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.

...now on Facebook!

After being persuaded to sign on to Facebook, I have now managed to upload a video!

Some while ago The Deja Crew worked with Cambo First School, the post for April 2015 has a link to a video made by the Haltwhistle Film Project about that visit.

https://www.facebook.com/RAeliusVictor/ will take you to a short film just about me - enjoy!

Nexct challenge, put it on YouTube...

...15 mins of fame...

Well four minutes and twelve seconds of fame...
Last Summer The Deja Crew got together with a Northumberland school to run a day of living history and we were lucky enough to have the Haltwhistle Film Project along to make a film!
That film is now on YouTube!



enjoy...

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

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

Images from Discovery Visits

Both Chesters and Housesteads have Facebook pages - occasionally there are images of the Discovery Visits.
This one is of a Testudo at Housesteads and this one in from today's Voluntarii at Chesters 
Enjoy...

Comments from a Discovery Visit at Housesteads

I've delivered quite a few "Meet a Roman Soldier"  Discovery Visits at Housesteads this term.  This primary school from County Durham were so enthusiastic and the Teacher had such nice things to say, that I just had to share.

Thanks very much for the kind words.

Thank you so much for a lovely day at Housesteads. My class thoroughly enjoyed such an informative and exciting opportunity to learn how to be a Roman soldier. It was educational and fun and pitched at just the right level for an excitable group of 7-year olds. I don't think they even noticed that it was raining all day! Your knowledge and enthusiasm made Housesteads come alive for the children and I know that the parents who came with me were as impressed as I was at the high level of subject knowledge and the Latin drill commands too.

We all had a great day and I will certainly try to organise this again next year (hopefully in better weather!)

Discovery Visits 2013

The Discovery Visits at Housesteads are beginning after Easter this year.

MEET A ROMAN SOLDIER

Explore Roman military life and discover how the building of Hadrian's Wall affected the local population in remarkably different ways. Meet Roman Officer Centurion Rufus Aelius Victor and discover what life was like on the frontier. Take on the role of a recruit and be taken through duties using drama and role play. Recruits will tour both inside the fort and the remains of the settlement beyond, using replica and real artefacts found near Hadrian’s Wall to find out about the lives of the soldiers and civilians who lived at Housesteads

When: By arrangement Tue & Wed Term-time April - September

Length: 1.5 hours

for more info and How to book
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/education/discovery-visits/housesteads-roman-fort/

Tempus Fugit...

Time really does flee - the more literal translation of Tempus Fugit is 'time flees', rather than the more usual 'time flies'. The first recorded use is  in Virgil's Poem, Georgics  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgics if you  want to know more).

To round up last Autumn  -  quite busy, if a little wet and windy!

Heritage Open Days at Vallum Farm,
about 200 metres from Milecastle 18 on Hadrian's Wall

Gorgeous ice cream - check out  Vallum Farm

Epiacum,
 3 fun packed schools activity days in September

although it did rain a little...

Add to this plenty of Discovery Visits at Housesteads, a Pirate Day and celebration of Saturnalia at Bede's World.

Now I'm looking forward to 2013.

Best School Trip Ever!

It's Official.
Picture the scene,

 it's raining, a group of damp school children have just finished a session with Rufus Aelius Victor, the Evocatus and are now getting their hands dirty with Gaius Bellicus, the Potter - a voice from the back says  'this is the best school trip EVER!'   

Makes it all worthwhile.
The weather was good for the first 2 days, so bright the camera on my phone couldn't cope with the sunshine!

 Feedback from a Teacher

The quality of the learning experience was excellent.  The children (and staff!) thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Fort, and learned much about the Roman way of life.  The Roman soldier was very popular, with his drill and shield formations,

However the last day was a bit wet, but the Children and Teachers were equal to the task;

Thank you for a wonderful day in Piercebridge we all really enjoyed the activities and the children had a great time even though it was wet.  I would definitely recommend this trip and if it was carried out again next year we would definitely come again.  Thanks again. 

Well done to all the Children and the Staff that came with them!

This is the first time that Schools Workshops have been held at Morbium.  The site is looked after by the Head of Steam - Darlington Rail Museum and Darlington Brough Council.  We ran schools activities during the morning, the children met the Commanding Officer's Wife - Aurelia (Sarah Gouldsbrough, the Learning Officer from the Head of Steam); a Potter - Gaius Bellicus (Graham Taylor from Potted History) and myself, a Veretan from the Legions.

During the afternoons we were there for the Public.  We had a good number of visitors, many local to the village.
It was a really good 3 days - we even got a mention in The Northern Echo on Wednesday 20th June.
Hope to see you all again next year.

Roman Roadshow CANCELLED

The Teacher Twilight event at Housesteads Roman Fort has been cancelled - only 2 teachers could make it! Hopefully English Heritage will be able to run it sometime in the future, if they do I'll post the details.

On detachment at Morbium

Over the next 3 days I'll be travelling south on Dere Street looking for new recruits at the fort of  Morbium, known to the local Brigante tribe as Piercebridge.  During the afternoons we'll be on site for the general public, everyone welcome.
Come and have a look at this little visited fort.

Teacher Twilight Event at Housesteads Roman Fort

Do you want new ideas on teaching the Romans? Do you want to meet experts who can bring the history of Hadrian’s Wall to life? If so, English Heritage would like to invite you to our FREE teacher's twilight event. Discover what exciting offers are available from attractions along the Wall.
Have a look at the Teachers Event Flyer for more information and how to book your place.
Hope to see you there.

Roman Roadshow Teachers Event - 27th June 2012

Come and find out how we can help you teach the Romans.

English Heritage are hosting a Teachers Event at Housesteads Roman Fort.  In partnership with The Deja Crew, Vindolanda, Segedunum, Arbeia, Hexham Abbey and others, we aim to Engage, Enthrall and Educate.
The event will be from 4:00 to 6:00pm on Wednesday 27th June at Housesteads Roman Fort and is FREE to attend.
 It's essential you contact Zoe Spring (01904 601962 or zoe.spring@english-heritage.org.uk) if you want to come along.
I'll post more details soon