The first proper re-enactment we saw was a gladiatorial show, which I rather enjoyed, even though my side, the gold team, didn't do particularly well. We then went over to see the Ermine Street Guard who were drilling on the other side of the field, but as we needed to be setting off for a lecture (again on the other side of the field), we had to leave early and return for the second display later in the day. We actually went to two lectures during the day, the first was about writing Viking fiction, but the second was about Augustus and was given by Adrian Goldsworthy. He's been writing his upcoming book on the first emperor for the last three years, and even though he overran by around half an hour, I don't think I'd have minded if he'd carried on for a couple more hours! There was easily enough material for a blog post, so keep an eye out! |
But onto the main reason why we went to History Live in the first place... the Ermine Street Guard! When I was younger we used to see their displays at Dover Castle in particular, but they stopped doing them due to funding issues. Even so, my fascination with Classics is down to them more than anything else (and they're also the reason why I still find military history most interesting), and I really wanted to see them again before I go to uni later this year. I wasn't disappointed! They demonstrated a few different formations such as the testudo and the wedge, and it was also exciting to see the Roman cavalry, as I've seen a lot about the saddles reconstructed by the late Peter Connolly (he lived only a few minutes from my old school, and was friends with my Latin teacher) and was looking forward to seeing it. |
Christopher