Augustus Caesar

Oh my goodness!!! My sincerest apologies to every one of you awaiting the report I should have posted a while back! This will appear hopefully by the end of tonight as I polish it up or tomorrow at the very latest. My apologies mostly to the members who joined me on this meet and to the admins here who are undoubtedly concerned at the lack of my report. Whilst many excuses can be offered that would be very sincere and honest I should really have got this done by now. Time has obviously taken me over and once more I can only offer my humble words of sincerity to you all. I have other forums I run or where I am a member and have not been in those either but that is no consolatin here because of the nature of the report I should have posted. So hopefully tonight you should have it in all its glory!!!

Hi everyone... your Emperor here. May I apologise very strongly for the much delayed report from our Wall Meet this summer... I have been inundated with tons of work since that great weekend and have started to get on top of it all. Some photo's were undeveloped too as they were stuck in my camera with film to spare. These are now developed after a trip to the Hadrian Exhibition at the British Museum recently and I can maybe get some up on this site very shortly. It won't be too long now so please be patient... as you obviously have already. Actually, the real delay was to ensure I would not be tempted by those figs on offer from Augusta (or more correctly suggested by Ursus) that I stayed away a short while to have those folk reprimanded and kept at a distance. Meanwhile the plebs were developing the pictures via a very old technique and it has taken a while to get them back. While they are merely low class citizens they are employed by a perfectionist!! So I sacked the perfectionist! It has taken two thousand years to have them transferred to CD too so they could be at hand much quicker than a scan of the older paper variety. Anyway, hopefully they will be available in days.... Keep watching...

Well, the meet went very well and I will be posting my report on this very soon for those interested in reading all about it. However, I shall be starting a new thread for that so it won't be lost in here. Once the report is done and posted both Caldrail and The Augusta will add their reports too. So keep an eye open for these. We are in a very early stage of talking about venues for next year but I will begin a new thread for that too very soon when we can narrow it down a little so choices don't get out of hand. Hopefully the photographs of the group may come out well and some of them may be posted to the gallery too. Keep checking....

And so the first day of our grand tour is over and done... we have arrived in Newcastle City Centre and toured the City Walls, visited the Newcastle Keep (the Norman Castle built in the eleventh century), looked at the markings around the castle to show where a huge fort (Pons Aelius) lies buried several feet underneath the Castle and City itself. A grand tour was had and many other local sites were pointed out to our crew. A trip back to the hotel for an evening meal and drink was begun with talk of all things Roman. Our hotelier, however, introduced a Geordie board game to us and we had an hour or so of huge delight playing that before our meal which was stunning. And on to tomorrow where we visit Corbridge, Vindolanda and Housesteads before returning to the hotel or local pub for our evening chat about the day. Talks will be given by Augustus, Caldrail and The Augusta through the day and we will meet up with a re-enactment group too at Housesteads later in the day. So, an early start as travel will be on the exclusive AD122 Hadrians Wall Bus at 9.00am More info may be posted here tomorrow night for you to read but that depends upon the typist being sober!!

Can't do anything to help your decision making process Caldrail - but bring everything anyway! I like the sound of the pizza's!!! Very heavy and not nice to one's toes I suspect!

Only a few days to go and it seems the weather reports are favourable. However, I would recommend sturdy shoes, a raincoat or similar, a hat (for those sensitive about getting hair wet - sadly not me!!) and maybe anything else you would think may make your time comfortable. There should only be one hill to climb and this is not difficult. It is a mere incline toward Housesteads fort and is easily negotiable although it is across bumpy ground. If, even at this stage, anyone has questins just ask via my mobile from an earlier post or PM if you think it necessary. Let's make this totally enjoyable!!!

