This is the text only version of the York Roman Festival web site. For the full graphical version, please visit http://www.yorkromanfestival.com
YORK ROMAN FESTIVAL 21-30 JULY 2006
The Norwich Union sponsored York Roman Festival is a public celebration of York’s rich Roman history and entertains and educates thousands of residents and visitors to the city.
Founded in AD71, it was from York that the famous IX Legion disappeared, where Emperors Septimius Severus and Constantius Chlorus died and where 1700 years ago, on the 25th July 306, Constantine The Great was proclaimed ‘Imperator’.
The York Roman Festival is an annual extravaganza of York’s Roman history. A celebration of the cultural and military customs the Romans brought to York and the history of Britain.
We would like to thank City of York Council, the York-City of Festivals organisation, the people of York and the many re-enactors who support us.
Last year the Festival was enjoyed by thousand of residents and brought thousands of people into the City, many of which return to the area again and again.
The events and activities we are endeavouring to bring to this years festival include:
There are only a handful of sites that exhibit Roman remains in the city and although the archaeological remains of the Multangular Tower in the Museum Gardens and Aldwark Tower near Monk Bar are modest compared with those that can be seen elsewhere in Europe, they are significant evidence of York’s historic urban heritage. Together, with the extensive collection of roman artefacts in the Yorkshire Museum these sites serve to represent what was a major fortress and later, one of the most important Roman cities in Britain – one which for a period at the end of the 3rd century was the capital of the Roman Empire, complete with an Imperial palace.
It was in York that the famous IX Legion disappeared from, where Emperors Septimius Severus and Constantius Chlorus died and where the first Christian Emperor, Constantine The Great, was proclaimed Emperor on the 25th July 306.
In 2006, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of that mementos occasion York Museums Trust will be holding ‘Constantine The Great’, an exhibition of pan-European importance from 31st March to 30th October and York will again be the centre of international Roman interest.
York’s Roman history and heritage is fantastic, and the collections of Roman objects from the city are superb. York’s Roman history and significance ought to better understood and appreciated and the York Roman Festival’s imaginative event will be an important contribution to that end.
Castle Howard, Nr Malton. (Normal entry charges apply)
11.30am Kids crafts and shield painting
12pm Arms and armour talk & display
12.30pm Try on armour and handle weapons
1pm Kids battle drill
1.30pm Myths and monsters tour
2.30pm Arms and armour
3pm Try on armour and handle weapons
3.30pm Kids battle drill
4pm Romans v’s Barbarians
4.30pm Statues tour
St Sampson’s Square, York - Romans in the Square
A chance for children to find out what life was like as a Roman. Games, talks, displays and a chance to take part in roman battle drills.
12pm – 3pm Roman Children’s Games - Free
12pm – 4pm Games Workshop –Table-top battle games Romans vs Celts
- Free
3pm Kids Roman Battle drill - Free
4pm Roman Tour of York – Minimum donation £2
Old Starre Inn, Stonegate, York
6pm-9pm Roman fun and games
Including Story telling, Quizzes, Music and Roman food
There is no admission charge but is restricted to adults only. (From 6pm –
9pm)
St Sampson’s Square, York - Romans in the Square
12pm – 4pm Games Workshop –Table-top battle games Romans vs Celts
- Free
2pm Free Roman Tour of York (Limited to 200. Collect tickets from 11am)
Old Starre Inn, Stonegate, York
6pm-9pm Roman fun and games
Including Story telling, Quizzes, Music and Roman food
There is no admission charge but is restricted to adults only. (From 6pm –
9pm)
St Sampson’s Square, York - Romans in the Square
A chance for children to find out what life was like as a Roman. Games, talks, displays and a chance to take part in roman battle drills.
12pm – 3pm Roman Children’s Games - Free
12pm – 4pm Games Workshop –Table-top battle games Romans vs Celts
- Free
3pm Kids Roman Battle drill - Free
4pm Roman Tour of York – Minimum donation £2
Old Starre Inn, Stonegate, York
6pm-9pm Roman fun and games
Including Story telling, Quizzes, Music and Roman food
There is no admission charge but is restricted to adults only. (From 6pm –
9pm)
St Sampson’s Square, York - Romans in the Square
A chance for children to find out what life was like as a Roman. Games, talks, displays and a chance to take part in roman battle drills.
