Roman Britain Workshop

Roman Britain Workshop

Who were the Romans and they did they come to Britain? Why was the Roman army so powerful? How did Britain change under Roman rule? How has the way we live today been influenced by the Romans?

The Roman Britain Workshop Day investigates the Roman conquest and life in Roman Britain. Famous people, important dates, events and places.

Why did Hadrian build a wall across northern Britain? Who built it? Who guarded? Why did the Romans eventually abandon Britain?

This workshop day is aimed at KS2 children. It is run in school and provides a good alternative to a school trip.

Schools in Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Doncaster, Harrogate, Wetherby areas and some North Yorkshire schools may like this.

For more information please contact us now.

 

Romanization of Britain: Towns

Types of Roman Towns

 

Roman Roads in Britain

Roman Roads in Britain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before the arrival of the Romans Britain was made up of tribal areas with hill forts, settlements and farms connected by ancient pathways and tracks. Most Britons lived in circular “roundhouses”  and there was no uniformity in the positioning or layout of dwellings. By contrast Roman towns were laid out in a grid pattern with a central area and containing certain characteristic building which were common to all Roman towns throughout the empire. Here are the main types:

 Colonia

These were larger towns occupied mainly by Roman citizens ( often retired army personnel ). In Britain there were four, Colchester, Gloucester, Lincoln and York.

 Municipia

These towns were occupied by provincials but were under direct Roman control.

Civitas

The civitas ( the commonest and possibly most important type ) were self governing by local people and were often based on existing tribal centres. The local chieftain or tribal leaders became the civic leaders and were responsible for implementing Roman customs and laws.

Vicus

Smaller settlements that were located outside of Roman army forts or legionary bases. They provided homes for camp followers, soldiers families and also shops, taverns and tradesmen supplying the army’s needs.

Characteristic buildings in Roman towns

The following buildings were common to all larger Roman towns:

  • Forum or market place consisting of a large open area where people could gather to hear important news or announcements. Hold meetings, socialize and do business. There were usually shops round the sides.
  • Temple (s) to the gods where public religious ceremonies took place and where individuals could pay homage.
  • Basilica, a large building used for civic administration, money exchange, legal dispute and trials.
  • Public Baths, for bathing, exercising, having a drink or food and socializing.
  • Amphitheatre for entertainment such as gladiator fights ( there is only limited evidence of this in Britain ), chariot / horse racing animal hunts, theatre shows, military training and ceremonies etc.

Most towns had paved roads a water supply and some kind of sanitation.
Although during the early occupation buildings were of wood. Once the Romans were established in an area and local resources could be harnessed  important buildings were constructed from  locally quarried stone.
 
In Roman Britain as elsewhere most people did not live in towns. The majority of the population lived in the countryside. Villas were used to control and maximise agricultural resources. There were many villas in the south and east of Britain which were the most important farming areas. There were less in the military zones and hill country of the north. Villas varied in size from quite small to palatial ( Fishbourne ).
 
Although the arrival of the Romans had a massive impact on governance and the economy the vast majority of the population would have been unaffected. They continued to live in their  settlements as before. They would however have to pay taxes and be subject to Roman law.
 
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Why Did Julius Ceasar Invade Britain?

 Pretext for Invasion

 

The domination of Rome

It took Julius Caesar six years to take and pacify Gaul ( present day France, Belgium, southern Holland and pajuliuscaesarbustrt of Germany ).  After the initial conquest in 59 BC he had to put down numerous rebellions. One tribe called the Veneti lived on the Atlantic coast. They were powerful with a large fleet and had close trading links with the Dumnonii tribe who lived in south west Britain and the Durotriges who lived further east in the area that is now Hampshire.  When they rebelled in 56 BC they undoubtedly received support from their British allies but the Veneti were no match for the Roman Army on land and Ceasar also built a fleet of warships to ensure victory at sea. The Veniti were quickly defeated.

The Romans knew about Britain and believed it could be a source of valuable commodities such as iron, silver, copper and lead as well as grain, leather, wool and meat.  There was free flowing of merchandise across the channel although little was known of the geography of the islands, the size of the population or the extent of its natural resources.

It was normal practice for the Romans to mount punitive raids against troublesome neighbours and it is likely that Caesar wanted to show the British that the channel was no obstacle to the Roman army should he choose to punish them for interfering in Roman affairs.

