Issue XIV Winter 2017 Welcome Andrew Birley brings us up to date with a Contents As winter approaches, this bumper remarkable barrack block at Vindolanda. issue of Epistula provides an I hope you enjoy this issue of Epistula, Welcome opportunity to take stock of 2017 and and please do keep sending in your news look forward to 2018. about research, forthcoming events, and Society News Our reports from the field (page 9) new publications. summarise some of the most exciting Interview discoveries that came to light during Matthew Symonds the summer months. Among the Editor From the Field highlights are a spectacular mosaic from Boxford, a ‘new’ archive from Note from the Chair of the Archaeology Artefact of the Vindolanda, and an unexpected villa in Committee Pembrokeshire. It has also been a There are so many positives in this issue Issue successful year for the society, with of Epistula that I hope that you will enjoy numerous events providing reading about. However, not all news in Literary & opportunities to connect with our Roman archaeology can be good news. Historical Roman heritage. Anyone who missed Our thoughts and best wishes in this out on a society lecture, or the issue go towards colleagues at conference celebrating 50 years of the Manchester University in Classics and Conferences & journal Britannia will soon have an Archaeology who are facing cuts and Meetings opportunity to catch up on the redundancies. It is a reminder, if any were Society’s YouTube channel. needed, that your support and passion Exhibitions Our books section provides plenty of for Roman and Classical Studies remains options for those seeking stocking vital for its healthy future. Projects fillers in the run up to Christmas. There Andrew Birley is also still time to register for the conference on Trajan at the British Books Museum on the 16th December, while 2018 brings a wealth of events for your Society news Contribute & consideration. Among them, of course, Events roundup Subscribe is the next RAC and TRAC, which will 120 members and guests gathered on take place at Edinburgh University from 4th November for the Roman Society’s th th April 12 to 15 (for more details see conference, Retrospect and prospect: 50 page 4). years of Britannia and the state of Finally, this edition of Epistula Romano-British Archaeology, organised introduces two new features that we by Dr Hella Eckardt and Dr Andy hope will become regulars: an artefact Gardener. Roman Society e-News of the issue (page 13) , and an The conference looked back at ISSN 2047-6292 interview (page 7). In the former, developments since the publication of Maureen Carroll sheds light on a Britannia in 1970, and looked forward to bronze boar head from Vagnari while Society news the 50th volume in 2019, and beyond. In addition to a social gathering. And that is largely what Alma-Tadema series of 30-minute papers, there was an entertaining depicted: his Victorian contemporaries, prosperous and ‘lightning round’ of five-minute papers organised by the cultivated, chatting together at ease in comfortable TRAC Committee. Professor David Mattingly closed the artistic environments. conference with his thoughts on future directions for The exhibition brought together a number of pieces from Britannia. Videos of all the talks, plus short abstracts, will private collections and from public ones that would be be available on the Society’s YouTube channel soon. difficult of access: you’d have to go to Mexico to see the fabulous ‘Roses of Heliogabulus’. The well-informed guides also drew our attention to the works of Alma- Tadema’s wife and daughter, both of whom were accomplished painters. There was a particularly engaging dual-screen display showing on the left-hand a detail from one of the paintings that clearly served as a model for a film, Gladiator for instance, projected on to the right-hand screen. After our hour-long guided tour, we had half an hour to wander at leisure about the rooms, or to return to the foyer to finish up the wine. Leighton House was itself the perfect venue for this impressive exhibition, because Lord Leighton and Sir Dr Naomi Sykes presenting at the Britannia conference Lawrence were particular friends, and Leighton’s own On 7 November, Professor Roy Gibson delivered a paper sumptuous residence demonstrates the prestige enjoyed on Pliny (The next life of Pliny the Younger). Watch it here by late 19th-century artists in London. on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RomanSociety. Professor Roy Gibson presenting his paper on Pliny Attendees at Leighton House Leighton House Members of the Roman and of the Hellenic Societies Dates for your Diary enjoyed a private view at Leighton House, Kensington, on There are still a few places remaining the evening of Tuesday 10th October. After a glass of wine for the conference on Trajan at the in the Arabic foyer two excellent guides (both volunteers) British Museum on 16th December. took us around the comprehensive exhibition of the