Dorchester Roman Festival 2008 - Durnovaria Lives Again!

Saturday 30 Aug 2008 - Maumbury Rings
Sunday 31 Aug 2008 - Roman Town House

Romans marched through Dorchester to launch a two-day festival that captured life in the town nearly 2,000 years ago.

Shoppers and visitors watched in amazement as the re-enactment group Legio II Augusta set out from Dorchester's Roman Town House and through the town centre to Maumbury Rings where they set up camp and welcomed young recruits.

The town's amphitheatre once again became the focus for Roman-style entertainment including marching and games.

Hungry Romans of all ages enjoyed a hog roast at the site.

The festival continued with workshops at Dorset County Museum where children could try their hand at weaving and making Roman bullas - lucky charms - and where renowned historical author Lindsey Davis gave a talk about her popular Roman detective novels.

Attention was focused on the Roman Town House on Sunday for a Roman extravaganza. http://www.romantownhouse.co.uk/

The re-enactors staged living history displays to show domestic skills in cooking, medicines, toys and midwifery as well as talking to visitors about what life was like for soldiers, slaves and aristocrats in Roman times.

The day also included storytelling, archaeology and advice on finds from a Portable Antiquities Scheme expert.
http://www.finds.org.uk/

Learn more about Roman Ghosts, Legends, Dorset traditions and customs by logging on to the Dark Dorset website http://www.darkdorset.co.uk or blog http://darkdorset.blogspot.com
and open the door to a world of fascinating folklore.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Dorchester
• Roman
• Town
• House
• Festival
• History
• legiiavg
• Legio
• II
• Augusta
• Legion
• Army
• Maumbury
• Rings
• Re-enactment
• Dorset
• Folkore
• darkdorset

[aslan3456]

Wish there was a roman legion in New Zealand! Not even Auxilliries here sadly!

[Pateretfilius]

"Io, Saturnalia!" "Ho, praise to Saturn"). The 12 days of satunalia God or Goddess Jupiter Juno Neptune Mercury Vesta Minerva Mars Ceres Apollo Vulcan Diana Venus Augustus caesar son of god and saviour of peace

[WhichDoctor1]

the short one second from front at 2:13 reminds me of Baldrick somehow :-)

[professoreKrishKraft]

Very good video. 5*****.

Forza e onore.

[GWRtom]

yay i live in Dorchester best town ever

[Dhaune]

the entire western world is nothing but a big roman colony, so their history and european history also belongs to new zealand

[capodicino]

CAVE IDES DIES AVGVSTVS MMVIII! SPQR!

[withapulse]

impressive...if i wasnt in New Zealand I would join you! ...nothing like that in the colonies! :-)

[sondreus24]

dorchester

[Murfios]

were is this?