Part II – Blood, Threat and Cheers

In the last blog, we looked at the basics of the Roman gladiator and gladiatorial contests; in this second part we’ll explore the position of the gladiator in Roman society and how they were viewed by those around them.

BATRM 1981.5.a.1 Samian piece depicting gladiators on display at the Roman Baths Museum

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The gladiator held a very contradictory position within ancient Roman society. While he could win fame and fortune and become a sort of celebrity, he was also forever an outcast – these people were known as the ‘infames’ of society, a label and status assigned to most performers who were paid for their acts.

Such stigma did not necessarily entail shame though: there is plenty of evidence from tombstones that shows gladiators declared their profession proudly. They seem to have been something of an enigma even to the Romans, who were fascinated by them, and believed the blood of a gladiator could be used as a remedy against impotence!

‘Healing blood’ sounds like something we might associate with the divine, so perhaps their heroic status was more powerful than their ‘infamia’. This would go some way to explaining the decoration on fragments of Samian ware which we hold here at The Roman Baths. On one fragment gladiators are thought to appear alongside Hercules, a very well-known hero of the ancient world.

Remains of the gladiator school at Pompeii, where the body of a rich lady was found amongst the fighters

Roman women were clearly not put off by the gladiator’s status either. The excavations at Pompeii have revealed some fascinating evidence of this, including graffiti which refers to gladiator Celadus, who ‘makes the girls swoon’. They’ve also uncovered a Pompeian woman in amongst a group of gladiators – all preserved by Vesuvius’ eruption – suggesting there was mingling, or perhaps even a love affair, taking place at the time.

The Emperor Commodus took part in gladiatorial games. An avid supporter, he trained in combat and appeared in the arena in AD 193 dressed as Hercules, but his stunt did not go down well with dismayed contemporaries who considered it undignified.

The Emperor Commodus as Hercules’

Today, we would probably assume that it was the bloodshed of gladiatorial games which caused controversy in the ancient world. In fact commentators at the time were much more concerned about the effect they had on the audience’s emotions – philosophers believed the games caused people to lose self-control, and criticised them for this.

The aim was not gore at all but an impressive contest of control and skill, and a demonstration of excellent swordsmanship. Hence the use of strict rules and a referee - if, for example, armour fell off unprovoked (i.e. unfairly), the referee could pause proceedings. A fair fight was essential: there was no honour in beating a weaker opponent. So contests for criminals charged to execution were generally held at lunchtime, when the audience was at its thinnest. Such fights were not entertaining as the gladiator had a major advantage over the convict.

Entertainment lay in the ability of the two fighters, evenly matched, to out-fight each other. Exceptional skill was important, as, if the audience were impressed enough, they could call for the loser’s life to be spared. On the other hand, those condemned to death were expected to master the moment – welcoming it by kneeling before their opponent.

The Emperor Honorius formally banned gladiatorial games in AD 404, but they have continued to be a source of wonder and entertainment for us ever since.

Sources:

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/gladiators/gladiators.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml

Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome, ed. Kohne, E., and Ewigleben, C., London 2000

Part I – Let the Games Begin!

Illustrations of the gladiator and gladiatorial combat by one of our volunteers, James.

The Olympic Games may have begun in Greece but they were very much affected by the rise of the Roman Empire, particularly as many Greek athletes were ‘adopted’ by Rome – which meant that sometimes there weren’t enough competitors to hold a full programme of events!

One sport of the ancient world which seems to fascinate us is the Roman gladiatorial contest, which, in its own time was not very controversial at all. This is hard for us to get our heads around because we’re not used to such brutality in the entertainment industry, but we’ll see in the second part of this blog next week that the Romans viewed these competitions very differently to us.

Gladiatorial games seem to have started around 264 BC when slaves fought at the funerals of noblemen for entertainment. Over time the fights began to be held for their own sake, and they became a useful way for Emperors to keep their people happy.

