Issue XX Winter 2020
Welcome 2021 Events Contents Welcome everyone to our winter issue We all hope that we will be able to return Welcome of Epistula 2020. Despite a challenging to live events next year. year in many senses, our members and Tuesday 9 March 2021, 5.30pm Society News the Archaeology Committee have been Domesticity and Domestic Life busy and the newsletter is full with the With the Hellenic Society fruits of their exploits. I hope members Grant-funded Film Dr Zosia Archibald: The domestic and the will enjoy watching the film created by political: domesticity, private and public Issabella, who received funding from Events spaces at Olynthos in the light of recent the Archaeology Committee. field research No doubt everyone will have become Meet the Professor Penelope Allison: Artificial adept at Zoom and other online Intelligence and the Roman Table Committee options for attending events, and Professor Julia Hillner: Jewels: A Colchester Museum is running a series Forgotten Category of Roman Women's Books of online talks. Meanwhile, I thought Property Portfolio members might enjoy reading this blog This event will either be held at Senate News on Roman shoes by MOLA, House (Room 349) or online via Zoom – https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ details to be confirmed nearer the time. Articles from discover/these-boots-were-made- Friday 23 April 2021, 2-4pm romans and this website created by Members Race: Antiquity and its Legacy Newcastle University looking at the With the Hellenic Society Contribute & travels of Charles Monck around Greece, which inspired his design of With Rosa Andujar, Denise McCoskey, Subscribe the Grecian Hall at Belsay Hall and Dan-el Padilla Peralta. A panel https://greece-recreated.com/ discussion chaired by Phiroze Vasunia. This event will be held via Zoom. Joining We look forward to seeing you all at instructions will be emailed to members our events online until such time as we nearer the time. can meet in person. Saturday 5 June, 2021 Frances McIntosh (Editor) and the AGM and City of Rome Colloquium Archaeology Committee 2.00 AGM 2.30 Dr Claire Holleran, Working in Rome Society news 3.00 Dr John Patterson, Organising the Events People of Imperial Rome Since the last issue of Epistula, we have 3.45 Tea held one Roman Society lecture, 4.15 Professor Ian Haynes, Rome delivered via zoom, by Dr Guy Bradley Transformed: Interdisciplinary analysis of on ‘Rome and the sea: rethinking early the Eastern Caelian C1-C8 AD Roman history from a Mediterranean 4.45 Dr Janet DeLaine, Urban density: Roman Society e-News perspective’. Watch it here: private dwellings and public spaces ISSN 2047-6292 https://youtu.be/V9pEHMyV8n4 5.00 Reception Society news RAC/TRAC Split will now be held in April 2022. Grants News will be updated on the dedicated website when it Archaeology Committee Public Engagement and becomes available: www.romansocietyrac.ac.uk Development Grants Publications The Roman Society is delighted to invite applications for grants to facilitate activities in Roman archaeology along Members will shortly receive their copies of the Journal two streams: of Roman Studies and/or Britannia. We have recently published Britannia Monograph 33: Public Engagement: activities that promote all aspects of Silchester Insula IX: The Claudio-Neronian Occupation of Roman Archaeology through public engagement. The the Iron Age Oppidum . application should include: i) a 250-word summary of the proposed activity ii) the location of the activity The Early iii) the number of attendees that can be accommodated Roman iv) the delegate fee to be charged (if applicable) Occupation at v) details of costings. Silchester Development: activities that provide skills-based training Insula IX by in an aspect of Roman archaeology. Preference will be Michael shown to skills which are currently in decline or especially Fulford, needed in the discipline. The application should include: Amanda i) a 250-word summary of the proposed activity, including Clarke, Emma an explanation of the way(s) in which the training will have Durham & a legacy in terms of the future of the discipline. Nicholas Pankhurst. ii) the location of the activity iii) the number of attendees that can be accommodated iv) the delegate fee to be charged (if applicable) v) details of costings. Please note that this grant is not for people to attend courses organised by someone else. Awards are typically How did a major nucleated settlement respond to the £250 or less, but there is the potential for larger Roman conquest? Occupation of Silchester (Calleva) awards should a compelling case be made. after the Roman invasion of south-east Britain in A.D. 43 Public Engagement applications should be emailed to the shows remarkable continuity from the pre-Roman Iron Society's Outreach Officer: Caroline Pudney Age oppidum. Although the settlement was crossed by (c.pudney@chester.ac.uk) strategic Roman roads, the network of lanes and Development applications should be emailed to the compounds, crowded with round and rectangular Development Officer: Tatiana Ivleva buildings, otherwise remained little changed until c. A.D. ([email protected]). 85. The contents of rubbish pits and wells give remarkable insights into the diet, occupations, identity The applications can be submitted three times a year with and ritualistic behaviour of the inhabitants, while the deadlines of 1 February, 1 May, and 1 October. The richly varied provenances of the pottery and other finds applicants will be informed of the outcome within a reveal the local, regional and long-distance connections month of the deadline date. of the community. Although there is clear evidence of The event/activity for which funding is sought is to take investment in the town in the reign of Nero, the pre- place a minimum of two and maximum of 12 months from existing settlement was not swept away until the Roman the submission deadline. street grid was established c. A.D. 85. Where an attendance fee is payable, it is expected that This volume follows on from the publication of Late Iron events receiving awards would offer a special rate to Age Calleva, Britannia Monograph 32 (2018). Copies are Roman Society members. When timings permit it is also available from Oxbow Books: requested that a short piece of text (up to 300 words) is https://www.oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/ supplied to promote the event in Epistula. Epistula XX, 2 Society news
