HISTORICAL LIVES
Roman Day
Roman Days
The Roman day is set in the first century CE and hosted by Titus the Centurion or Marcus the Optio.
Areas covered in the day:
-
Arrival in Britain: Why the Romans came, the difference between Celtic warriors and Roman soldiers, and an explanation of Roman military equipment. The presenter will be wearing full replica military uniform, which he will use to exemplify the above with the assistance of children to show and compare costumes .
-
Roman battle tactics: Up to 50 children at a time learn how to form The Turtle, The Orb and other formations with replica wooden swords and shields. All commands are in Latin.(approximately 30 minutes)
-
Handling session: Time for pupils to try on armour, handle blunted weapons and investigate and predict the uses of various artefacts. (In rotation with Battle Tactics session, teachers to supervise and facilitate)
-
Daily life of a Roman soldier: Includes an explanation of the marching pack and artefacts examined earlier by the children.
Also one of the following two options:
-
The 'true' story of Boudica: Children play the main roles in a retelling of this story from a Roman point of view.
-
The Flavian Amphitheatre: The pupils fight to the 'death' (with foam weapons) for the amusement of the crowd.
The above details a typical day for up to 100 primary school pupils. For larger groups we would suggest two days would be required. Roman days can be adapted to suit the unique needs of your school. For example, for older pupils the day can cover other areas such as the rise of the Empire, Julius Caesar or even a timeline of Roman military equipment from 5 BCE to 5 CE.