Er.... a very big OOOOOPPPPSSSSSS is required here me thinks!! One would never make an Emperor if one carries on like this... it seems that I had typed up the itinerary for the weekends meet on the 25th - 27th but somehow I neglected to post it... or if I did it has vanished!! But not to worry brave soldiers... here it is... Day 1. The mighty lord invented the world... - ah!! Sorry.. off on a bit of a tangent there..... Day 1. Folks will arrive from their departure points around the country on Friday and we should all be met up by Friday night at the latest within the confines of your hotel. I personally will meet with The Augusta and her son on Friday afternoon. This will probably be around 12 - 2pm. Depending upon arrival times of others a swift visit to the Hotel or even a walk around Newcastle for a bite to eat may be the chosen thing here. This is all open for obvious reasons. Friday night will be a gathering around the hotel fireplace with a few ales and snacks and a good talk about the following two days and of course any other subject that crops up during these events. A good nights rest is needed so heads down early(?!?!?). Day 2. We will set off from the hotel at about 8am so get up early. This is a swift walk to Newcastle City Centre (or Metro journey) where we will embark on the Hadrian's Wall Bus service AD122 from Newcastle Central Station to Corbridge Roman Fort. The bus departs at 9am. Miss it and our schedule is up the spout!! Contingencies are afoot.... We arrive at Corbridge at 9.45 and will have one hour to use an audio commentary on the site or you can listen to me drivel for a tad (the former is recommended). Departure from the Fort is at 10.45am for a walk for about twenty minutes to Corbridge Town Centre where a bus at 11.30am will take us to Vindolanda. This is the AD122 bus again and prompt departure times are adhered to. We arrive at Vindolanda at 12.09pm and will have plenty time for activities here. We leave at 15.13pm and during our visit here The Augusta will present a talk on her chosen subject which will be Wall related. We will have a meal in the cafe here at some point and this will depend upon our hungry troops state of health. I anticipate no more than 30 minutes to digest our lunch and partake in liquid consumption. There is a museum of very good repute here and some excellent excavations. I suggest we stick together as a group and not wander to look too much by ourselves. Timing is important. We leave Vindolanda at 15.13pm heading toward Housesteads which takes 11 minutes by the AD122 bus. There, I will do my talk on the Wall (this was planned for Vindolanda but a better choice and time permits the change). Caldrail will also do a talk on his chosen subject material (Wall related) here. Time is aplenty at this location and the Fort is open to the wilds so come prepared as shelter is not too well placed and not large enough for a good crowd running from the elements. The cafe here is outside - more like a service hatch for quick drinks and snacks. We leave here at 18.04pm on the last bus, yep... you've guessed it... AD122, to Hexham. We arrive there at 18.33 and could get an evening meal at a pub and make our way back to Newcastle later or return directly to the hotel for a meal there and relax ready for the Sunday. That is open to suggestion on the day. Day 3. We can have an open start time and finish time depending upon folk's departure times for returning home. The plan is to visit Arbeia Roman Fort in South Shields and look at the fantastic reconstructions there. If you don't want to carry on through Sunday this will be a huge miss for you. The site is excellent. A coffee machine is available but a cafe in Shields itself is a better bet. A walk of about 15 minutes from the Metro station is required to reach it. No special attire required. That's the itinerary then for the three days and if any questions are needed to be asked then do so now please. Your costs.... Tickets for Saturday are

Some nice activities going on there Wot. However, as stated above I do think the idea that the organisers of our first meet in April last year had was to keep us on our feet and move around a bit and allow for some flexibility in that. Not a lot of folk can sit all day for conferences as such. I have done it a few times and now just go when there is something really worth grabbing my attention. As C says it is a great idea for those interested. Again though, after the meet this time at the Wall it may stretch our finances too. And so to the Wall meet... I will be placing the itinerary tonight or tomorrow so keep an eye open for that one. I have eventually chased down some info needed for travelling and that wasn't easy to get!! Hence the delay.... Soall we need now is the itinerary on site and some glorious weather. Can those who ARE coming please either put your arrival time in Newcastle here or PM me preferably. I am on holiday that week now and can meet anyone arriving at the Central Station if you are not sure where you are. Please let me know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Thank you. Car drivers should be able to find their way to the hotel without issue but if stuck do contact me. I will place my mobile number here nearer the time (a few days before the start of the meet) and will remove it when we all know where we are and what we are doing. Thanks again folks and enjoy the Wall.....

