Camulodunum was an important city in Roman Britain, and the first capital of the province. It became known/was marketed in the 1960s as the ‘oldest recorded town in Britain’. (I wonder if they have competition for that title now.) Originally the site of the Brythonic-Celtic oppidum of Camulodunon (meaning ‘stronghold of Camulos’), capital of the Trinovantes and later the Catuvellauni tribes, it was first mentioned by name on coinage minted by the chieftain Tasciovanus some time between 20 and 10 BC.
Following Claudius’s invasion of the enigmatic, foggy and slightly strange northern island in AD43, a Roman legionary base was built in the AD 40s on the site of the Brythonic-Celtic fortress. A Roman legionary castrum (fortress) established in the confines of Camulodunon became the first permanent one in Britain and home to the Twentieth Legion. The legion withdrew around AD 49, the legionary defences were dismantled and the fortress converted into a town, with many of the barrack blocks converted into housing. A large number of Roman army veterans settled there with land grants and an unspoken mission to show the native population the advantage of the Roman way.
Colchester Roman Festival 2022 – The first one ever! « Alison Morton’s Thrillers
Tag: Pompeii Fire
A Guide to Exploring Love, Sex, and Homosexuality in Ancient Rome | Ancient Origins
Yes, in some ways Romans were much more sexually liberated than large parts of the world today. Women had the same legal rights as men. They had every right to sue an abusive husband and start various legal proceedings – but the truth of the matter is that the Roman Empire was patriarchal. Although women had the same rights in theory, in practice, women were still seen as subservient to their husbands. Infidelity was a one-way street for the most part.
A Guide to Exploring Love, Sex, and Homosexuality in Ancient Rome | Ancient Origins
2,000-Year-Old Bloomberg Tablets Reveal London Life Under the Romans | Ancient Origins
Perhaps the most historically significant tablet is a contract that is dated October 22 AD 62. The contract is about the transportation of 20 loads of provisions from Verularium (present-day St. Albans ) to London. The date is important because it is just after the Boudican revolt when the native Celts rose up against the Romans, led by Boudica, Queen of the Iceni tribe.
According to the account written by Roman historian Tacitus, the Boudican revolt took place in 61 AD during which both London and St. Albans were destroyed. For a long time, historians have argued that the events must have taken place over two years, starting in 60 AD, and ending in 61 AD. This particular Bloomberg tablet gives strong evidence to support this theory.
2,000-Year-Old Bloomberg Tablets Reveal London Life Under the Romans | Ancient Origins
Suetonius, one of the characters in my WIP, Pompeii Fire, is one of the Iceni. In 62 AD, he’s 11 years old and has borne witness to all of this.
How ancient Roman souvenirs made memories and meanings | Aeon Essays
Roman souvenirs, with their curated representations of statues and cities, do not offer a glimpse of how things ‘really were’. They do offer insight into ancient perceptions of the ‘originals’ they represent. Souvenirs of the Tyche of Antioch reveal that ancient people understood Eutychides’ statue not simply as a religious cult statue of a goddess but also as a political symbol of Antioch and a celebrated work of art. The glass flasks of Puteoli and Baiae expose the cachet and attraction of those cities’ impressive architecture and imperial political connections – evidently a far greater draw in antiquity than the neighbouring city of Pompeii, which today monopolises much popular and scholarly attention.
How ancient Roman souvenirs made memories and meanings | Aeon Essays
What ails you? Medical treatment through time – The History Quill
The Romans brought to Britain new foods and a different approach to health from the continent. They excelled in public health, demonstrated by their gymnasiums and public baths. Public hospitals were established and attended by public doctors who treated the poor, although most people were treated at home by friends or relatives. Still, medical knowledge of how the body worked and how disease spread, was still primitive.
Prevention was placed in the hands of individuals through personal hygiene. Think about your characters. Did they attend the public baths, or were they affluent enough to have luxurious bathing at home? How might their everyday, personal actions show their personality or add authenticity to your story?
What ails you? Medical treatment through time – The History Quill
Click through for a look at how both prevention and cures were managed in different time periods.
Sharon E. Cathcart 