Visiting Roman Britain: Hadrian's Wall and Beyond with Dr. Alan Montgomery

For almost four centuries, much of the British Isles were ruled by the mighty Roman Empire. The Roman province known as Britannia stretched from the south coast of England to Hadrian’s Wall, and for a brief time into what is now Scotland. Despite some violent resistance from the locals, the Roman way of life was introduced to Britain, with many indigenous Britons taking on a Roman lifestyle. Although the Romans would finally leave around 410AD, much of what they built survives – the incredible ruins of Roman Britain, including towns, villas, forts and, of course, the famous walls, can still be visited today. Join a local historian for a virtual tour around the best Roman sites in Britain, examining the country's finest Roman monuments and discussing what they reveal about life in ancient Britannia.

This conversation will feature a selection of the best Roman monuments in Britain, places which offer a unique glimpse of life in ancient Britannia and reveal much about Roman imperial ambitions. Ranging from Sussex to northern Scotland, the sites will include temples, amphitheatres and the all-important Roman baths, all evidence of the ‘Romanization’ which took place across the province. In the south, it is possible to visit towns and villas, luxurious homes which were decorated with fine mosaics and wall paintings. Moving further north, we will explore some of the major military installations that were established to control or protect ancient Rome’s most northerly frontier.

Led by Alan Montgomery, a historian who has researched both the history of Roman Britain and its more recent rediscovery, this interactive seminar will describe some of Britain’s most important archaeological sites and examine what they tell us about life in Roman Britannia. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an insight into one of the most fascinating periods of British history, an era that has inspired and fascinated generations of visitors, historians and archaeologists.

Alan Montgomery was born and raised in Scotland but has spent most of his adult life in London. Having achieved an MA in Art History at Glasgow University, he worked for many years in the art world at both an international auction house and an antique dealer. In recent years he has returned to academia, achieving an MA in Classical Civilisation in 2011, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in which he analyzed eighteenth-century attitudes towards the ancient Roman world. In addition to his work for Context Travel, Alan also writes catalog essays on Contemporary Art for a leading auctioneer. Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 2017, his first book, entitled 'Classical Caledonia', was published by Edinburgh University Press in August 2020.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.