During a conversation with The Augusta an itinerary was agreed. Fine tuning is all that remains now and I or Augusta will post the final details this week. So, hopefully, by Wednesday we should be able to let all and sundry know what is happening. If anyone DOES still wish to come along please do so. Just contact myself or Augusta by PM to let us know. New faces in the small group will be welcome too so don't be shy. In the meantime for those of us going along already I hope the weather stays fine and we will enjoy the days out.

After your PM to me young WW I now see you are off to Spain. Well, hopefully you will have a great time. When drinking many cocktails in the sun beware having too many and over chipping away at that marble! Enjoy your time and hopefully it will benefit you as you say greatly. It will be a pity we can't meet up with you but there are many years ahead and who knows, a visit to Fishbourne may not be too far away and that's nearer your neck of the woods. Have fun

Great news NN. Look forward to seeing you there. Half the fun will be gone if you can't make it!! You know what I mean after York!!! Ursus... I was unaware Andrew hadn't been seen on the forum since Christmas (a further check actually shows him active on the forum on May 6th - hence the edit of this particular post). I have his address and so may write if I do not hear more from a PM in the next week or so. As soon as I hear anything I will, of course, post here. Hopefully there is nothing seriously wrong and he will surface again and begin posting in earnest. NN... Just as a footnote. Your space at the hotel is OK as GPM cannot make it. I have returned your PM and mentioned this too in there. There are spaces still available at the hotel anyway so don't worry about it at this stage.

Aahhh GPM... we will be sorry you are not going to make it but work must come first - as they say this is your bread and butter. We will do our best to tell decent stories of our campaign and will no doubt upload some fine pictures too. We will see you hopefully on a future get together. While GPM has dropped out it is nice to see another soldier recruited to the ranks... this is Augusta's son and we will make him very welcome. He has to promise to make lots of food stuffs and carry all the drinks as he is going to be the fledgling... Augusta, being a protective parent, will have it no other way!!! Glad he is coming along Augusta... I'll probably talk to you soon.... Still no word from Andrew Dalby so I will attempt to contact him...

Ah... Segedunum is a great to visit. Especially the bath house. The museum is good too. However, for actual 'ruins' and reconstructions try and get to Arbeia (South Shields). The half reconstructed CO's House is awesome. The barrack block is splendid and the gatehouse - well... just go and take a look!! Whilst my loyalties lie with Segedunum (coz I live here!!) I still think Arbeia stands out very well but is one of the least visited forts among those with foundations on view etc. This is a great shame. Vindolanda, with all its excavations and finds of late, is spectacular. If only other forts were excavated like this!! Anyway, hope you like what you see when you get to Seggy!!!

