Meet a Roman Soldier...

...talk about blowing your own trumpet...

This little video was produced by the Haltwhistle Film Project during The Deja Crew visit to Cambo First School.

Discovery Visits with English Heritage

It's Easter again, Spring is here.  Over the Summer and Autumn Terms, I'm running Discovery Visits for English Heritage at Housesteads Roman Fort

MEET A REAL LIFE ROMAN SOLDIER (KS2-3): Discover what life was like for a Roman soldier stationed at Housesteads and meet Roman Veteran, Rufus Aelius Victor. Students will also be given the opportunity to ask Rufus questions, dress in costume, train as a recruit in an auxiliary unit, explore the site and handle both real and replica Roman artefacts. Duration: 1 1/2 Hours

For Housesteads please contact English Heritage first through their website or contact the Bookings Team.

I can also appear at any English Heritage site along Hadrian's Wall, as a member of their Approved Educational Provider scheme (AEP), so if your school or group is visiting Corbridge, Chesters or Birdoswald and you would like to meet 'Victor the Veteran' please get in touch.

Thanks,
Roy
rlwsn@btinternet.com
07960 125218

Fugit Inreparabile Tempus....

...as Virgil said "it escapes, irretrevable time".  It certainly does, it's getting close to a year since the last post.

In that time I've run a Heritage Club, written a First World War Railway resource, made a video, worked with loads of new people and old friends and 'Victor the Veteran' is still recruiting along the length of Hadrain's Wall.

I will add posts about some of these over the next few weeks (honest!)

Got to rush, I'm off to the Head of Steam, Darlington for the launch of;

"Railway Workers in World War One"

I'll take Rufus and Railway Ron, so keep an eye on Twitter @RAeliusVictor and @HeadofSteamMus
all the best,
Roy

Rufus Minimus...

I've been quite busy over April and May, so I thought I should get some help...
(if you follow me on Twitter, you may have met him before)

Rufus keeping the Empire safe...

Rufus off duty....

...cleaning my caligae...

and keeping out of out of the rain!

Rufus follows me everywhere and he does seem rather fond of Twitter, so if you want to see more of him, keep a eye out there - follow @RAeliusVictor,

He'll also be here, I'm intending to round up what I've been up to over the last few weeks.

Thanks

Discovery Visits are running at Housesteads

April is the start of the Discovery Visits at Housesteads, Victor the Veteran will be there tomorrow for the first 'Meet a Roman Soldier' workshop.  I'll be running them all Summer, if you want more details use this link - Meet a Roman Soldier - it takes you to the EH page, you will need to book these workshops through English Heritage, the booking information is on the right of the page.
I know it says "meet with Roman Officer Centurion Maximus", but he's been posted elsewhere!

Rufus Aelius Victor with some recent voluntari

I am listed with English Heritage as an "Approved Educational Provider", so I can offer this workshop at other sites, but the arrangements are different, please contact me for details.

Roy
mob:  07960 125218  (please leave a message, Romans' can't always answer the phone!)
e-mail:  rlwsn@btinternet.com

some of the faces of Victor the Veteran...

Well people asked so here they are,

...the Prefect likes everything his own way...

I've always had difficulty looking fierce with a wobbly helmet...

...you're not getting in here...

...or here...

It's an exciting life in the Auxilia!

...sometimes too exciting!

I don't often wear the lorica and helmet while working with school groups, some of the younger children can be a bit wary of 'that scary Roman!'  and besides they would rather try the armour and look at me wear it.

What does Victor the Veteran do?

I'm often asked what's in a workshop, so here is a quick description of a basic 'Victor the Veteran' session.  I have to stress that I can and do deliver loads of other things, but as many primary schools want their children to 'Meet a Roman Soldier' here's what we could fit into an hour or a hour and a half.

