Blogging from Newcastle, UK on October 25th, 2019
Bloggers: Sophia and Ben
Steps taken: 16, 700
We began our day by meeting Professor Ian Haynes, an internationally renowned scholar of Roman archeology at Newcastle University, at the Great North Museum in Newcastle. Dr. Haynes gave us an incredible lesson on Roman-Britain epigraphic monuments to start our morning in the museum. Regardless of the Latin levels with our group, Dr. Haynes pointed out key insights into the basics of reading Latin from these inscriptions. One of the most incredible pieces in the museum’s collections was an inscription that was erected by a military unit to show they had built that specific section of Hadrian’s wall, in turn providing some of the earliest evidence that the wall was a project of the emperor himself.
After our morning in the museum, we headed to Newcastle University where we began sorting through costume objects for our upcoming Roman banquet. On our last night in Roman Britain at Arbeia, Drs. Stewart and Haynes have arraigned us to characters for a role-playing Roman banquet (think murder mystery!), complete with roles, costumes, and authentic Roman food in a reconstructed Roman fort. Conversations regarding status, class, and gender arose as we dug through the clothing bins, and how certain pieces and jewelry would have been worn by specific people. The hot ticket item were the three purple-velvet capes – classic iconography of the wealth Roman patrician class – and so our three most noble characters took to ensuring they were dressed to the part!
After a short break for lunch, the group then reconvened for a completely non-Classics related tour of the Newcastle Castle. Led by Steve, the very enthusiastic volunteer guide for the castle, we learned how the castle was used to defend its inhabitants from attacking Scots. Steve filled our two-hour tour of the gate house and castle with various simulations that the group eagerly took on: Halle failed in leading the group to storm the castle, as we were all killed by hot sand being poured on top of us; Leo was hung and quartered; and Mack and Ben were shoved into the Oubliette by Kylie the Sheriff.
We then concluded our day by heading back to Newcastle University for a talk on the University’s ongoing archeological work and the ways in which modern technology can enhance excavation. The presentation was followed by a meet-and-greet with the Archaeology, Classics, and History faculty and grad students where we got to ask them more questions regarding the projects. It was a fantastic opportunity to see what research and post-Dartmouth adventures are possible for us in the future.
And after the VERY rainy and VERY cold day we had in England (many more expected to come!) the group headed to Wagamama for dinner. Steaming plates of food and warm bowls of noodles filled us all up!