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From the museum to your home ROMAN

To the lucky one, Create your own mosaic, smell the Roman baths, create a bag of healing aromas...

We've created some activities inspired by the collections of Glevum (Roman Gloucester) in the Museum of Gloucester.

If you'd like to share your creation, send us a picture! Or you could bring it to the Museum on Brunswick Road when we're able to open safely and welcome you back.

We hope that you're inspired by the collection and we hope that one day soon you can come and see these objects in the Museum... With best wishes...

Included in your well-being pack is: Cardboard | Sellotape | Scissors Lavender | A peppermint teabag A camomile teabag | Cloth bag

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing MAKE YOUR OWN AROMA

Did you know the Romans used lavender as medicine? Lavender was used to treat indigestion, headaches, sore throats and for skin conditions. Do we still use lavender?

In ancient Rome, Chamomile was used to help soldiers take courage during times of war. Today we think of chamomile as being good to calm us down and many people drink it as tea.

Imagine what Roman Gloucester smelt like!

Mint was used by Romans to flavour drinking water and steeped in their baths. After they brought mint to Europe, the people of the Middle Ages used the stems and leaves for insect bites and stomach aches. Would you bathe in mint?

MAKE YOUR OWN HEALING AROMA PURSE Carefully open the teabags of tea Mix your herbs together - experiment with them! Grind them with stones or spoons to release the smells Put them in your bag for you to keep Ask an adult if you can try some of the drinking tea...

Is yours for courage, good health or to go in a bath?

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing MAKE YOUR OWN MOSAIC

Did you know there is a Roman mosaic under the carpet at the Museum of Gloucester? A Roman mosaic is a pattern, or image, made from coloured cubes of stone. The cube of stone is called a tessara. Each tessara has 6 sides. One of these sides is always smooth, as this was the top (surface) of the mosaic. It was worn smooth by Roman feet nearly 2000 years ago (as well as lots of scrubbing and cleaning!)

These colours come from Cotswold Limestone (greys and creams), Severn Valley Lias Limestone (blue), Forest of Dean Sandstone (yellows and browns) and Roman pottery and tiles (reds and oranges).

Rich Romans would have mosaics on the floors of their houses, they were designed by craftsmen from specialist workshops. There was a well-known workshop not too far away in (Roman Corinium).

Cut your paper into shapes Make your pattern on a plate Sellotape over the top then peel off Fold the edges around to the back Share your designs with us!

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing ROMAN GLOUCESTER

Glevum (Roman Gloucester) was established around AD 48, at an important crossing of the River Severn and near to the (a Roman road) which marked the early front line after the Roman invasion of Britain.

Initially, a Roman fort was established at present-day Kingsholm. Twenty years later, a larger replacement fortress was built on slightly higher ground nearby, centred on present-day Gloucester Cross, and a civilian settlement grew around it.

In AD 97, the city was designated a by the Emperor Nerva. A Colonia was where retired legionaries lived and enjoyed the high status of being a city within the .

The legionaries were given farmland in the surrounding district and could be called upon as a Roman auxiliary armed force. The city was built within the legionary fortress and used the same street plan and ramparts. A large and impressive administrative and market-place were built in the town, as well as many fine homes with mosaic floors.

At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries AD.

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing From the museum to your home ROMAN GLOUCESTER

Oyster Shells Oysters were a really popular food in Roman Gloucester. The Romans thought that they were a powerful aphrodisiac and also to give strength to soldiers on the battlefield. Oysters were plentiful and found in the Severn Estuary. Archaeological digs in the city have found lots of Oyster shells in Roman rubbish heaps!

There is a recipe book, written in the 4th century AD by Apicius (Rome’s answer to Gordon Ramsey). It has a tasty sauce for oysters: To oysters which want to be well seasoned, add pepper, lovage, yolks, vinegar, broth, oil, and wine; if you wish also add honey.

Roman timber post This Oak timber post comes from a Roman gate, made nearly 2000 years ago. It was part of the “East Gate” to Roman Gloucester. Gloucester was called Glevum by the Romans. The Oak tree was at least 200 years old when it was cut down to make the gate. We would have expected it to have decayed away in that time, but layers of clay sealed it in and protected it for all this time.

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing From the museum to your home ROMAN GLOUCESTER

Amphora An amphora was a large storage “jar” that was used by the Romans for storing wine, olive oil and grain. Unlike our storage jars today, they were made of rough, unglazed pottery and usually quite large. Many were over a metre tall! The shape of the amphora made it easier to stack them together to transport them on ships, and to pour out the contents. They were sealed with wax, wet clay, wood or packed leaves to keep the contents fresh.

Mortarium A mortarium was a Roman “food processor”. They were made of pottery and had a grit roughened surface to help grind herbs and spices for sauces. The Museum has several complete mortaria and many fragments, as most Roman households would have at least one. Many people still use a pestle and mortar to grind spices in their kitchen today! You could use one for your aroma purse!

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing Did you know there is an important Roman chamber and Roman wall underneath the Boots shop? EASTGATE CHAMBER

Roman stone blocks These large limestone blocks were brought all the way from the Cotswold Hills by horse and cart. They are all shaped entirely by hand, using only hammers and chisels. They were lifted into position using a wooden crane and moving them into place was a dangerous job!

This Roman wall is so strong that it has been used to support the Boots building above it! Can you see the concrete beam resting on the wall?

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing From the museum to your home

Tell us what you think!

Did you like these activities? Did you learn something? Would you like to do this at the Museum? Maybe as part of the Museum Education programme?

It would be really helpful to hear your feedback. Good or bad!

Share your thoughts with us at one of the links below or tell one of the Volunteer Street Champions

#GloucesterCan #MuseumWellbeing instagram.com/museumofgloucester facebook.com/museumofgloucester museumofgloucester.co.uk/wellbeing