Archaeology Committee Occasional Grants disbursed by Council on the recommendation of the Hugh From time to time, the Archaeology Committee has a Last Fund Committee (part of the Roman Studies small amount of funds available to donate to worthy Committee). The Fund was established to assist the causes supporting Roman Archaeology in Britain. Please undertaking, completion or publication of work that complete the form on the website to apply: relates to any of the general scholarly purposes of the https://www.romansociety.org/Grants- Roman Society. Its terms exclude expenses in connection Prizes/Archaeology-Committee-Occasional-Grants with archaeological or other excavations or surveys, Audrey Barrie Brown and Donald Atkinson Funds research into or studies on the subjects of Roman Britain and the archaeology of the provinces in Western Europe, Grants for the Archaeology and Art History of the Roman and, for all fields of study, the travel, hotel, conference Empire & Roman Britain. and living expenses of scholars. The Roman Research Trust and Roman Society have The Roman Studies Committee also makes awards from formed one grant-giving body for the archaeology and the Society’s own General Fund, which has a budget of art history of the Roman Empire and Roman Britain, £3,000. This Fund also excludes archaeological projects, drawing on the Audrey Barrie Brown Memorial Fund and which the Society supports through awards made by a Donald Atkinson Fund. joint Committee with the Roman Research Trust (the Audrey Barrie Brown Memorial Fund Audrey Barrie Brown and Donald Atkinson Funds The Board of Trustees of the Roman Research Trust Committee). (founded in 1989) has income available to dispense as Guidelines and an application form are available here: grants, the major part of which is derived from a capital https://www.romansociety.org/Grants-Prizes/Hugh-Last- sum bequeathed by the late Mrs. Audrey Barrie Brown Fund-General-Fund and established as the Audrey Barrie Brown Memorial Fund. This fund is focused towards research projects in Deadline: January 31. the archaeology of the Romano-British period, Hellenic and Roman Library educational programmes including conferences and We are continuing with our fundraising campaign for the outreach events, and publications. Awards from this Library and we are very grateful to all our supporters for Fund are restricted to Roman Britain. The funds available their donations. It is still possible to donate online here: are usually between £20,000 and £25,000. https://www.hellenicandromanlibrary.org/Support- Donald Atkinson Fund Us/Donate The Fund was established out of a legacy from Donald We are also very pleased to announce that HARL is now Atkinson. It offers financial assistance towards registered with Amazon Smile, a scheme which donates undertakings or activities which further the scholarly 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to a charity of purposes of the Roman Society: this Fund is not your choice at no extra cost. Details about how to use restricted to Roman Britain. The funds available are Amazon Smile can be found here: usually around £9,000. https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/chpf/homepage Details of how to apply and an application form are We hope you will consider HARL next time you are making available here: a purchase from Amazon. https://www.romansociety.org/Grants-Prizes/Audrey- Barrie-Brown-Memorial-Fund-Donald-Atkinson-Fund L’Anne Epigraphic Deadline: 31 January The Hugh Last and General Fund The Hugh Last Fund was established out of a legacy from Dr Stefan Weinstock in memory of Hugh Last. Stefan The Hellenic and Roman Library has a subscription to the Weinstock’s debt to Hugh Last was both personal and print and online version of the database L’année institutional, since Last played an important role in the philologique, published by Brepols, which provides access Society for the Protection of Science and Learning, which to bibliographic records (usually with abstracts) for books, in the 1930s provided financial and other support for conference papers and journal articles on all aspects of Jewish scholars taking refuge in this country, Weinstock Graeco-Roman antiquity from 1928 onwards. All current included. members with a library card (email The Fund has an annual income of around £5,000 and is iclass.enquiries@london.ac.uk to request a Roman Society Epistula XX, 3 Society news
Library card) may access this resource remotely after Publications for each author are also listed by type, such using the login function from the Library catalogue and as review, article, book and by language, and a bar chart then searching for this resource by title shows in which years the author has published. (https://catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/search~S7). Use A profile of Britannia for the last 19 years shows the the interact or login first then search for the title of the distribution of subjects covered as follows: database and click on the Connect link in the catalogue record. As well as providing the usual search options, there are author and journal profiles which offer statistical analysis in the form of pie and bar charts. It is possible to access this function directly from the top horizontal menu. After selecting an author, sometimes several forms of a name are given: click on insert / close to make the search. It is also possible to select an author profile from a set of search results and to select a range of years. The example here has used 2000-2020, though you can search for all years covered by these tools (1957 onwards). Professor Alison Keith, an academic based in Canada, has given me permission to use her profile to illustrate this feature and two charts show the percentages of general disciplines and a separate chart for ancient authors covered. Publications for each author are also listed by type, such as review, article, book and by language, and a bar chart shows in which years the author has published.