For some odd reason the posts on THIS page didn't show up before I posted that last few words. So here goes for a reply to Spittle... Glad you're gonna make it. If we use the Hadrian's Wall bus to get to the Wall it will leave Newcastle at around 9am. The train to Hexham may be better and the Hads Wall bus from there to other parts of the Wall may suit. This will all depend upon the operators of this service who completely revamped the times last summer and wrecked days out with mismanaged crossover times with the service from Carlisle. Anyway, Adam Hart Davis brought a road show of What the Romans Did for Us to Segedunum when I was Treasurer to the Friends of Segedunum and I interviewed him for a goodhalf hour for our magazine. He is a very thoughtful and intelligent guy. His shoes are bizarre though!!! It is the Museum of Antiquities that house those two columns from the Benwell Temple. The vallum crossing is well worth a visit for anyone who wants to see it. However, we will not be doing that this time round. I hadn't realised you were a resident of our area in the past and you right about the programme being filmed at Arbeia. He also did a lot of the show from Segedunum too. It is one of his favourite historical sites in England, Segedunum. He loves the bath house!!! After a hot bath there wouldn't we all? I had the privilege to be one of the first to sample the heat when the baths were completed and before being opened to the public and I can say it was so hot you had leave the likes of the hot room after a minute or two. The Romans apparently would have done the same. I also saw the furnace in operation and this is awesome. The heat was unbelievable. Imagine working in that for hours a day!!! You wouldn't need a bath as the muck would run away because of the heat!! Seriously, this was all very educational for me and I will never forget how hot it was. If the bath house is operational nowadays the heat is deliberately kept down because it is just too hot. The protection on the wood windw frames just softens and runs down the walls and affects the painted rooms. Apparently this was a problem 2000 years ago too!! I waffle... while you are the meet Spittle no doubt a little chat about times gone by in the north will be the order of the day... Can't wait now...

Hi guys Sorry I ain't been around in the forum etc for a while. The meeting was always on and as we know from Augusta the hotel is sorted. We are chatting via telephone this weekend to begin to finalise an itinerary so we will get back with that as soon as it is sorted out. I will also PM Andrew Dalby who is looking forward to the meet from earlier contact with him. He says he wouldn't miss it but I now seek that final confirmation. If you read this before I PM you Andrew let me know. It is a great shame Doc cannot come along so here's a quck shout to her from me... "Get yourself to our next meet otherwise we'll all swim over there and drag you over!!" Seriously, it should be a good event and maybe I will have learnt about photography on the Wall after I meet up with a professional photographer before our date with Hadrian. I am getting good advice on the use of filters etc and how to capture the 'best shots' for my Wall site. More on that when we meet. So, if anyone else needs to confirm please PM Augusta who is organising accommodation. I'm glad we will have a merry troop stomping along the hallowed path of the Wall. Remember to buy yourself some sturdy footwear and bring a light waterproof coat - just in case. You'll all be aware of how quickly the weather can change on the Wall so do think about things in a sensible way where the weather is concerned. More later...

Yes this all all very interesting reading about oneself... but I have always said I am the greatest Emperor the world has known.... Seriously, I will not write an essay on the guy but his tenure was long and his deeds were great. The man needs no further words from me - he is well written about here and elsewhere but I will say he is a man I would DEFINITELY go back in time to meet... no hesitation!!

Pratchett is brilliant!! Wonderful, underestimated author... His health is so far not stopping him working. In an interview just a few days ago he stated there are many novels in him yet and writing continues. He does not see an immediate or close to hand slow down. So there has to be something in that... Fav chars? Well, Death is easily the best of the bunch followed by Rincewind, the Luggage and Nanny Ogg!!! There are others too but these must be the main ones who at least appear more regularly.... ish!!!

It should also be stressed that with such dstinguished guests on the shows like Guy de la Bedoyere, Lyndsey Allason Jones and of course many more taking part the show is given so much credence and guidance by these specialists. Without those helpful folks and the backing of the Universities etc the programme probably wouldn't be made. Maybe in the early days there may have been a small case for anti TT brigade to spout over. But certainly not now and for at least 90% of the series as a whole. It is one of the most interesting and thought provoking programmes on TV in its own right. Long may it continue. Tony Robinson by the way is the shows Executive Producer for those who didn't realise. Those who decry the show really don't understand it or just simply are too stuck in the mud and maybe should be investigated themselves!!

No problem at all doc... just go and make some extra cents or dollars by playing a tambourine in Central Park or somewhere... Only kidding!! If you do make it we'll make you feel especially welcome...