12pm – 3pm Roman Children’s Games - Free
12pm – 4pm Games Workshop –Table-top battle games Romans vs Celts
- Free
3pm Kids Roman Battle drill - Free
4pm Roman Tour of York – Minimum donation £2
Old Starre Inn, Stonegate, York
6pm-9pm Roman fun and games
Including Story telling, Quizzes, Music and Roman food
There is no admission charge but is restricted to adults only. (From 6pm –
9pm)
St Sampson’s Square, York.
12pm Meet a Roman soldier
2pm Recruitment begins for kids battle drill
2.30pm Kids Battle drill
3pm Recruitment begins for kids battle drill
3.30pm Kids Battle drill
4pm Finish
6pm Spirit of the Lost Legion Event (Restricted to adults only.)
6pm – 7.00pm
Legio IX Tour
Meet in St Sampson’s Square. Soldiers from Legio IX will take you on a
Roman tour of the city. See the sites of York from the eyes of a first century
Roman Legionary.
7.00-8.00pm
The Spirits of Roman York at St Helen’s Church, St Helen’s Square
Come and see in the form of a play the ghostly Roman experience of Harry Martindale
and hear the myths surrounding the lost Ninth Legion in the beautiful surroundings
of St Helens Church.
8.00 – 9.00pm
Finally a feast fit for a weary soldier. Back to St Sampson’s Square for
authentic Roman cuisine and a glass of beer to refresh those tired limbs.
Tickets are only £10.00.
Call or email to book places as places are limited. 01904 628343 or spirits@yorkromanfestival.com
Throughout York City Centre
11am Muster & March
Procession of Roman Re-enactors through the city.
From Exhibition Square through Bootham Bar, along Petergate down Stonegate and
Davygate into St Sampson’s Square.
St Sampson’s Square, York
11.30am Civic Inspection
The Lord Mayor of York inspects the soldiers.
11.40am Entrance of the Emperor
11.45am - 5.30pm Circus Maximus
Through out the day crowds will be entertained by Dancers, Captured Barbarians
fighting to the death, Roman Gladiators, a Roman Military Surgery demonstration,
Kids Roman & Barbarian battle drills, Barbarians military displays, Chariot
racing, Roman military displays and ending in a battle between Romans &
Barbarians.
Library Gardens, Museum Street, York
12.30 – 5.00pm Living History Camp
See how the Romans lived. Listen to their stories and watch them demonstrate
their skills. Cooking displays, roman weapons, equipment and tactics.
Throughout York City Centre
11am Muster & March
Procession of Roman Re-enactors through the city.
From Exhibition Square through Bootham Bar, along Petergate down Stonegate and
Davygate into St Sampson’s Square.
St Sampson’s Square, York
11.30am – 4.30 Circus Maximus
Through out the day crowds will be entertained by Dancers, Captured Barbarians
fighting to the death, Roman Gladiators, a Roman Military Surgery demonstration,
Kids Roman & Barbarian battle drills, Barbarians military displays, Chariot
racing, Roman military displays and ending in a battle between Romans &
Barbarians.
Library Gardens, Museum Street, York
12.30 – 5.00pm Living History Camp
See how the Romans lived. Listen to their stories and watch them demonstrate
their skills. Cooking displays, roman weapons, equipment and tactics.
The Romans first came to Britain under the command of Julius Caesar who ‘came saw and conquered’ (veni, vidi, vici) in 55BC, though “came, saw and did a bit of shopping before going back home,” would have been a bit more of an appropriate quote, as they didn’t stay for too long. We are not sure if was it the weather or the inhospitable Celts who caused this short-lived ‘conquering’ of our great nation.
Britain’s Roman history began properly in the 1st Century when they did of course return under the new leadership of the Emperor Claudius (AD41 – 54) in AD43. This time they did more than collect a few pebbles from the beach and invaded us properly.
Within four years the Roman army occupied all of ‘Britannia Inferior’
or ‘Lower Britain’, from below the River Humber at Brough and apart
from the odd skirmish, (like the one with Queen Boudica around AD60) everything
remained pretty alright.
The area above the Humber was known as the Brigantes and the Romans were quite
happy for it’s ruler Queen Cartimandua to keep order, but unfortunately
her husband Venutius also wanted power. In AD69 he managed to achieve this and
Cartimandua was forced into exile and the Romans were forced to intervene because
of the civil unrest that occurred.
For the Emperors of Rome it had also been a testing time. After Claudius, Nero (AD54 – 68) took control until like most of the great city’s rulers he was assassinated. The next year saw four claims to the title before in AD69 Vespasian (AD69 – 79) was proclaimed Imperator!