Above and previous column: Charts for Professor Alison Keith
Another tool on offer, once you select the author/profiles tab, is a subject analyser. This works by entering a subject term from a controlled list. This shows which authors have written on the subject and which journals have contained articles. It is probably best to restrict to a limited number of more recent years; Brepols suggests that this will help authors find the most suitable journals for research, to examine subject trends, and to find the most active authors in a field of research. Of course, this information only relates to the journals included in the database and this may limit its use. Brepols are interested in having feedback from users https://0-about-brepolis- net.catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/aph-feedback/
Epistula XX, 4 Society News/Grant Funded Film/Events/Meet the Committee
academics, professionals, and members of the communities which the objects in question arguably belong to, whom are considered qualified or justified for having an opinion, and rightfully so. But as a result, this conversation can seem daunting for museum-goers and the general public, who may be getting to grips with this topic for the first time. So this project is very much a starting place. It aims to encourage more and more people to think about the controversies at stake when they visit museums, hopefully inspiring greater curiosity about heritage objects, more critical thinking about the institution of the museum, and wider visibility for the long-silenced voices who raise claims against them. But the conversation doesn’t stop here, neither does your learning, and you are qualified to take part. This discussion is for you, too.
Charts for Britannia 2000-2019: General disciplines and Events authors Colchester Archaeology Talks 2020: ‘Roman Life’ Sue Willetts, Senior Library Assistant The 'Roman Life' series of talks from Richard Bale explores different aspects of living in Roman times using Grant Funded Film archaeological and historical evidence. Each talk seeks to reveal the how's and why's of a topic, so that we can The Archaeology Committee funded Issabella Orlando to understand both the similarities and differences with create a film about the debate over the repatriation of our Roman ancestors. artefacts. The film can be seen here https://www.museandwander.co.uk/film and Issabella Each talk is presented via Zoom and lasts around 45 has written a report on the project: minutes, with Richard being available to answer your A short documentary shot on location in London and questions. Tickets are priced at £4.75 from the website: Paris, The Return Address, explores the question of why www.thecolchesterarchaeologist.co.uk heritage objects matter to each and every one of us, and The 2021 programme will commence on Thursday 21 where they belong: in museums in world cities, or in the January at 19:30: 'Roman Life - Dining' places they originally came from. With a neutral, holistic The Romans typically ate three meals daily, with dinner approach, it presents both sides of this long-ongoing considered the most important meal. Remains of debate, both the benefits and problems with repatriating ingredients have survived, along with recipes on how to artefacts. An interdisciplinary panel of heritage experts prepare them. It also allowed an important social walks viewers through both practical factors – threats to occasion - the dinner party. This exercised the social objects’ safety, where heritage is best cared for, in what institution of patronage; allowed the host to show off display context it will make the most sense to visitors – the best tableware and mosaics; and to surprise the and artefacts’ psychological and sentimental value. The guests with the selection of food and wine on offer (and film outlines the impact of heritage on everyone, from possibly yourself!). museum-goers in megacities to communities and displaced refugees all over the world who share in the Meet the Committee cultural background of these objects. The Return Each issue of Epistula we’re going to introduce you to a Address overall illuminates the true value of heritage – its different member of our committee so you get to know ability to resonate with each and every one of us, and its the people behind the work the committee does! This poignant connection to cultural identity. issue is Dr Tatiana Ivleva. This project aimed to address a lack of accessibility within You have a Slavic name. Can you tell me a few words the debate over artefact repatriation, examples of which about your background? often feature in the media. The discussion can often seem I am Russian born and bred. In 2004 I came to the without context, or reserved for specific voices: Epistula XX, 5 Meet the Committee/Books secrets. Talking about words, another area that interests me is Latin epigraphy. What is the piece of work you have enjoyed the most/been most proud of? To be honest, I have enjoyed every minute of every project I had the privilege to be working on, be it Britons abroad, Romano-British glass bangles or gender and sexuality in Roman provinces and frontiers. But what I am especially enjoying is trying to reconstruct an Dr Tatiana Ivleva engaging story for an ordinary object. Every time I am about to give a lecture on glass bangles, I observe not much enthusiasm in people’s eyes who come to the lecture. But give me one hour, and you will never forget this simple round-shaped object of coloured glass. In the end, everyone wants to have a glass bangle or to go and find one. Do you have a dream research project if money and Netherlands on an exchange programme, and then stayed time (and perhaps reality) were no object?! to do my Masters and PhD. I am now interested in how people in the provinces So what got you into archaeology? And specifically the communicated without using spoken or written words; Romans? for instance, through sign language and hand gestures. A book. In school I was very interested in Medieval history, To explore this form of communication, I would go to and seeing that my interest grew every day, my mother the modern cutting-edge technologies such as started to buy me children’s book series about machine-learning and artificial intelligence to mine the different historical periods. The one on prehistory data that I know