So who were these gladiators? Most obviously: slaves and criminals. Criminals could be condemned ‘to the sword’ (execution by a gladiator) or to train at a gladiatorial school, which at least gave them the opportunity to learn and develop the skills which could save them. Remarkably though, by the end of the Roman Republic half of all gladiators were voluntary free men, probably lured by the down payment.

The ludus magnus – the best-known training ground for gladiators.

Gladiators trained in schools, the most famous of which was the ludus magnus, set just beside the Colosseum. These schools usually pitted their own gladiators against each other, because being killed by a comrade was considered preferable to being killed by a stranger. Just like today, the contestants warmed up first - in their case fighting with blunted or wooden weapons. Fights lasted around fifteen minutes, and were usually between pairs of gladiators, though mass fights did sometimes take place.

There were many different types of gladiator, each with his own armour, weaponry and, above all, fighting style. Participants were usually paired up with a different gladiator type to make for a more interesting contest, given the varying advantages and disadvantages of each type. Though there were no points to be won, only victory, there were still strict rules and a referee to enforce them.

On the surface, the world of the gladiator seems poles apart from our sporting contests, but in the end the games were about winners and losers, as they will be in London come July.

Be sure to look out for part II, where we explore how the gladiator was perceived in his own city.

Sources:

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/gladiators/gladiators.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml

Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome, ed. Kohne, E., and Ewigleben, C., London 2000

Festival of British Archaeology - Chew Magnified, the review

It was a rainy Saturday when the Roman Baths Collections Team came to town…

Lindsey (Learning and Programmes Officer) and Susan (Collections Manager B&NES Roman Baths) headed the team; Richard (Archaeological Officer for B&NES), Helen (Collections Assistant B&NES Roman Baths), Kathryn (Visitor Services B&NES Roman Baths) Angela (Marketing Office B&NES) Emma and Hannah (Collection Volunteers – Roman Baths) made up the squad. Armed with display boards, artefacts and activities we were looking forward to meeting the people of Chew Magna and beyond…

Building a miniture version of Chew Magna

We were really pleased to see Bath and Camerton Archaeological Society (BACAS) join us with their display of recent work carried out at Stanton Drew stone circle. Brian Wood came armed with an interesting display of family history and Sheila Walker was kind enough to loan some very interesting and popular photographs and information relating to the local area. Chew Valley School also chipped in with some fantastic artwork based on architecture found within the village. The day would not have run so smoothly without the help of Doris Davies and Suzanne Bloxham so a big thank you to them….

Bath and Camerton's display

The most popular event on the days itinerary had to be the Medieval music played by the band Waytes and Measures. It was great to hear the music of Medieval Britain played on replica authentic instruments (we all thought a hurdy gurdy was a creation of fantasy!). Most surprising was that our very own Richard Sermon (Archaeological Officer) was one of the band members… hidden talents eh!

Richard Sermon displaying his many talents

Despite the rain many people turned up to enjoy the days events and bravely ventured out on the self-guided walk around the village! By the time the event was winding up the sun had come out, which must have been a welcomed addition to the bed race that was taking place the same afternoon!

A big thank you to all who took part in this event and an even bigger thank you to all who came along to join in – we look forward to coming out into the community of Bath and North East Somerset next year as part of the Festival of British Archaeology and we just might be coming to visit you….

Helen Harman - Collections Assistant

Festival of British Archaeology - Chew Magna - Chew Magnified

Come and join us in the former School Room at Chew Magna

We have been busy, busy, busy bees in the office this week putting the final preparations together for our Festival of British Archaeology event. This year we our going out to the village of Chew Magna (Saturday July 14th 2012) where there will be a celebration all things archaeological and historical. The plan of events includes a self-guided walk around the village, medieval music, children’s activities and fascinating displays narrating local archaeology and history. Come and meet the Roman Baths Team and your local Archaeological Officer in this all-day event of all things archaeological.

So if you live locally, are in the area or simply just looking for something FREE and fun to do this Saturday come along and take part, we would love to see you… For more information please follow the links below….