It was Vespasian that appointed the new governor for Britain, Petillius Cerialis, who in AD71 moved the Ninth Legion (Legionem IX Hispanam) from their fortress at Lindum (Lincoln) into Brigantium territory and the area know by the locals as ‘Eburacon’, a celtic word that meant ‘place where the yew tree grows’. The Romans on settling in the area then latinised, as they normally did, to ‘Eboracum’.
The place of Eboracum was an obvious choice for a base, not only for it’s never ending supply of timber, but also for it’s easily defensible position on relatively high but flat sandstone ridge between the two rivers that still form York’s heart today.
The first defences of the fort were built in a hurry using ready-made materials in the form of an earth mound, ditch with wooden surround. This stood until around AD80, when a more permanent structure was built.
After three years of fighting the Romans gained control of the Brigantes and Eboracum became a major fortress along with Chester and Caerleon in Gwent.
The first century of Roman rule in Britain ended with the Emperor Trajan (AD98-117) in control and the Ninth Legion firmly in place within the fortress of Eboracum, but more dramatic changes where to affect both the city and country in the next 20 years.
It’s thought that the fortress of Eboracum was being re-built in stone around AD107 because in the late 19th Century part of a stone inscription mentioning Emperor Trajan (also describing him as Pontifex Maximus or Chief Priest) and the Ninth Legion was found in King’s Square in York, close to the site for one of the three main gateways into the fort, the others being St Helen’s Square and exactly where Bootham Bar stands now. The most important of these would have been the Portia Praetorian, which was St Helen’s Square, the direct road from the South.
Ten years after re-building began, one of the most famous of Rome’s emperors came to power, Hadrian (AD117 - 138). With him came a complete set of new rules to play by: mixed bathing was banned, much to the great annoyance of many (mostly men)!
In AD120 he came to Britain and because of continuing problems in the north, Hadrian decided to call a halt to the issue and make life for the soldiers easier (and warmer) by building a great wall across the country. The wall from Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast to Wallsend on the east is now a World Heritage Site. Over 73 miles long, the wall took 6 years to build and acted as a border control point. It was the most northern point of the Roman Empire.
It was During Hadrian’s reign that the famous Ninth Legion was sent north to disperse some ‘Barbarian’ hoards. Here is where history and historians clash. There are many different versions of what happened to them after leaving York and you can read the most famous version by clicking here. In this version the whole Legion were all wiped out and never returned, other versions say they were disbanded others still have them moving to the Netherlands, but whatever occurred they were replaced by Hadrian with the ‘conquering’ Sixth Legion around AD120.
The Sixth Legion built much of Hadrian’s Wall and took part in many campaigns beyond (in the area known as Caledonia to the Romans). Eboracum never again went through a Legion change and the Sixth Legion remained here until the Romans finally went home. Although the symbol used by the Sixth Legion was a Bull, and was used by the province of Lower Britain, it did not become the emblem of York, who chose instead to keep the emblem of the founding Ninth Legion, the Boar (and is still used at the Imphal Barracks).
The rest of this century went without much fuss. Emperors Antoninus Pius (AD131 – 161), Marcus Aurelius (AD161 – 180 AD) and Commodus (AD180 – 192) never visited Britain, but the founder of the Severan Dynasty would come early in the next century.
At the beginning of the 3rd Century the African Septimus Severus (AD193 – 235), was Emperor and it was under his direction that Eboracum became the stronghold of the north. Lucius Septimius Severus had earlier restored stability to the Roman empire after the tumultuous reign of the Emperor Commodus and the civil wars that erupted in the wake of Commodus’ murder.
He saw to it that the whole of the fortress’s defences were rebuilt, stronger than before. Some of these ‘changes’ can still be seen close to Monk Bar at what was the fortresses East corner and is known as Aldwark Tower.
Although there was magnesium limestone readily available for the purpose of construction at nearby Tadcaster (which was used for the construction of virtually everything during the Medieval period), the Romans decided to use a much harder stone from further away, found at Leeds and Halifax. Originally called Elland Stone, it is still used today, but now takes the name York Stone.
Eboracum by this time clearly had all the amenities to accommodate an Emperor, because from AD208, Severus governed the Roman Empire from here until his death from pneumonia at the age of 64 in AD2II.
During his time a civilian city grew up on the opposite bank of the River Ouse to the southwest of the fort. Around AD2I3 Eboracum was given the highest status possible that could be bestowed on it, that of a Colonia and became the Capital of Britannia Inferior.
By AD237 Eboracum had also set-up a direct shipping route to southern Gaul, which is the Bordeaux region of France. The area in which the Romans built their docks was to the Southeast of the fortress where they used not the larger River Ouse, but constructed unloading wharves that included a crane along the banks of the lesser River Foss.