is out there but still difficult to find. In introduced the topic of archaeology and I was sold. other words, I’d like to unmute the Roman Empire and I joined the history department at a university in Moscow. I vocalise the silent evidence relating to deafness. was still interested in the Medieval period, especially the How did you get involved with organising the Limes British one, but was told that my university did not have Congress and how is that going? anyone who would be able to supervise and mentor me. I am part of the Scientific Committee responsible for My Ancient History lecturer, however, was looking for the scientific programme and excursions. I did my PhD supervisees and proposed that I look at Britain but in at Leiden University in the Netherlands, and through Roman times. And voila – my love for Roman Britain was this I built a good network within Dutch Roman born. Archaeology came a bit later – during my study provincial archaeology. As always, organizing a abroad and Master studies in the Netherlands, where I conference or a large congress is an exciting but also finally joined a faculty of archaeology. A dream of ten years tiring experience as you do it mostly in your free time. has finally been fulfilled. Now, the congress has been postponed for one year And this is how a Russian-born became involved in due to COVID-19, and it will take place in August 2022 Romano-British archaeology. (There is another plotline on instead of August 2021. While it is sad that we have to why I joined a history department in the first place wait for one extra year to show the extraordinary involving a dentist, but this story I will tell some other nature of the Lower Rhine frontier, we are also glad as time….). we have one more year to prepare everything What are your research areas and interests? seamlessly and in a less stressful way. My research interests are in the archaeology of the north- How long have you been on the Archaeology western and central European provinces in Roman times, Committee of the Roman Society and do you have a focusing specifically on the frontier regions. I am a material specific role? culture specialist specializing in objects made of metal and I joined in February 2020. I am the Development Officer glass. I am intrigued by what objects of daily life can tell us responsible for the Archaeology Committee about life, love, and death at the outskirt regions of the Development Grant. The grant is aimed at covering the Roman Empire. A simple brooch, or a glass bracelet, speak costs of activities that provide skills-based training thousands of words if you ask them nicely to open their
Epistula XX, 6 Meet the Committee/Books which are currently in decline. So, if readers are Rome’s Sicilian Slave Wars. interested in organizing such events in any aspect of The Revolts of Eunus and Roman archaeology, they are very welcome to contact Salvius 136-132 and me to discuss their application. 105-100 BC. Barca, N. Pen and Sword. Books In 136 BC, in Sicily Contact, Concord and (which was then a Roman Conquest: Britons and province), some four Romans at Scotch Corner hundred slaves of Syrian Antink, C. et al., 2020 origin rebelled against their NAA Monograph Series masters and seized the city Barnard Castle: Northern of Henna with much Archaeological Associates bloodshed. Their leader, This is the second of three a fortune-teller named monographs concerning Eunus, was declared king archaeological excavations (taking the Syrian royal name Antiochus), and tens of for Highways England’s thousands of runaway slaves as well as poor native Sicilians 2013–17 upgrading of the soon flocked to join his fledgling kingdom. Antiochus’ A1 to motorway status ambition was to drive the Romans from the whole of Sicily. between Leeming and The Romans responded with characteristic intransigence Barton in North Yorkshire. A1 scheme research themes and relentlessness, leading to years of brutal warfare and “First Contact" and "Dere Street" are addressed here, suppression. Antiochus’ ‘Kingdom of the Western Syrians’ along with research questions concerning evidence was extinguished by 132 BC but his agenda was revived in from Scotch Corner and its hinterland. 105 BC when rebelling slaves proclaimed Salvius as King The archaeological remains at Scotch Corner Tryphon, with similarly bitter and bloody results. encompass a remarkable era of social, economic and Natale Barca narrates and analyses these events in political transformations associated with the unprecedented detail, with thorough research into the absorption of northern England into the Roman surviving ancient sources. The author also reveals the long- province. Artefact typologies, radiocarbon dates and term legacy of the slaves’ defiance, contributing to the Bayesian modelling indicate that the initial settlement crises that led to the seismic Social War and setting a (c.55BC–c.AD15) was characterised by unenclosed precedent for the more famous rebellion of Spartacus in roundhouses and mixed arable and pastoral farming. A 73-71 BC. growing economy promoted exchange amongst communities from the coast and further inland. The Imperial Legitimation local Brigantian tribal elite developed a power centre at Barker, G. nearby Stanwick, which operated like a southern British Spink. oppidum and was a base for Roman diplomatic Hardback 240 x 152 mm missions. 160 pages with colour The digital monograph is available now and can be illustrations throughout downloaded without charge from the Archaeology ISBN: 978-1-912667-47-5 Data Service: https://doi.org/10.5284/1078330 This fascinating study of the The archaeological work was achieved with support iconography of the Golden from Highways England, Atkins, the Carillion–Morgan Age Myth on Roman Imperial Sindall Joint Venture, Aecom, Historic England and coinage of the third century North Yorkshire County Council. We hope that you AD, which started as a enjoy reading and finding out more about this amazing master’s dissertation, also project. includes all Roman coins that have the Saecular Games For further information, please contact: types, down to 300 AD. The first study of its kind, it also [email protected], or go to our social media pages gives a reconstruction of the Games and appendices with @naaheritage and follow the hashtag #CCCMonograph texts from well-known classical authors.
