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...

Alston AD200 Gladiators, Bones and Pies

A wonderful write-up on the event at Alston a little while ago - Alston AD200 Gladiators, Bones and Pies  - there's even a picture of me (although you do need to scroll down to near the end!)  Thanks very much!

Busy July...

July has been quite busy.
 Loads of 'Family Man' sessions, including a whole day in a nursery for around 40 Dads and their children!  I've done evening sessions at Once Brewed Youth Hostel, school groups at Segedunum and Roman Army Boot Camp at Arbeia Roman Fort..  Last Saturday Victor the Veteran was finally promoted and awarded some medals

There was even a brief moment where I was asked to impersonate the Emperor Hadrian!  The event was Epiacum: ALSTON 200AD, a celebration of things Roman and Family Fun in Alston.  Victor the Veteran was asked to ride the South Tynedale Railway chatting about life in the Roman Army as the train made it's way past the Fort of Epiacum (Whitley Castle).  Perhaps I should have gone under the name of Titus the Tank Engine!!

As usual an Auxiliary with a camera doesn't really work, so I'm relying on others for some photos, including me launching a book - Hadrian and his Wall by Paul Frodsham.

Next weekend I'm off to Chilton Village Gala, to try my hand at a new activity - details will follow soon.

Lovely Lanercost

Things have been busy over the last fortnight - Discovery Visits at Housesteads, Family Man sessions in primary schools across Tyneside and Wearside and an evening session with Victor the Veteran at Once Brewed YHA for a group from St Helen's.  The weekend of 15th/16th June saw The Deja Crew at the Lanercost Experience Tea Rooms.  We set up a small Roman Forum,

as usual Victor the Veteran wasn't too far away...

I'm sure that's not as tidy as Prefect would like!

Shamus told stories

Nest spun thread and wove cloth

Muriel used her herbs to good effect

and Gaius Bellicus made pots

We talked to many interested folks, including a busload of Americans on a whistlestop tour of Hadrian's Wall, they found us so interesting that the coach driver had to rev the engine and toot the horn to get them onback on board!!

The next Deja Crew event is

Maryport - 15th to the 18th of August where we'll be at Senhouse Roman Museum and Roamin' about the Town of Maryport!   

Hope to see you there.

Where's Rufus?

In addition to working with schools and other groups, this Summer I'll be out and about as Rufus Aelius Victor at a number of public events.

15/16 June - The Roman's are Back! - This time at Lanercost Tea Rooms, The Deja Crew will be helping to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Hadrian's Wall National Trail.  There'll be Storytelling with Shamus, Herbs with Muriel, Potter Gaius Bellicus, Nest the Weaver, Sulwyn making Jewellery and of course Rufus Aelius Victor

29 June - Arbeia Roman Fort - Victor the Veteran will be running a 'Roman Boot Camp' for new recruits - more details will follow, when I've worked out what that is!

27 July - Chilton Village Gala - There'll be a Roman encampment with Roma Antiqua and some of The Deja Crew, we'll be doing Roman Crafts

15-18 August - Maryport Roman Festival - The Roman's are Back!  It's The Deja Crew again, this time we'll not only be at Senhouse Roman Museum, but we'll be out and about in Maryport.  There'll be Storytelling with Shamus, Herbs with Muriel, Potter Gaius Bellicus, Nest the Weaver, Sulwyn making Jewellery and me, Rufus Aelius Victor
More details will follow.

8/9 September -The Roman's are Back!  This time around the village of Ravenglass, The Deja Crew will be helping to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Hadrian's Wall National Trail.  There'll be Storytelling with Shamus, Herbs with Muriel, Potter Gaius Bellicus, Nest the Weaver, Sulwyn making Jewellery and of course, Rufus Aelius Victor.

Looks like it's going to be a busy Summer, I'll post the details as they happen.  Hope the Sol Invictus is kind to us

The Deja Crew events

The Deja Crew are involved in the celebrations for the Hadrian's Wall National Trail - it's 10 years old!  Over the Bank Holiday weekend we were at Bowness-on-Solway, helping the local community with their event, we even got on the local ITV news, where I got the length of the Trail wrong, that's what happens when the TV turns up early and unexpectedly asks for an interview!
The weather was glorious, I was extolling the virtues of the Roman Army at the Wallsend Tea Rooms, Shamus was telling stories in the churchyard of St Michael's Parish Church and the rest of the Crew were in the Lindow Hall for making jewellery, clay plaques and weaving - wonderful.

Tales from Shamus

On Sunday were part of Silloth Green Day and the weather was still glorious!

Sulwyn and  Nest 

Before the day started...

very much the veteran...

There'll be other dates as part of the Celebrations, I'll post them soon,