I base the workshop on the idea of meeting a Roman Soldier, who will recruit the children in to the Army.  I am in costume and describe myself as an Evocatus or Veteran Soldier back in the Army after 25 years service. I try to work as interactivity as possible, with plenty of movement, almost all of my equipment and armour is replica and can be handled by the children, I have tunics for the children to wear and wooden shields and foam 'spears' to use when drilling the group.

The session will be;

• Introduce myself and talk briefly about the people living in the area before the Romans, question and answer as to why they might want to join the Army.
• I recruit them and check if they are fit for duty (with as much movement as the space will allow).
• Using a couple of volunteers show the dress and equipment of a Legionary and Auxiliary soldier.
• Dress the group in tunics, issue them with shields and weapons and drill them as recruits using Latin commands.
• Replicas to handle, including armour.

It's informative, fun and usually generates loads of questions from the children.  I can run this workshop almost anywhere, from a large classroom, school hall or playground to a site as part of a visit.

There is movement, plenty of language, both English and Latin and it is visual.  This way I can engage children with different learning styles.

I have a collection of replica objects, all with a bit of a story and all can be handled by the children.

If this interests you, please get in touch, I'm sure I can adapt it to your needs. 

Roy Lawson
rlwsn@btinternet.com
07960 125218

Who Am I?

The new season is upon us and I've been asked a couple of times about my background and how I ended up 'dressing up as a Roman' for a living. Where did Victor the veteran come from?
 The following paragraph briefly answers some of the these questions.

Roy is a qualified teacher, who after many years spent in the Pennines and Lake District working in Residential Outdoor Centres, enabling children and adults to explore the wonders of the landscape through outdoor and adventure activities, now concentrates on interpreting these landscapes and their stories of the past.

After completing a Masters degree in Heritage, Education and Interpretation (Newcastle 2002), Roy became Community and Education Advisor for the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site (2001-2005). Between 2007 and 2009 Roy was involved with the re-development of the GNM:Hancock in Newcastle as Learning Officer.

Roy is now freelance, developing and delivering projects to both children and adults, using Museums and Archaeology to explain the Past and our Shared Heritage. By using objects, museums and sites we can bring these these stories to life, giving them meaning and relevance to people alive now.

Roy has worked with all manner of groups and individuals, from Nursery to University of the Third Age, Company Directors, those with disability and special needs, Community Outreach and Community Groups.

Roy has delivered projects for national organisations, including the British Library's CAMPAIGN Make an Impact! , which used historical documents to help young people to campaign for change.

All of this has involved creating Teaching Resources, Handling Collections and bespoke Learning Experiences for people of all ages and abilities.

Roy has been involved in Touching the Wall and it's predecessors since 2002 and over the years has worked with English Heritage, Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, Hadrian's Wall Trust , Northumberland National Park, Bede's World and the Darlington Railway Museum among others.

Roy Lawson

mobile: 07960 125218

e-mail: rlwsn@btinternet.com

blog: http://roy-at-work.blogspot.co.uk

and next - Love Maryport Roman Celebration

Victor the Veteran will be at the Love Maryport Roman Celebration from 15-18 August, with the rest of The Deja Crew

PORO!

Rufus Aelius Victor will be at Senhouse Roman Fort on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th, followed by The Wave Centre on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th August.  There will be opportunities to try on a Roman Soldier's armour and other kit and maybe even a couple of drill sessions.

There are loads of other things going on, official details here or check out The Deja Crew Blog

I'll post more details in a couple of days - hope to see you there!

Thanks to Hadrian's Wall Trust and Photographer, Andrew Heptinstall for the image

Give a teenager a camera...

I decided I needed some new images of Victor the Veteran, I went to Segedunum, got the tunic out, gave my teenage son a camera and this is what happened...

Evocatus per murum

helmet's still a bit wobbly

where's the other three...

He said this was my best angle...

back in the Auxiliary

The Officer's a bit quick with his vine staff

in to the Bathhouse....

Thanks to Fortuna!

There's another 80-odd images, but that's enough for now...