The Romans had to safeguard the Republic by dominating tribes living near to the borders of their territory. Potential enemies had to know that acts of aggression would provoke immediate and severe reprisals from the Roman army.

Caesar’s ambition

Julius Caesar was ambitious and his conquest of Gaul had brought him immense personal wealth as well as increasing his standing in Rome where he was hailed by the Roman people as a hero of the Republic. Caesar was now at the head of an experienced, well trained and powerful army who were utterly loyal to him.  The prospect of conquering Britain must have been very tempting as this would further add to his glory and bring even more wealth and prestige. He must have felt supremely confident that he could do as he pleased and that no-one could oppose his will.

Caesar was curious about the Britons. He wanted to find out about their customs, how they lived and how their warriors fought. He wanted to know more about the land and in particular where there were good harbours, anchorages and landing sites. This information would be useful in the event of future military campaigns against the British.

Although crossing the channel would be a great risk militarily Caesar considered the potential rewards outweighed the consequences of failure.

The return of Mandubracius

When the Veniti were beaten envoys came from Britain to pay homage to Caesar presumably hoping to avert an invasion. At this time Caesar was approached by a young British prince called Mandubrachius whose father had been king of the Trinovantes ( whose territory is present day Essex ). When his father was murdered by Cassivellaunus of the Catevellauni tribe Madubracius fled to Caesar for protection. The elders of the Trinovantes wanted their prince to come back and be their cheiftain. They petitioned Caesar to help agreeing to obey and assist him in return. It was an attractive offer as the Tirnovantes would be useful allies and new trade routes could be opened up with them which would be more beneficial to Rome and potentially  lucrative to Caesar himself.

A foregone conclusion

It seems inevitable that Caesar would invade Britain. The Britons had to be made to acknowledge and respect the power of Rome. Caesar wanted to enhance his reputation and standing ( gravitas ) with the senate and the people of Rome. He also stood to gain financially by extending his influence to the new lands. Finally he had an open invitation to cross the channel in order to assist the Trinovantes.

Caesar invaded first in 55 BC and then again in 54 BC however he did not stay and the full Roman conquest did not begin until nearly 100 years later in the reign of he Emperor Claudius.

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Gladiators

Types of Gladiators

Gladiators fights were an important part of the entertainment Romans loved to watch. Although gladiators were made up mainly of defeated enemy soldiers, criminals and slaves they were greatly admired and appreciated by the public. The most successful and therefore famous gladiators were hailed as heroes and achieved the kind of status afforded today to modern celebrity sporting personalities. Of course gladiators were not free and only the lucky ones survived. The brutality of their existence meant that many were killed in the arena to the delight of the blood thirsty Roman audiences.

There were various types of gladiator. Each had a specific set of arms and equipment and was trained in the gladiator school to fight in a certain way. Sometimes two gladiators of the same type fought each other. Alternatively different types could be paired up to fight. In this case each tried to outwit the other using his specialist  fighting style.

Although there are no specific records about gladiator types it has been possible to work out what they were from evidence in mosaics, inscriptions on gravestones, texts by writers of the ancient world, ancient paintings and through armour and equipment found in places like Pompeii.

A retiarius gladiator stabs at his secutor opp...

A retiarius gladiator stabs at his secutor opponent with his trident. Mosaic from the villa at Nennig. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are the main types:

  • Thraeces
  • Murmillones
  • Hoplomachi
  • Retiarii
  • Secutores
  • Provocatores
  • Essadarii
  • Dimachaeri
  • Velites
  • Paegniarii
  • Equites
  • Andabatae

Thraeces

He carried a small curved sword ( sica ) and a small round or square shield ( parma ). As the shield could only protect his chest and stomach he also wore high leg plates.

Murmillones

The murmillo carried a long shield ( scutum ) and was armed with a narrow sword ( gladius ). Because he had a long shield he wore short leg plates.

Hopolomachii

The hoplomachus had a lance, short sword and a small bronze shield.

Retiarius

He wore no helmet or armour except for a bronze plate over his left shoulder and upper arm. He carried a throwing net and his maim armament was a trident. He sometimes also had a dagger.

Secutor

The secutor ore a helmet with small circular eye holes which meant that he had limited vision and had to get in close to his opponent to have a chance of winning.

Provocatores

Equipped with long shields, leg plates on the left leg only, breast plates and short swords.