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events1.aspx

https://www.facebook.com/TheRomanBaths#!/events/407591669293184/

If you can’t make this event but would still like to take part in the Festival of British Archaeology please follow this link…..

http://festival.britarch.ac.uk/whatson

Blog update on this event to follow….

The Ruin

We are often asked - What happened to the site after the fall of Rome? Unfortunately there isn't the archaeological evidence to answer this question as most of it has been dug away as part of previous historic excavations, however there are some clues.....

This poem is called ‘The Ruin’ an eighth century poem probably written by a monk at the adjacent monastery, inspired by the deserted, crumbling remains of the Roman temple and baths. The poem is incomplete and the site is unnamed, but the references to hot water and many structural elements revealed by archaeology leave little doubt that the poet was in Bath.

Watercolour of the Great Bath

‘The Ruin’

Wondrous is this masonry, shattered by the fates.
The fortifications have given way,
the buildings raised by giants are crumbling.
The roofs have collapsed; the towers are in ruins….
there is rime on the mortar.
The walls are rent and broken away
and have fallen undermined by age.
The owners and builders are perished and gone
and have been held fast in the Earth’s embrace,
the ruthless clutch of the grave,
while a hundred generations of mankind have passed away..
Red of hue and hoary with lichen
this wall has outlasted kingdom after kingdom,
standing unmoved by storms.
The lofty arch has fallen…
resolute in spirit he marvellously clamped the foundations
of the walls with ties
there were splendid palaces and many halls with water
flowing through them
a wealth of gables towered aloft…
And so these courts lie desolate
and the framework of the dome with its red arches shed its tiles….
where of old many a warrior,
joyous hearted and radiant with gold,
shone resplendent in the harness of battle,
proud and flushed with wine.
He gazed upon the treasure, the silver, the precious stones,
upon wealth, riches and pearls,
upon this splendid citadel of a broad domain.
There stood courts of stone,
and a stream gushed forth in rippling floods of hot water.
The wall enfolded within its bright bosom
the whole place which contained the hot flood of the baths……

Collection Volunteers Day Out 2012

At the Roman Baths Museum we have a wide variety of people behind the scenes volunteering with us. We have students studying or wanting to study archaeology, history or classics; people who are looking to expand or improve their CVs and those simply dedicated to improving the archaeological record and access to collections.

Just a few of our dedicated team of volunteers/interns and placements

Our team of volunteers dedicate many hours to helping us improve museum records through documentation and research, each come with their own skills and learning objectives to work towards. Together we work to ensure better public access and interpretation of the Roman Baths collections, and in return for their hard work we offer them an invaluable experience in a very busy, vibrant work environment.

Working with Combe Down Stone Mine material

In recent times, our volunteer team has helped to process and move archaeological material relating to projects such as the Keynsham Town Hall Redevelopment and the Combe Down Stone Mine Project. They have been out in the field in Bathwick helping the archaeologist process material from one of the most exciting digs in Bath in the last 10 years. Currently, they are working towards the creation of our Festival of British Archaeology event at Chew Magna on Saturday 14th July, and the Tuesday Timetables that start on Tuesday 24th July.

As a big thank you for all of their hard work, we reward them with an annual outing; this year we visited Corinium Museum in Cirencester and Chedworth Roman Villa. It was a lovely day (fortunately the rain held off) and good fun was had by all.



Time to play - The Mosaic Room at Corinium Museum

A big THANK YOU to all you guys for your hard work.

For more information on the Festival of British Archaeology Event follow this link:

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events1.aspx   or

https://www.facebook.com/events/407591669293184/

For more information on Tuesday Timetables follow this link:

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events1.aspx

If you are interested in volunteering with us please follow this link:

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/contact/volunteering.aspx

Connecting Collections - Lovely Jubilee!

This year the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, and here at the Baths we also celebrated – not just with a long weekend, but also with a Jubilee-centric temporary display!

