The Roman Army Museum

Night watch

Here I am again!  In this god forsaken place.  Standing on the wall, staring into the darkness, and just waiting.  Watching and waiting.  Mind numbing, waiting.

Always this wretched cold!  Biting into my bones and nipping my knees, a woollen cloak no defense against the real enemy.  Boredom.  Oh, for some action!  Something to warm me up.  I’d put paid to a barbarian or two.  If only they’d storm the fort, like real men, instead of hiding in the trees.  They wouldn’t stand a chance, against us trained soldiers.  Training!  That’s all we do.  Day in, day out!  Pitting our wits against each other to stay sharp, in the service of the Empire.

It’s fine for the Centurion with his fancy house.  He never has to stand out here, shivering.  I’m just an auxiliary.  A slave to Rome.  25 years I have to survive this dog’s life, before I can become a Roman citizen.  The days are not so bad.  No time to think.  At least you can have a hot bath and decent food.  Maybe get out on a hunting party for some fresh meat.  Even have a skirmish with some of those savages.  Makes you feel alive, alright!  Anything’s better than this creeping death from the cold and damp.  The mocking whisper of the wind.  Deathly stillness!

From Vindolanda we drove 15 minutes to the Roman Army Museum, close to the village of  Greenhead, to learn a little more.  A joint ticket can be purchased for the two, which compliment each other.  A highlight of this visit is ‘Edge of Empire-The Eagles Eye’, an atmospheric 15 minute film, for which 3D glasses are worn.  ‘Night watch’ was written in response to the film, of which I can only share the trailer.

At the museum I learn that it is Rosalia, the Roman festival of the rose, traditionally held in May.  Curiously, the Romans believed that Mars, god of war and protector of Rome, was born from a rose.  The blooms were worn to honour the fallen.

The displays and information add to my knowledge about the Romans, and their surroundings.  They were very serious about the business of ‘conquer and defend’.  Training was done with weighted weapons to add to the strength and skill of the soldiers.  In battle, wielding a sword would feel so much easier, and inspire confidence.  Training could be brutal, with little quarter given.  The armour and weaponry engendered huge respect for the skill and craftsmanship of these people.

I learnt that discipline was very strictly enforced.  Falling asleep on sentry duty in the long, dark nights was a crime punishable by death, often at the hands of your fellow soldiers, while the garrison looked on.  A background video, running on one wall, told the story of a bunch of young soldiers and how they felt about life in the Roman Army.  Wine and gambling were happy diversions from the training schedule.

A timeline and Hadrian’s interesting story completed the exhibits.  I doubt I would make the journey especially for the Roman Army Museum, but it works well in conjunction with Vindolanda.  When we had left the fort there was a freshness in the air and we were glad to be indoors.  By the time we left the museum it was spitting on to rain, and the skies a dull grey.  The iconic Sycamore Gap looked a little ‘all forlorn’.

I’m adding this post to Cathy’s collection of Prose, over at Wander.essence.  I hoped to give you a flavour of life on the bottom rung of the Roman Empire.  Not always a comfortable place to be, but with its own rewards.  The 3D film made quite an impression on me and I feel like I’ve been living alongside those Romans.  I’m glad you could keep me company.

83 comments

  3. Your posts on the Roman era artifacts and ruins has put a smile on my face. I can remember being around 10 years old, introduced for the first time to world history and trying to grapple with the idea that the Roman Empire wasn’t in Italy! If Rome was in Italy…ha! We’d look at maps that included Britain and I was so literal with my knowledge at that point that I really had a hard time putting it all together. I think of this every time I look at your photos and see you walking directly in the steps of Roman history. It excites me to see these wonderful artifacts. I don’t have a great thirst for military history but I think I would be fascinated with this museum. I’ve enjoyed your recent “Roman” posts, Jo.

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    1. There may be one or two still to come, Debbie. I’m on a mission to pull together some of the bits I haven’t managed over the years. Such a tiny country! You’d think I’d have seen it all by now, wouldn’t you? 🙂 🙂 I had planned for a series of weekends away, but what with selling the house, Michael still working, and an upcoming visit to Poland, I’m making do with day trips. And the year seems to be getting away from me. 🙂 Doing my best, and it’s lovely when someone is as appreciative as you have been. Thank you!