Epistula XX, 7 Books
This book looks at the extent to which Roman imperial key importance to understanding early Christianity, rulers of the third century AD employed the Golden Age Nazareth has attracted little archaeological attention. myth for the purpose of legitimation. This is principally a Following a chance discovery in the 1880s, the site was study of the numismatic evidence alongside relevant initially explored by the nuns of the convent themselves – written records and archaeology. The coins issued during one of the earliest examples of a major programme of the reigns of Septimius Severus and Philip I are examined excavations initiated and directed by women – and then in detail, as both emperors are on record as celebrating for decades by Henri Senès, whose excavations (like those the Saecular Games (Ludi Saeculares) in the third century of the nuns) have remained almost entirely unpublished. AD; these spectacular events came mark the end of one Their work revealed a complex sequence, elucidated and saeculum and the start of a new Golden Age. dated by twenty-first century study, beginning with a http://www.spinkbooks.com/index.php?route=product/pr partly rock-cut Early Roman-period domestic building, oduct&product_id=756 followed by Roman-period quarrying and burial, a well- preserved cave-church, and major surface-level Byzantine Living on the Edge of Empire: and Crusader churches. The interpretation and broader The Objects and People of implications of each phase of activity are discussed in the Hadrian’s Wall context of recent studies of Roman-period, Byzantine, Collins, R. et. al. and later archaeology and contemporary archaeological https://www.waterstones.com/ theory, and their relationship to written accounts of book/living-on-the-edge-of- Nazareth is also assessed. empire/rob-collins/ The Sisters of Nazareth Convent provides a crucial 9781783463275 archaeological study for those wishing to understand the Pen & Sword Books Ltd archaeology of Nazareth and its place in early Christianity ISBN: 9781783463275 and beyond. Number of pages: 168 Dimensions: 246 x 172 mm A Cult Centre on Rome’s The curators of the North-East Frontier: museums along Hadrian's Wall have collaborated to Excavations at Maryport, bring together the finest and most interesting items in Cumbria 1870-2015 their collections in this new book edited by Rob Haynes, I. and Wilmot, T. Collins. The publishers have made this available Published by the to members of the Society at a 25% discount. Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian The Sisters of Nazareth and Archaeological Society Convent. A Roman-period, on behalf of the Senhouse Byzantine, and Crusader site Museum Trust. in central Nazareth. xxviii + 252 pages, Dark, K. 213 figures, 22 tables. Routledge. Price £35 ISBN 9780367542191 (+ £3.10 inland p&p) https://www.routledge.com/ Overseas postage costs on request The-Sisters-of-Nazareth- Convent-A-Roman-period- Maryport, Roman Alauna, has long figured large in the Byzantine-and-Crusader/ archaeology of what is now the Hadrian’s Wall element of Dark/p/book/9780367542191 the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site. 284 Pages 18 Colour & 147 B/W Illustrations Despite the presence of the well-preserved earthworks of the Roman fort, the primary focus of antiquarian and This book transforms archaeological knowledge of archaeological work has been the extra-mural settlement. Nazareth by publishing over 80 years of archaeological Recorded discoveries from the site go back to the work at the Sisters of Nazareth convent, including a sixteenth century, the material having been collected by detailed re-investigation in the early twenty-first century the Senhouse family of Netherhall, Maryport. The under the author's direction. inscribed and sculptured stones now form the core of the Although one of the world’s most famous places and of internationally important collection held by the Epistula XX, 8 Books
Senhouse Museum Trust by kind agreement of the completely rebuilt to a different plan, probably because present-day descendants of the Senhouse family. of landslip. The baths were abandoned by the early- The best known elements of the collection are a group of fourth century but much of the fabric remained intact altars, 17 of which were found buried in pits after until encountered and dismantled during the building of a stonework was disturbed by ploughing in 1870. In 1880 coal staith in 1814, after which the exact location of the two Roman buildings were excavated close to the find site was forgotten until rediscovery in 2014. The remains spot of the altars, one of which was recognised as a have now been placed on permanent display. temple. The nineteenth-century discoveries led to This report contains a full structural description, specialist Maryport figuring large in discussions of Roman military reports on the coins, pottery and other finds, and religion, the altars being suggested to represent annual exhaustive discussion about how the baths were used dedications by the commanders of various units stationed and what their history tells us about Roman life at in the fort. Wallsend. It is an essential source of information for Excavations in 2011-2015, directed by Ian Haynes and anybody with an interest in Roman baths, Roman Britain, Tony Wilmott and sponsored by the Senhouse Museum or Hadrian’s Wall. Trust in a partnership with Newcastle University, sought The book can be obtained from the Tyne & Wear Archives to better understand the original context of the altars and & Museums online shop for only £18 - the nature of the buildings found in 1880. This report not https://shoptwmuseums.co.uk/products/theromanbaths only brings together the results of those excavations, but atwallsendbook?_pos=1&_sid=e2f2610d8&_ss=r also incorporates a complete re-evaluation of the earlier discoveries. It provides comprehensive and compelling The Roman Occupation new interpretations that challenge many established of Britain and its Legacy. views of the Roman army, Roman religion and life on the Jackson, R. Roman frontier. Bloomsbury Academic. Available from: Senhouse Roman Museum, Sea Brows, This book tells the Maryport, Cumbria, CA15 6JD. To order please ring the fascinating story of Roman Museum on 01900 816168 and pay by debit or credit card Britain, beginning with the or send a cheque to the Museum if preferred. Senhouse late pre-Roman Iron Age and Museum Trust, Charitable Incorporated Organisation ending with the province's 1175131. independence from Roman The Roman Baths at rule in AD 409. Wallsend Incorporating for the first Hodgson, N. time the most recent Arbeia Society Roman archaeological discoveries Archaeological Studies 2 from Hadrian's Wall, London and other sites across the South Shields, 2020. country, and richly illustrated throughout with ISBN 978-1-5272-5769-6 photographs and maps, this reliable and up-to- date new In 2014 