Hi NN Just a quick post to wish you a Very Happy Birthday today. May the Gods be kind and bring you all the goodies you have offered them in the past (the best ones that are useful anyway) and now I am off to drink a toast to you my friend. Flavia gives her best wishes too.... see ya on the Wall? AC

Klingan... don't worry about anything. If you can make a future meeting then that's fine. The last thing we want is for folk to have no enjoyment out of any meeting because they have been left really short. We look forward to meeting you at a later date then... docoflove1974... You may do exactly that. If you can make it then that's fantastic. I will pencil you in adn work around your choice as a 'maybe'... always being conscious that one extra place may be required in a hotel. I do not aim to make this an expensive trip for anyone when they arrive. It will be bad enough for anyone paying to travel. The hotel will not be expensive either. That would be a fruitless exercise. We are not doing this for the hotel industry to stay afloat but merely to enjoy Hadrians Wall. So if you do make it then that's brilliant. If not, then the same goes as above for Klingan. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

OK everyone... Here's an update to the happenings for the Wall Meet in July... I will be chasing everyone up with bookings for the hotel so can everyone PLEASE come back asap with a definite yes or no about coming to this event. I know a lot of you have said yes but one never knows with life... This will be to give the hotel some idea of what to expect and what rooms we can have. Some sharing MAY be advisable but that can be asked about by The Augusta very shortly. Hopefully the most honourable lady will post her findings here for us. I will now contact her with a view to get us going with arrangements, itinerary and other essential details. Those who may be travelling with a partner need to let us know that too of course. We also need to remind those who were going to do talks on the Wall or related subjects to let me know what they plan to talk about and they should try and keep this to a twenty minute thing or thereabouts. I would like to keep these talks Wall related as much as possible for obvious reasons but will vet them to see that they don't overlap anyone elses plans. 'Vetting' may be a strong word to use here but hopefully you know what I mean. Speakers were to be myself, The Augusta, Northern Neil and Caldrail. That may change but as yet it seems to be a goer. If anyone else wishes to contribute please let me know. The weekend is a learning exercise and is hopefully a fun one to boot. So don't be shy. Right... I await your replies..... (dates of July 25 to 27 were chosen).

Not so much as a battle this one but what about when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon to head into Rome? What were his thoughts? What were the faces of the soldiers like as they anticipated something that was unprecedented? Then for JC to find Rome virtually deserted? What was his face like? Surprise, shock, disbelief or horror? Milvian Bridge? Yeah, I'd go along with that one!

