Provincia Britannia - Events (Nova Roma)

C. Flavia Aureliana;

Iohannes Moravius Meridius;

M. Duilius Fusconius.

Description (by C. Livia):

On the Saturday, once everyone had arrived, we went to a pub for lunch and held our first administrative meeting, which was chaired by the Governor D. Junius Silanus. That evening we had a lovely meal out in a local Greek restaurant, and then sampled some of the Bournemouth nightlife.

Sunday was spent walking along the beach, and we had another nice meal overlooking the sea before going our separate ways.

Devae Cn. Salvio Cn. Equitio cos. ‡ MMDCCLVII a.u.c.

Date:

a.d. VII Kal. Quin. ‡ to a.d. V Kal. Quin. ‡

Location:

Chester

Host:

C. Flavia Aureliana

Present:

C. Flavia Aureliana;

A. Gratius Garseius Avitus;

Michael Schofield.

Description (by C. Livia):

On the Saturday we went to Chester town centre and visited the Roman Amphitheatre, the city wall, the Roman gardens and the Grosvenor museum; we also held our administrative meeting.

Sunday was the Roman Festival at Chester Racecourse, where we saw chariot races and gladiatorial combat, soldiers and doctors, craftsmen and chefs, slaves and aristocrats, musicians and dancers, and a couple of owls. We also enjoyed a picnic lunch (generously provided by Aureliana) in the sunshine.

Londinii Cn. Salvio Cn. Equitio cos. ‡ MMDCCLVII a.u.c.

Date:

a.d. III Kal. Nov. ‡ to prid. Kal. Nov. ‡.

Location:

London.

Hosts:

A. Apollonius Cordus.

Present:

Cn. Salvius Astur;

C. Flavia Aureliana;

Post. Sempronia Graccha Placidia;

A. Gratius Garseius Avitus;

Euphemia Maxentia Iulia;

Iohannes Moravius Meridius;

T. Octavius Salvius;

Jeremy Heath.

Aureliana, Placidia, Meridius, Cordus, the emperor Trajan, Livia, Avitus, Laureatus, Salvius

Description (by C. Livia):

On the Saturday, we went first to the British Museum to look at the Roman and Celtic collections. We had lunch in a nearby French restaurant, then returned to the museum as everyone had more that they wanted to see, particularly the Elgin Marbles which were in a gallery we hadn't visited. We then held our administrative meeting (in something of a rush) before attending a performance of Stephen Sondheim's musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (based on the plays of Plautus) at the National Theatre. After the play, we went on for dinner and a drink at a local pub.

Sunday began with a talk by Cordus on London in Roman times, followed by a trip out to see the ruins of a mithraeum and the remains of the Roman city wall. By the first section of the wall, near the river at Tower Hill, we enjoyed a picnic of Roman foods (prepared by Livia, Cordus, and Astur) which included freshly-baked bread, pates, soup, and pies, followed by wine and desserts: sesame biscuits, and dates in honey with their stones replaced by almonds - a typically Roman joke which everyone fell for, picking out the nuts and storing them on the sides of their plates until the difference between date stones and almonds was pointed out. After lunch, we walked the course of the wall to the Museum of London, where we spent some time in the Roman galleries.

Ponti Aelii Fr. Apulo C. Laenate cos. ‡ MMDCCLVIII a.u.c.

Date:

a.d. IV Non. Mar. ‡ to prid. Non. Mar. ‡.

Location:

Newcastle.

Host:

T. Octavius Salvius

Present:

C. Flavia Aureliana;

Iohannes Moravius Meridius;

T. Octavius Salvius.

Meridius, Laureatus, Livia, Salvius, Aureliana

Description (by C. Livia):

After a long drive northwards, the only thing Livia, Laureatus, and Meridius wanted to do on Friday night was sit back with a drink; luckily Salvius had brought a bottle of wine, and our hosts at the Hadrian's Lodge hotel were happy to sell us beer.

On the Saturday, we visited Vindolanda, where we saw the reconstructed wall sections, and then went on to the Roman Army Museum, where we had a nice lunch of soup and sandwiches. We then went for a walk to see some of the original wall remains. Returning to our hotel, we managed to fit in the first four years of a game of Diplomacy before dinner.

Most of Sunday was spent getting lost, as Salvius (who was leading the way) kept driving through traffic lights just before they changed to red, leaving the rest of the party behind. We managed to meet up in an industrial estate, but got separated again when Salvius' GPS system insisted on sending him down closed roads with multiple diversions (while Aureliana navigated a more sensible route). Once we all finally reached Arbeia we discovered, of course, that it's closed on Sundays - so we peered through the railings at the amazing reconstructed gate, before having a late lunch in a local pub and then going our separate ways.

Londinii K. Buteone Po. Minucia cos. ‡ MMDCCLIX a.u.c.

Date:

a.d. XV Kal. Apr. ‡ to a.d. XIV Kal. Apr. ‡.

Location:

London.

Host:

A. Apollonius Cordus.

Present:

C. Livia;

Di. Moravia Aventina;