local residents account is essential reading for students, non-specialists taking part in WallQuest, and general readers alike. a community archaeology Writing in a clear, readable and lively style (with a satirical project, discovered the eye to strange features of past times), Rupert Jackson long-lost Roman baths draws on current research and new findings to deepen that lay 130m from the our understanding of the role played by Britain in the Roman fort of Wallsend Roman Empire, deftly integrating the ancient texts with (Segedunum), at the new archaeological material. A key theme of the book is eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall. Excavation in 2014-15 that Rome's annexation of Britain was an imprudent uncovered most of the building. The remains, at a depth venture, motivated more by political prestige than of 3m below the streets of modern Wallsend, were better economic gain, such that Britain became a 'trophy preserved than anyone had dared hope. The baths had a province' unable to pay its own way. However, the impact distinctive plan that is only known at other Hadrian’s Wall that Rome and its provinces had on this distant island was forts and seems to have been a special design unique to nevertheless profound: huge infrastructure projects the Wall. In the third century the building has been transformed the countryside and means of travel, capital Epistula XX, 9 Books/News and Articles from Members and principal cities emerged, and the Roman way of life News and Articles from Members was inseparably absorbed into local traditions. Many of Online publication of Roman Provincial those transformations continue to resonate to this day, as Coinage volume VIII (AD 244-249) we encounter their traces in both physical remains and in Coins issued by the local authorities in the eastern civic life. Roman provinces provide a unique insight into local Use code ROMANSOC20 at checkout at politics, culture and religion at a time when written www.Bloomsbury.com to get 35% off The Roman historical sources are scarce. They give us the view of the Occupation of Britain and Its Legacy. communities that issued them, as cities were, through image and text, using coins as an official medium of self- L’Année Épigraphique representation and advertisement. Themes range from Mireille Corbier ([email protected]), director of L’Année local myths and deities, legendary ancestors, to épigraphique, announces that L’Année épigraphique 2017 important games and festivals, but pertain also to (containing 1764 entries, and 1107 pages, including 246 political status, civic administration or imperial warfare. pages of index) was published in August, 2020, and is now to available. Orders should be sent to Presses Universitaires de France at [email protected]
BAR Offer on Books for Roman Society Members BAR Publishing is delighted to offer a 25% discount on the a selection of its titles until 28 February 2021. Quote ref: Rom21 at checkout (valid until 28th February 2021). Some available titles are: A GIS-based Analysis of Hillfort Location and Philip I, Bizya (Thrace), British Museum Morphology 1844,0425.1521 © The Trustees of the British Museum Jessica Murray 2018. BAR B644. ISBN: 9781407316079 Cornwall’s Trans-Peninsular Route: Socio-Economic and Given the prime importance of coins as a historical Cultural Continuity across the Camel/Fowey source, a series of publications entitled Roman Provincial Corridor ‘The Way of Saints’ from the Roman period to AD Coinage (RPC) was initiated in 1992 by Dr Andrew 700 Burnett (British Museum, London) and Dr Michel Mark Borlase 2020. BAR B653. ISBN: 9781407354767 Amandry (Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris) in Image and Performance, Agency and order to provide an authoritative and systematic account Ideology Representations of the Human Figure in Funerary of all the coins issued in the provinces of the Roman Contexts in Anglo-Saxon Art, AD 400–680 empire. In parallel, the online edition of RPC, based at Lisa Brundle 2019. BAR B645. ISBN: 9781407316512 the University of Oxford (http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk) The Clayton Collection An archaeological appraisal of a and directed by Dr Jerome Mairat, gives easy and direct 19th century collection of Roman artefacts from Hadrian’s access to the descriptions of all coin types, with basic Wall. references and full list of all coins, including photos. Frances McIntosh 2019. BAR B646. ISBN: 9781407321479 The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Coin Circulation, and the Limits of the Second Burgundian Kingdom A prosopographical, numismatic, and ceramic synthesis (ca. 395-550 CE) Ryan H. Wilkinson 2020. BAR S3006. ISBN: 9781407356839 The Resilience of the Roman Empire Regional case studies on the relationship between population and food resources Dimitri Van Limbergen, Sadi Maréchal and Wim De Clercq 2020. BAR S3000. ISBN: 9781407356945
Mint distribution of provincial coins issued under Philip I
Epistula XX, 10 Articles from Members Volume VIII of the series, covering the reign of Philip (AD Due to this change the Call for Papers and Call for Posters 244-249), can now be consulted online at deadline will be extended till the 1st of September 2021. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/8. The volume For more information please contact: includes over 3,000 type descriptions and more than [email protected] or https://limes2022.org/ 22,000 coins, issued by 173 cities. The geographical scope ranges from Dacia to Egypt, though the bulk of the Itinera: A journal is born. coinage was issued in Asia Minor. Itinera, the new annual peer-reviewed journal of the RRRA Jerome Mairat (Oxford) and Marguerite Spoerri (Oxford) (Roman Road Research Association), will be receiving are the main authors and editors of this volume, with potential contributions for Volume 1 until mid November contributions by Michel Amandry (Paris), Kevin Butcher 2020, and is to be published (online and in paper format) (Warwick), Jack Nurpetlian (Beirut), and Ulrike Peter early in 2021. (Berlin). Feedback as always for RPC online is more than This Journal marks a significant new departure for the welcome and will help us to enhance the forthcoming RRRA, and will include papers dealing with all aspects of printed volume. Roman roads, surveying and land transport, including the Marguerite Spoerri findings of Lidar and excavation. RRRA members will Call for participants to take part in Roman research receive the online version of the journal without charge, questionnaire. but it will be publicly available. Information available at The following questionnaire was created by Yolanda De romanroads.org/itinera.html Iuliis, a postgraduate student in Classical Studies. This Rob Entwistle, Hon. Editor questionnaire will help with her current research into the Cult of Mithras for her dissertation in 2021. The Excavations at Walltown Crags, Hadrian’s