Booking forms are available here: works of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, OM. http://www.romansociety.org/events/ The theme of the exhibition, which had already attracted conferences.html over a quarter of a million visitors in Vienna and in the artist’s native Holland, was ‘At Home in Antiquity’. The Right: Bust of Trajan expression ‘at home’ is teasing by design, since it suggests © Glyptothek Munich. an informal Epistula XIV, 2 Society news We have a full programme of events lined up for 2018. Speakers include Professor Dominic Rathbone, On 27th February, Professor Roger Bagnall will deliver Professor Eugenio La Rocca, Dr Caroline Vout, the M.V. Taylor Lecture on Papyrology and Ancient Professor Matthew Leigh and Professor Catharine History: a changing relationship. On 6th March, there will Edwards. be a joint event with the Hellenic Society focusing on aspects Greco-Roman cities in Asia Minor, featuring lectures by Professor Bert Smith, Professor Ewen Bowie, and Professor Karen Ni Mheallaigh. Artist’s impression of Nero from an 18th century print Aphrodisias: South Agora and pool On 15th May (6pm, Senate House), we are delighted to hold a joint lecture with the British School at Rome. The The Society is also in the process of arranging a special first of a series of two, this lecture will be delivered by torchlit evening event at the Roman Baths to see the new Professor Simon Keay on: Navigating the Harbours and excavations, the first significant investigations at the site Canals of the Portus Romae: new Approaches. More since Sir Barry Cunliffe led investigations in the 1980s. details are available here: http://www.romansociety.org/event/lectures.html. We The excavations will be in an underground area with are grateful for the support of a member of the Roman people admitted in small groups. This event will take place Society and the British School at Rome. on 22nd February: details of how to book will be emailed to members in due course. Reconstruction of the Portus Romae © Artas Media/Portus Project The Society’s AGM will be on Saturday 2nd June, and followed by a programme of talks on Nero: art, politics, The Roman baths at Bath, Wiltshire culture. Epistula XIV, 3 Society news Imagining the Divine: Lectures and visit to exhibition, Annual Archaeology Forum Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Now in its 45th year, the Regional Heritage Centre’s 1 pm, Saturday 3rd February 2018 Annual Archaeology Forum has become the premier regular meeting of archaeologists, both professional and 'Not by one path alone can one comprehend so great a amateur, in the North West. Each year sees a range of mystery.‘ Thus Quintus Aurelius Symmachus on the presentations on current and recent work, from rescue diverse and liberal culture in which Roman religion archaeology and large-scale projects to community flourished. endeavours. The enthusiastic audience ranges from The Association for Roman Archaeology is delighted to scholars and practitioners to local societies and members invite members of the Roman Society to a special event of the public with a general interest in the subject. centred on the Ashmolean’s latest exhibition, ‘Imagining the Divine’, the culmination of a three-year project This year’s Forum will be held on Saturday 3rd March examining the development and relationship of the 2018 at Lancaster University. It will feature papers on iconography of five major religions during the 1st Roman archaeology (recent developments at Vindolanda millennium. This ‘fascinating journey through the art of and Chester), the early Medieval period (St Michael’s in religions from India to Ireland’ is, according to Mary Workington), Industrial archaeology (the Greater Beard, ‘unmissable’. Manchester textile mills project), and a presentation on changes to the Regional Archaeological Research The event will start with Dominic Dalglish of the British Framework. Speakers confirmed so far include Andrew Museum and Oxford University, one of the curators, Birley of the Vindolanda Trust, Adam Parsons of Oxford providing an overview of the exhibition. The Roman Archaeology North, Michael Nevell of the University of perspective will then be explored in a lecture by Revd Salford, and Sue Stallibrass of Historic England. Professor Martin Henig, authority on Roman religion and iconography. The 2018 Archaeology Forum benefits from the generous support of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Entry to the lectures and to the exhibition for Roman Studies, and we are pleased to offer a discount for Society Society members is £25. Cheques (made out to the members booking tickets through our online store. An Association for Roman Archaeology and clearly labelled) optional lunch is also available. Please visit should be sent to The Director, The Association for Roman http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/users/rhc/events/index.htm Archaeology, 75 York Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 2JU.