EDGE OF THE EMPIRE: Journey to Britannia

AD 130. Rome is the dazzling heart of a vast empire and Hadrian its most complex and compelling ruler. Faraway Britannia is one of the Romans' most troublesome provinces: here the sun is seldom seen and "the atmosphere in the country is always gloomy." What awaits the traveller to Britannia? Chapters include setting sail from Ostia, through Gaul to Ocean, westwards to Silchester, to touristy Bath, the Amphitheatre and fortress at Caerleon, a new foreman at Wroxeter capital of cattle country. How will you get there? What do you need to pack and what language will you speak? How does London compare to Rome? Are there any tourist attractions and what dangers lurk behind Hadrian's new wall? Combining an extensive range of Greek and Latin sources with a sound understanding of archaeology, Bronwen Riley describes an epic journey from Rome to Hadrian's Wall at the empire's northwestern frontier. In this strikingly original history of Roman Britain, she evokes the smells, sounds, colours, and sensations of life, people and politics in the second century. With checklist of Latin and English place names. 336 page paperback, maps.