Although the position of the River Ouse hasn’t changed much since Roman times, it is today nearly 3m deeper and non tidal since the building of Naburn lock in the mid 18th Century. However, the River Foss has changed it’s course significantly. The Foss was substantially altered by the creation of the King’s Fish Pool in the late 11th Century and by canalisation in more recent times. In Roman times the banks of the Foss were much more steep than they are today.
The 3rd Century ended as it began, with the fort again being re-built and the addition of a new Bathhouse built within the fortress for the soldiers. The Eboracum Legion Bathhouse was finished in time for use by one of Rome’s most famous emperors.
Eboracum was now a thriving fortress, city and place for trade and industry, so a visit by the emperor was not a great surprise.
In AD306 Emperor Constantius Chlorus came to visit with his son Constantine. Unfortunately for the emperor he died on 25 July that year. Immediately the soldiers proclaimed his son, Constantine, emperor in his place. This was a very rare thing to happen, as normally Rome was the only city where somewhere could be made emperor.
Constantine the Great went on to become one of the most important of Rome’s emperor’s. In AD3I3 he decreed the Edict of Milan that gave authority to people’s choice of religion and said that if anyone wished to be a Christian they could. Amongst other things he further went on to instigate the celebration of the birth of Christ that we call Christmas.
It was a year after the Edict in AD314 that Eboracum had it’s first Bishop and who, along with the Bishop’s of Lundinium (London) and Lindum (Lincoln), attended the Christian council at Arles.
It is thought that it was in the 4th century that substantial stone walls were added to the Colonia, as were the public baths and many stone buildings including temples and houses.
Whilst Eboracum was prospering, northern Britain was beginning to weaken. Continuing attacks to Hadrian’s Wall inAD367 led to major repairs two years later. Even Rome came under pressure, which is probably when many troops were withdrawn from Britain to help stave off attacks from the Goths and Picts in the East.
In AD400 the Germanics were beginning to enter York and certainly by AD4I0 the Roman Emperor Honorius (AD395 - 423) had withdrawn all of his soldiers and Hadrian’s Wall was finally abandoned. Roman rule in Britain ended…
The Lost Legion was founded in 2003 to recreate the lives of soldiers of the Roman Army for public demonstrations and living history displays and our primary objectives are to educate, entertain and promote the Roman influence and culture in the city of York.
We can give talks on many aspects of Roman army life, and will sometimes spend a day or weekend living like our ancient counterparts did on campaign.
One of our main functions is to parade through the streets of York during the summer as a tourist attraction, presenting a visual and verbal portrayal of life at York nearly 2,000 years ago, the highlight of which is the annual York Roman Festival.
Our aim is presenting and illuminating the life of a Roman soldier in Britain, by way of informative and interactive experiences for all ages.
More information can be found at www.lostlegion.org
If you would like to contact the Lost Legion for any reason please email enquiries@lostlegion.org
Without sponsors, volunteers and donations the York Roman Festival would not exist and it would certainly not be mostly free as it currently is.
The Festival costs thousands of pounds to put on and receives almost no public
funding. Commercial sponsorship is essential to the continued success of the
event and we are very grateful to private organisations such as Norwich Union
for their continued support.
The Festival is also supported by Brecks Saab, Cavendish Jewellers, York Tourism
Bureau, First Stop York, Roamin' Tours, Acute Marketing, Triangle Multimedia,
PictureDrum, Keith Meadley Photography and the Mana Restaurant
Partnership with the York Roman Festival can benefit it’s sponsors in many ways: increase awareness of your company; enhance your image; giving something to the local community or your employees; access to the York tourism and residents markets; and promotion of key marketing propositions.
Last year not only was the event reported extensively in the local and regional press, on radio and on York TV, before during and after the Festival, but also on regional TV.
We are currently seeking partners for the York Roman Festival. Organisations who want real value from the mutual benefits such a relationship can bring.
As a non-profit organisation we also welcome private donations from parties that want to contribute but do not want any publicity. If you contact us for this your enquiry will be treated in the strictest confidence.
We welcome your attendance to find out more about us, the event and the benefits of sponsorship.
Many people give hundreds of hours of their time for nothing (or pro bono as we say in Rome), if you think you can give a few hours it would come in useful. We need stewards, first aiders and assistants on stalls etc at the Festival but we also need administrative support throughout the year.
If you are a potential sponsor, volunteer or patron please call us on 01904 628343 or email help@yorkromanfestival.co.uk
Sponsored by Norwich Union.