Essadarii

Rode in chariots and dismounted to fight on foot.

Dimachaeri

Fought with two swords.

Veles

Fought with a spear.

Paegniarii

Wearing leather armour and with no helmet or shield they were armed with a whip and a stick with a hook on the end. They generally fought each other.

Equites

Wearing multi coloured tunics and with medium sized shields they fought with spears and swords.

Andabatae

These gladiators were either blindfolded or wore helmets with no eye holes. They fought each other with swords.

In addition to the above there were also special gladiators who were trained to fight animals.

Venatores

Animal hunters.

Bestiarii

Men who fight wild beasts.

 

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Imagining Ancient Rome

Rome As It Might Have Been

At its zenith the ancient City of Rome was the capital of the civilized world with an estimated population of over a million people. Its vibrancy was the heart beat of the Empire.

It is hard for us to imagine what it must have been like to walk through crowded, teaming, noisy, bustling streets or what we could expect to see in the the forums or bascillicas.

The Forum, Rome

The Forum, Rome, as it is today.

The following description taken from the book Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz, helps us to perceive Rome as it may have been:

There appeared Ethiopians, gigantic light-haired people from the distant north, Britons, Gauls, Germans, sloping-eyed dwellers of Lericum; Syrians from the banks of the Orontes, with black and mild eyes; dwellers in the deserts of Arabia, dried as bone; Jews, with their flat breasts; Egyptians, with eternal, indifferent smile on their faces; Numidians and Africans; Greeks from Hellas, who equally with the Romans commanded the city, but commanded through, art, wisdom, and deceit; Greeks from the islands, from Asia Minor, from Egypt, from Italy, from Narbonic Gaul. In the throng of slaves, with pierced ears, were not lacking also freemen, -an idle population, which Caesar amused, supported, even clothed,-and free visitors, whom the ease of life and the prospects of fortune enticed to the gigantic city; there was no lack of venal persons. There were priests of Serapis, with palm branches in their hands; priests of Isis, to whose altar more offerings were brought than to the temple of Capitoline Jove; priests of Cybele, bearing in their hands golden ears of rice; and priests of nomad divinities; and dancers of the east with bright head-dresses, and dealers in amulets, and snake tamers, and Chaldean seers; and, finally, people without any occupation whatever, who applied for grain every week at the storehouses on the Tiber, who fought for lottery-tickets to Circus, who spent their nights in rickety houses of districts beyond the Tiber, and sunny warm days under covered poticos, and in foul eating houses of the Subura, on the Milvan bridge, or before the “insulae” of the great, where from time to time remnants from the tables of slaves were thrown out to them.

Clearly multiculturalism is not a modern invention. Ancient Rome must have been a wonder to behold with its diversity of cultures, its magnificent buildings, impressive statues and beautiful wall paintings.

Find out more about life in Ancient Rome by booking a Roman Workshop Day for your school.

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Roman Fortress

My Visit To Caerleon

English: Prysg Field Barracks, Caerleon Catego...

English: Prysg Field Barracks, Caerleon Category:Pictures of Caerleon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Living in the north of England means that I reside close to lots of interesting Roman sites including historic York, once the base for the ill fated Ninth Legion, the world famous Hadrian’s Wall and many other fascinating  places. My occupation as a school workshop provider takes me to locations all over England. I travel to schools in the North East, the North West, The Midlands and the South. It’s a great job and I do enjoy exploring new places.

I don’t very often travel into Wales and so when I was booked to go to a school in Haverford West I was excited. I realised that my journey would take me along the M4 past Newport and the village of Caerleon which is only a few minutes off the motorway.

In Roman times Caerleon was called Isca and this is where the Roman Army built one of their great Legionary Fortresses. The site was probably selected because of its close proximity to the river Usk enabling the Romans to supply the garrison by boat. Over five thousand men would be stationed here and this meant that a considerable amount of food, weapons and general stores would have to regularly brought in. Isca was to be the base of the Second Augustan Legion. It was from here that they campaigned against and subdued the tribes of South Wales.

There are four main areas of interest, two are outdoors and two are indoors.

The Amphitheatre

Romans loved their games even though they were often brutal and blood thirsty. Animal hunting, gladiator fights and public executions were all regular forms of entertainment. Amphitheatres were built to provide a stadium where live shows of all kinds could be staged. The amphitheatre at Caerleon is the only fully excavated one in Britain and is well worth a visit. When I walked round I found it easy to imagine how it might have been in its glory days. The arena is a perfect circle and it is surrounded by grassy embankments above which once there would have been seating for up to six thousand people.