The display has a selection of various objects, some from the museum collection, and others on loan from the Bath Record Office and the Victoria Art Gallery. This is because our collection doesn’t have many items that are associated with Queen Elizabeth II, which did at first cause a small problem in creating an interesting display…

The official logo of the 2012 Diamond Jubilee, the winning design of a national competition, was created by 10-year-old Katherine Dewar

Fortunately, the Bath Record Office has plenty of eye catching material. We were able to borrow a number of items, including a folder of photographs from Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and the original Daily Mail 1952 Coronation Day Special newspaper, printed in golden ink! This actually became the centrepiece for the display, but there was so much other material that could have been used, most of which was glued into large leather-bound books from the Mayor’s Office, so couldn’t be removed. These included programmes, leaflets and invitations to events, all relating to jubilee or coronation celebrations held in Bath in years gone by. In order to include all of these items, I scanned them and created a digital collage that was printed onto the backboard of the display.

The Victoria Art Gallery have also kindly loaned us a mug, commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, and an ink on glass silhouette of George III, painted by Hamlet, who was local to Bath. These are interesting because they highlight the other significant jubilees of the monarchy – George III being the first to celebrate 50 years on the throne in 1809, and Queen Victoria having the first Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The finished display case

From our own collection, I chose to display the Pump Room visitor book that was signed by Queen Elizabeth II, and a selection of medals and commemorative coinage that were made to celebrate various jubilees. These included George III and Queen Victoria, but also Bath Temperance Society and Pope Pius IX, Jubilee celebrations that had nothing to do with the monarchy! The newest acquisition in the collection was also purchased for this display, a 2012 Diamond Jubilee Commemorative £5 coin, produced by the Royal Mint.

The finishing touch was provided by a string of Union Jack bunting, which must have inspired someone, because I saw it everywhere over the weekend!

Zosia - Collections Intern

Art Inspiration

I think my past blogs have served as clear evidence that art is a great part of who I am. Over the past couple of years my time associated with the Roman Baths has not only expanded my talents but opened doors for my own work.

Before I started working here the Victorian Art Gallery was alien territory for me, and this is coming from a wannabe artist. From the first time I visited that place I began looking up all the future exhibitions they held, drawn to one annual event in particular: The Bath Society of Artists Open Exhibition; a chance for artists both amateur and professional to have their work on display for all the public to see.

Admittedly I was hesitant to submit some work for consideration last year. I can only imagine how much of a big step it is for any up-and-coming artist, and it took the encouragement of all my colleagues in the Collections office before I got two of my pieces together: a portrait painting of actress Karen Gillan and an experimental form of art known as “Cybermen at Arms”. The portrait was rejected sadly but “Cybermen…” officially became the first piece of art I had created to be on display at an exhibition, and considering that it was among the 350 chosen from an original 700 submitted I felt rather privileged, even if it didn’t sell.

Cybermen at Arms

Earlier this year, the next exhibition came round, and following the success of “Cybermen at Arms’” I produced two new paintings from my range of ‘Parody Art’: “Penguin Product Placement” and “Towing and Reckless Driving is Serious”. Based on “Cybermen’s…” uniqueness I had hoped that at least one of those pieces would make it through, so imagine my surprise when I learned shortly after the submission that BOTH paintings were accepted. Sadly I still fell short of my first sale and a category award has still eluded my grasp.

Penguin Product Placement

It may be some time before I get any awards or recognition, but just being able to say that three of my paintings were selected for an exhibition means I can walk away with my head held high, until I have to put it down again while I brainstorm new ideas.

Towing and Reckless Driving is Serious

James Read - Collections Volunteer

Connecting Collections – Spa Treatment Centre Equipment

St. John’s Store is home to a wide variety of objects including furniture, retired models and spa equipment. This three part series will look at the history of the building, the spa related objects and the furniture collection.