Wall: WallCAP, dissertation will focus on combining scientific, cognitive University of Newcastle www.wallcap.ncl.ac.uk and sensory theories to analyse ancient Roman religion - As part of the WallCAP project, and ahead of consolidation specifically, The Cult of Mithras. The questionnaire takes of exposed core material on the curtain wall, two small 10 minutes to complete and is simple and quick to use. It trenches were excavated across and running up to the wall is also very useful to anyone interested in Roman at Walltown Crags. religious studies. The questionnaire is designed to analyse results from participants regarding their sensory experience/perception. The questionnaire is designed to test two basic senses - sight and hearing. There is one audio recording provided and this was taken from the London Mithraeum experience and gives participants a reconstructed audio experience of what it might have sounded like in a Mithraic initiation ceremony. There are also images that will be presented to investigate how participants feel when they view these images. Please follow the link below to participate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzd4dgrdV9 jG3b1ZYt2Z_ltZDWR_xppuYsacW0tE9soeaEvQ/viewform ?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0 Excavations at Walltown Crags, Hadrian’s Wall Yolanda De Iuliis In the first years of the twentieth century, a trench was Limes 2021 is now Limes 2022 dug running for just over 30m along the south face of the Due to the ongoing situation with the spread of the curtain wall and up to a curve in the wall in the east. This COVID-19 virus, The LIMES Congress XXV organization left up to five courses of the southern face exposed; the has elected to postpone the LIMES XXV Congress to be spoil was left as a low bank parallel to the excavated ditch. held on 22-28 August 2021 in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. No records of the work survive. One of the new WallCAP The congress will now be held on 21-27 August 2022. The trenches ran across the Edwardian ditch and bank and congress venue will remain the Lindenberg in Nijmegen. revealed one further course of wall sitting on weathered The health and safety of our organizers and attendees is bedrock. The earlier excavators had left no momentos the highest priority. Epistula XX, 11 Articles from Members of their work in either ditch or bank material: below a few was followed by an inevitable period of relative inactivity collapsed stones, the ditch was packed with smaller stones or consolidation which ultimately led to the mutiny of the level with the top of the bedrock, the bank with larger army and his return to Rome in AD 69. The presence then core stones. Below the Edwardian spoil, large stones from of his name on a lead pig in an area way to the north of an earlier collapse were discovered. The trench may significant Roman control is surprising and potentially simply have been an attempt driven by local curiosity to points to previously unsuspected Roman activity in expose some of the wall face. northeast Wales during the Neronian period. The second trench was positioned just east of the end of the Edwardian trench and spoil bank, and ran from two metres south of the wall, over the buried curtain wall and down the north face. This section of the wall on the curve Fieldwork at had been buried for some considerable time. Excavation Wrexham revealed up to seven surviving courses of wall, relatively little weathered and constructed without bonding. At the southern face, the excavation demonstrated that shortly after the early-twentieth century work a considerable amount of core material with occasional facing stone collapsed over the end of the Edwardian spoil. It is likely that the wall had been destabilised by that excavation. In this location it was clear that the Edwardian spoil had been dumped on a turf layer which had formed – patchily in places – over the core material and facing stones of a major pre-Edwardian wall collapse. Below that collapse, which had eradicated any earlier turf ground surface, and level with the foundation course of the wall, were tightly- This part of Wrexham County Borough is largely bereft of packed cobbles and subsoil. This layer, found also in the known Roman sites with only a postulated Roman Road other WallCAP trench, was almost certainly the backfill of (Margary’s RR66b) extending south from the fortress at the original foundation trench for the wall. The wall was Chester before heading south westwards through Ffrith again constructed directly onto whinstone bedrock, here and then onwards following through Bala to Brithdir un-weathered. Only a couple of courses of the north face (SH7721880) near Dolgellau. Nearby Roman sites around of the wall survived: it appears that as the southern side Wrexham town such as Plas Coch indicate industrial collapsed south and inwards, the north face slumped with activity (pottery production) and the production of many of the stones ending up at the bottom the crag. agricultural surplus (these will be returned to later in the Dr Jane Harrison discussion), yet a large area to the north and west remains largely void of identified Roman sites. Work is currently In the Footsteps of Trebellius Maximus being undertaken on the ingot itself by Wrexham In September and October 2020, phase 1 of the In the Museum, Liverpool University and Roger Tomlin. The aims Footsteps of Trebellius Maximus project took place in of this project are to investigate the wider archaeological Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The project was a context of the ingot. partnership between the University of Chester and Both standard and high resolution magnetometry totalling Wrexham Museum and was generously supported by the seven hectares were undertaken in the field in which the Roman Research Trust. pig was found as well as a site 1.7km to the west, where The project aimed to investigate the findspot of a Roman metal detecting had also identified a cluster of Roman lead pig (ingot) discovered in 2019, inscribed with the finds. The results of the magnetic survey at the site of the name of the Governor of Roman Britain ‘Trebellius pig find spot identified possible archaeological activity Maximus’ (PAS record can be found here within the immediate vicinity of the lead ingot find spot. https://finds.org.uk/ The most prominent feature was a concentration of database/artefacts/record/id/972153). readings consisting of weak linear anomalies and a Knowledge of Trebellius’ time in the province is entirely magnetic disturbance that forms a possible rectangular limited to Tacitus’ accounts in the Agricola; the Boudican structure measuring 30m by 12m and running along a revolt of AD 60 had caused very significant destruction and different orientation to the surrounding cultivation. Epistula XX, 12 Articles from Members
Magnetometry survey of the site