The Roman Barracks

Across the road from the Amphitheatre is an area where the foundations of some of the barrack blocks have been exposed. The earth  mound forming part of the perimeter defences can clearly be seen as well as several entrances, cooking areas and  latrine. In the barrack blocks you can see the foundations of the walls for all of he our man rooms and the larger quarters for the centurion or company commander. You can also see the perimeter road which ran right round the camp on the inside of the perimeter wall.

The Roman Baths

Bathing was an essential part of Roman life. The Roman Baths were the equivalent of a modern day sports complex. In fact they were much more than this because people went here not just to exercise and bathe but also to meet with friends and socialize. They were the hub of the community. Visitors can really get a feel for what the Roman Baths must have been like. The exhibition centre covers only a small area once occupied by the original buildings. I was staggered to learn that the complex would have been comparable in size to a cathedral.  One of my favourite objects on display was the sponge on a stick which was used instead of toilet paper. I had heard of these but never actually seen one.

The Roman Army Museum

Just a few minutes walk from the Baths and right in the centre of the village is the Roman Army Museum. I loved it. The museum is full of artefacts of all kinds discovered in and around the fortress. It tells the story of the Roman Army, the conquest and occupation of Wales and life in the fortress.  There is also a very nice Roman Garden carefully laid out and maintained just as it would have been. I thoroughly enjoyed looking round and I was able to pick up some valuable educational resources from the shop on the way out.

I am so glad I took the time to investigate Isca. I found the experience most useful and it has added to my knowledge and understanding of the Romans.

I can’t wait or my next Roman History Workshop Day.

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Roman Soldier Visit

Roman Army Day for Schools

English: Legio III Cyrenaica of New England (U...

Book a Roman Soldier Visit for your school.

The Romans had  the most highly organized and efficient army of the ancient world. The might of the army enabled Rome to expand its empire across the Mediterranean world and beyond.

The Roman soldier was highly trained and well equipped. The Roman infantry soldiers or legionaries were the core fighting force.  Each legionary was well protected with helmet, body armour and a special shield called a scutum. His main armament was a short stabbing sword or gladius and a throwing spear or pilum.

The army was organized into Legions each having its own supporting cavalry and artillery units. Within its ranks every Legion also had many specialist surveyors, engineers and craftsmen.

Roman soldiers practised their battle tactics and fought in special formations according to the situation and enemy opposing them. They were experts in road construction and also built their own forts and supply depots.

Find out more about Roman Soldiers and the Roman Army by booking a Roman Soldier Visit for your school.

Learn about:

  • Organization
  • Training
  • Tactics
  • Weapons
  • Equipment
  • Forts
  • Roads
  • and more…

Children will also take part in Roman Army Battle Drill and practice formations and tactics using safe replica equipment made from plastic or foam.

See also Roman History Day for schools.

Contact us now for more information about this exciting living history experience.

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Roman History Workshop Day

Romans

Modern replica of lorica segmentata type armor...
Roman History Day is the perfect way to inspire the children in your school to learn more about the ancient Romans, The Roman Army and what it was like to live in Roman Times.

This exciting school workshop experience brings history to life enabling children to learn from listening to interesting facts, looking at fascinating visual displays, examining a range of unusual artifacts, taking part in teacher lead discussions and participating in a range of practical activities.

In addition to finding out about the daily life of a Roman citizen the children get to meet a Roman soldier, to see his armour, weapons and equipment and practice Roman Army battle tactics.

Roman History Day covers the following aspects of Roman culture and civilization:

  • Food and Dining
  • Family
  • Education
  • Housing
  • Politics and Law
  • Goverment
  • Entertainment, Sports and Amusements
  • Slavery
  • Religion
  • The Roman Army
  • Architecture and Engineering

Roman History Day explains how Rome began, the expansion of the Roman Empire and the Roman Conquest of Britain. The importance of the Roman Army including:

  • Weapons and Equipment
  • Tactics
  • Roman Forts
  • Roman Roads
  • Hadrian’s Wall

Roman History Day is factual and fun. It is a great WOW day for Primary Schools and can be booked for KS1 or KS2.
The content and style of presentation is age appropriate and allowance is made for different levels of ability.

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