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      1. It must be overwhelming at times thinking of your move, Jo. As much as you look forward to it, there is still a lot of work going into moving to another country! I really admire you for following that dream. It’s going to be fun to vicariously share it with you. 🙂

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      2. Thanks, darlin! 🙂 🙂 Current anxieties focus on getting to Poland and back and negotiating internal transport. I wish I had a Polish speaking brain. 🙂

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  4. Such creative post Jo. I really enjoyed the first person narrative for the poor freezing guard. Sounds like a brutal job and heaven’s don’t fall asleep!

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    1. I can imagine praying for an ending, Sue! I think my wages would all go on drink but I’m sure there’d be a horrendous punishment for drunk and disorderly. 🙂 🙂 Thanks for your cheerful company, darlin!

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    1. I don’t think I’d have been great either, Carol. The thought of standing on that wall in a kilt on a freezing night…. 😦 😦 Such a pretty spot in daylight, if you’re just there to admire the view. 🙂 Thanks a lot, hon.

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  8. Loved Night Watch, you had me immersed in the life of a Roman soldier for a minute or two. And hey, let’s have some more fiction from you. Hiding your light under a bushel, are you?

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    1. I didn’t think I had a light to hide, Mari. I don’t do fiction at all. 🙂 🙂 The video was wonderfully atmospheric and I was kind of reproducing it. Thanks a lot, darlin!

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  10. Fascinating. History rarely remembers the people on the bottom rung, but they’re the ones who interest me the most. (Probably because I’d have been right down there with them if I’d lived in their time!)

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  11. Very different to your usual posts Jo. Cathy is having a good influence on our blogs I think. I find it fascinating to think of how people lived in times gone by, then history was one of my favourite subjects at school. I like wandering around the English Heritage sites with their audio guides and listening to the stories and re-enactments. This place must be quite recent then? We were up there in 2009 I think.

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    1. Not sure when it opened Jude, but now we’ve got The Sill just by Haltwhistle too.It looks interesting so I need another jaunt or 2. I liked history too. Always used to read historic novels. No keeping up with Cathy is there? X

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  15. Great post Jo, love the atmospheric start as you shared the feelings of that poor soldier. I can just picture how that 3D movie would take you right into the heart of the action. That is a fantastic museum I really enjoyed visiting it with you, the next best thing to actually going there

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  16. A fine evocation in your night-watch intro, Jo. The way you put this post together – words and pix, makes one begin to appreciate how ACTUALLY formidable and relentless this martial invasion and occupation of Britain was.

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    1. Thanks so much, darlin! The ruthlessness and discipline is what comes over from the combined experience, I think. We’re so used to just having a chuckle over Roman roads, but what they actually achieved was incredible.

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      1. I agree. Your post made me wonder how we’d feel to have ourselves over-run by such armies – to see the invaders slicing through the wild lands with great roads, and all the forts looming over us.

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  17. Love this! And so suitable for Cathy and her prose invitation. I have never been here, I doubt it existed when we last visited Vindolanda, but Sycamore Gap is iconic. One of the pictures of Northumberland I always have in my head.

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    1. It was sunny when we drove past earlier. I should have made him stop for the shot then but I didn’t expect the weather to change- it had been lovely, but I should know better than to trust that border weather. 🙂 🙂 No, it’s a newish addition, I think, and now, of course, they have The Sill. For my next trip up there. 🙂

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  18. Great post! I felt so sorry for the soldiers from sunnier climes who found themselves in the far north! The Roman Army Museum is a lovely spot to visit. I loved the film too!

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  19. Terrific post, Jo and I love your fiction writing at the beginning from the perspective of the lowly slave soldier. I fear he had not long in this world in the ‘deathly stillness’. Fascinating detailed facts … and the trailer is magnificent and compelling. This is a place to visit!

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  20. Love the way you started the post. Very dark, atmospheric and Roman-like. Thanks for taking me back in time. 🙃 Now, off with his head (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

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