Some tremendous ideas there and one of them at least would certainly cause a rumpus the world over when Primus Pilus came back to tell everyone just how far we have got things wrong with the world and its history - esp. the Christians!! I was watching a show just last night (and I know this may start off a whole new discussion here but please don't) about how new scrolls etc are beginning to enlighten everyone to just what Judas did to betray Jesus - if at all. If you were there PP and came back and told us he merely gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek before running from the Romans and not to betray him how much would that be taken seriously and what would it change - apart from Judas' own case in history? There are so many things we don't know about this hugely fascinating Empire and its people. The Augusta said it was unfare to have only one era to visit as there could be so many choices and so much to learn. OK then... choose as many as you like but give reasons why. Another point of interest raised was one I am quite interested in myself of course... the relationship between Livia and Augustus. As already stated Livia bore no children to him but was that choice? Did Augustus actually want the hassle? Did Livia just simply concentrate on Tiberius and his advancement to power? Because of the length of time this Empire lasted through the Republic and the Emperors we have so much to look back at... Does anyone find it interesting that the majority of us want to go either to Rome itself or somewhere where the key points in history wre made - generally in Europe? No-one has mentioned anything here in good old Blighty apart from NN who mentioned the 'Saxon Shore fortifications during the independent Britannia period under Carausius'. I would love to be able to watch the building of Hadrian's Wall. How long did it really take? How tall was it? Was it meant as currently understood to be not just defensive but also for controlling trade north and south - a sort of tax collection point? Was it ever attacked? There is currently no direct evidence for this. Was it all covered in plaster and painted? There is, however, evidence for this. Again, there are so many things to discover. What would people actually think of our revelations if we did actually go back in time and brought back the facts? I am assuming that time travel would be understood and accepted by the masses so some liberty has been taken here. Imagine the frenzy of books being written, scholars having to re-learn their history at schools and universities etc. News programs delivering details of new facts that could have absolutely untold power to change our world as we know it. Would the world become unstable or would that be just taking things a tad too far? Would we really want to know all this? Just how much information would you want to give up on your return knowing you could be responsible for changing everything that we thought we took as read about the world? The mind boggles!!! With the diverse topics raised and points of history to visit that have been mentioned in here I now want to look into some other areas of the Roman world I maybe wouldn't have considered before. I began the topic as a bit of fun - and hopefully it remains that - but I now begin to see myself question things a little more than I normally would. One more thing I would like to go back and see is how some of the stuff the Time Team regulars dig up for our viewing pleasure get to be where they are when found - or at least nearby!! Is most of the pottery just broken rubbish or sacrificial or for burial purposes? We know these are true because there is plenty evidence to show this... but to see how it is done and to what extent the people care about this sort of thing would be telling. Yeah, just chucking it in a pit doesn't say much, but deliberately placing it somewhere says so much more. It is not really the placing of the pot either but the mood of the person who places it. What are their thoughts etc? Just to get into their minds would be fascinating. What would you give to "be there"? Plenty more for digestion so I cannot wait to read your responses..... go ahead.. give more than one example then. In fact, be braver, as you are walking through your chosen point in time describe to us just what you 'THINK' you may see... or what you would 'SAY' to those in power. Again, be sensible.... remember you cannot upset the locals or bigwigs with contempt or take liberties.

Aahhh... I should have known one of you would want to smuggle a didgicam in there somewhere... sadly, it isn't allowed. It would vanish in a puff of dematerialisation through time travel... sorry NN!! It is interesting to see just how diverse some of the early comments are. Thnks guys!! Kosmo's wish to 'go during the rule of Antoninus Pius' is a good one. The cost and language barrier shouldn't be thought of here as restriction. Imagine you have been well rehearsed in all things Roman including local customs and traditions etc... Reading lost books would be fascinating and such a huge eye opener wouldn't it? Not only would you get the Roman authors' point of view but it may also be an opportunity to view books destroyed by Rome as not those deigned to be non conformist to their ideas. What a chance to get to know about, say, the Druids. I know they didn't write stuff down but at least it would be a chance. Why did Rome get shot of them etc? NN... it seems you are interested in periods of histroy where transition is taking place. Is that an accurate observation? If so, would that be becaue there are often so many missing links between one society and another when new ideas and approaches to ways of living are taken on board by the locals? I know you are into defenses and the likes but from what you say I get that impression. Melavadius... what a great idea! Copies being buried for thousands of years for us to dig up... fantastic... but how much would you ask to be copied and how would you choose which documents should be singled out? Would they favour the accuracy of historical events or documents describing social life etc? Your latter paragraph is what this is about... how do you choose? What do you choose? MPC... Ah Sulla... one of Rome's great men but a tyrant none the less. Maybe six months isn't long enough but you could assume someone else would follow on from you! Maybe not though... anyway, it wouldn't appease your own interests. In what way do you mean 'was unusually high'? I am not too conversant with that era and so am a tad curious as to why it would be different to any other from Roman History. Can you enlighten me a little as to why their interests were that way? Ursus.. another keen interest in transitional periods by the looks of it. The ancient Etruscans would be a good place to start. Once more my knowledge here is not great. And the Crisis of Third Century? Well, what a fascinating period to cover... part of the downfall of the Roman Empire and what it stood for... yep... looking into why it began to fall is important. There are so many theories for this and clarification would be a huge step to even understanding other eras of the Empire. So far this has been very good... hopefully more will follow...