The high-resolution survey suggested that this feature was composition of the ingot and the lead isotopes suggest much more scattered than the standard resolution had it may have come from somewhere in Wales, the indicated; instead showing a series of possible pits and uncertain route of Roman roads across parts of narrow linear anomalies that may be associated with post Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham (especially at holes. The northern extent appeared less defined in the such an early date), leaves a question regarding how high-resolution detracting from the interpretation of a the ingot was being transported and the actual route it possible structure. took. Further landscape survey and remote sensing A faint linear was identified crossing the site on a may therefore be required to elucidate the routes of northeast to south west alignment. Given the hypothesis the Roman roads and help to answer the remaining for a Roman road connected to the lead ingot find spot, questions as to how and ingot ended up in a field in this was further targeted by high resolution which the north of Wrexham County Borough. produced a wide, weak-positive linear suggesting either a Nonetheless, this phase of the project has revealed wide ditch or track way. The rest of the survey data more information about the broader Roman context. produced mostly agricultural and modern features; The geophysical results at the second site identified however, full coverage of the field was not undertaken. more significant archaeology including a well-defined On excavation, these features were not considered to footprint of a large structure, the layout of which holds reflect significant archaeological remains. Equally, they strong resemblance to a Roman corridor-type villa like likely bore no relation to the discovery of the Roman lead those in South Wales at Five Lanes near the Roman ingot. Instead, it is perhaps indicative of a watery or town of Venta Silurum (Caerwent, in Monmouthshire), marsh-like setting during the Roman and later periods, and the nearby corridor villa at Eaton-by-Tarporley in possibly suggesting that the ingot is a stray loss since no modern day Cheshire. evidence of deliberate deposition or lead processing could The survey also suggests the villa’s association with a be found nearby. Evidence of any Roman activity within field system, a trackway and other related buildings the immediate vicinity was absent. This may infer that the and structures. Subsequent fieldwalking at the site in ingot was lost in transit. While ongoing work being November 2020 yielded artefacts from the late 1st undertaken by the University of Liverpool on the material century to the early 4th century AD, signifying that the
Epistula XX, 13 Articles from Members/Contribute and Subscribe villa was occupied for the majority of Roman rule in Britain. an acquisition of major importance for the British The additional discovery of architectural fragments in the Museum (it was acquired in 2009). Incidentally, the plough soil implies that this villa may incorporate at least 'long list' had around 50 suggestions, so for them to some grander features such as hypocaust systems, narrow this down to just 8 was quite a feat. Of course, archways, and opus signinum flooring. some may feel that other sites/artefacts would have These exciting discoveries potentially alter our warranted inclusion (there's nothing from Vindolanda, understanding of north east Wales in the wake of the for example) but this is mitigated a little by the images Roman conquest. The finding of the lead pig raises chosen for the presentation pack, the text of which I significant questions concerning early military activity in the also wrote. area and the villa potentially alters our knowledge of the https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp- subsequent character and intensity of rural settlement. issues/roman-britain?iid=HP_M1_ROMANB Previous interpretations suggest that most people in this Richard Hobbs area either lived in settlements associated with Roman military sites or in quite simple farmsteads that continued to Manar al-Athar utilise Iron Age roundhouse architectural forms. This I am part of a team of six students at the University of narrative may now require questioning. The Museum and Oxford working on a project on behalf of the Open the University are now planning a programme of work to Access Archaeological Archive, Manar al-Athar. It further investigate the site over the next few years subject includes around 78,000 photos from the to funding and appropriate permissions. Mediterranean and Middle East. We are conducting a survey to find out whether you have heard of or used Caroline Pudney the archive, and some questions about their use of the The Association for Latin Teaching Reading Competition archive and thoughts on how it could be improved and This year’s reading competition has a special focus on pace its reach extended. We hope that our survey may be of and pause. The performance of a piece of poetry or prose interest to members of the Roman Society. Here is the can be greatly enhanced by attention to the pace of reading. link to our survey if you would be interested in This year, please try to match your pace to the meaning of participating: the passage. In particular, try not to rush the delivery and https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1FDfEG try to use pauses effectively. We still need good, accurate Y8GI1Mlb_82WCs- pronunciation of the sounds of Latin as well! WzwpOsVxJLMTAm6RNZguH3GONA/viewform http://www.arlt.co.uk/competition.html Yasaman Davoudzadeh Roman Britain Stamps Contribute and subscribe I was approached by Royal Mail at the beginning of 2018 to Social media ask if I would be interested on advising them on a new set of Follow us on twitter: @TheRomanSoc 8 stamps on the topic of Roman Britain. The last time that Like us on Facebook: they had produced a set was during the 1980s so they were https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Society-for-the- keen to do something in their historical series. Promotion-of-Roman-Studies Initially, we worked on 8 possible 'artist's impressions' of life Watch videos of recent lectures on YouTube: in Roman Britain, but this proved extremely difficult to bring https://www.youtube.com/c/RomanSociety about. I was therefore very relieved when they changed tack Subscribe/unsubscribe and decided to go with a mixture of iconic sites and EPISTULA is sent to all members of the Roman Society artefacts instead. The images chosen had to have a good who have provided email addresses. Non-members may geographical spread across the UK (England, Wales and subscribe too and to receive the e-Newsletter, send an Scotland) and there are certain objects, sites or monuments email to [email protected] with the header that do not work well at the required scale. <
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