Part 3 - Spa Treatment Centre Equipment

The hot waters of Bath have long been used for the therapeutic treatment of medical ailments, over the years a variety of recreational baths and hospitals have sprung up, all tapping into the natural resource of the warm mineral water from the hot springs.

One such place was The Spa Treatment Centre which opened in 1870 offering a series of luxurious treatments for those who could afford it. The centre grew in popularity and demand during the late 1800s and early 1900s offering treatments for all different kinds of ailments from simple aches and pains, to sciatica and rheumatism and in extreme cases permanent disabilities.

Many of the treatments are still used today but in different forms; the sauna is often seen in gyms and the aeration bath (see below) was the precursor to the modern day Jacuzzi.......

The spa equipment came into the Roman Baths collection after the closure of the Spa Treatment Centre in 1983.

Vichy Bath and Douche

This Victorian invention was named after the spa town in France. The treatment consisted of a massage under a series of shower heads.

“So great had been the demand for this treatment that a further Vichy suite has just been added to the Royal Baths.” The Book of Bath, 1920’s

BATRM 2000.11.1 Vichy Bath and Douche

Needle Douches

A needle douche is an all-round shower which produces fine needle-like jets of spring water. It was one of many treatments available at the Spa Treatment Centre from the 1870s to 1976.

BATRM 1986.491 Needle Douche

Walking Frame

Late Victorian wooden and brass walking frame. The brass frame has four small wheels supporting the solid wooden base. Used by patients in the Spa Treatment Centre.

BATRM 1986.491.47 Walking Frame

Aeration Bath

A deep bath that worked like a modern Jacuzzi. There are a series of pipes in the bottom of the bath which supplied the spring water at high pressure. The bather would lie on a wooden board and back rest.

BATRM 1986.606 Aeration Bath

The store is open to the public several times a year, with the next store open day on Saturday 9th June 2012 from 11am until 3pm. Please do come along and visit us – for more information and directions please follow this link
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events/behind_the_scenes_tours.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/296443413763889/

Connecting Collections – Furniture

St. John’s Store is home to a wide variety of objects including furniture, retired models and spa equipment. This three part series will look at the history of the building, the spa related objects and the furniture collection.

Part 2 – The Furniture

Not many people know that St John’s store is home to wonderful pieces of furniture. Some have simply appeared in the collection over the years, others donated but mostly it is made up of funiture acquired for council buildings to be used as functional objects rather than collected for their beauty….

Five Seat Rout Bench

This mahogany rout bench was made specifically for the Pump Room, and named after the formal evening parties held in the late 18th Century. Its prototype was designed and made by William Birchall of Queen’s Square, who was employed by Bath Corporation in 1777 to make a pattern settee ‘as a model’ for others to follow. The central design depicts the Bath City Coat of Arms in mahogany veneer and satinwood. The bench seat was originally covered in crimson check.

Bath City Coat of Arms

William Morris Secretaire Bookcase (1894) and William Morris Display Case (1895)

Until recently these beautiful mahogany and satinwood pieces were used to dress the Victorian Scene in the Fashion Museum’s Panorama Room. Both pieces came into the collection via a bequest from the Henderson family. They were made in London towards the end of William Morris’s life. Born in Walthamstow in 1834 William Morris became famous for his work in the visual and decorative arts. His work included book design, calligraphy, furniture, paintings, drawings, stained glass, tapestries, textiles, and wallpapers.

BATRM 2006.31 and BATRM 2006.28 William Morris Pieces

Card Table

This 19th Century Dutch ornate marquetry card table is inlaid with birds, scroll foliage and playing cards. The veneer has faded over time and would originally have been much brighter. Playing cards was a popular pastime in Georgian Bath.

BATRM 2006.278 Card Table

Bench

Mahogany bench from the time of William IV (early – mid 19th Century).
The design reflects a new taste for classical simplicity, symmetry and elegance, in the style known as neo-classical, which appeared during the late Georgian period.

BATRM 2006.21 Bench

The store is open to the public several times a year, with the next store open day on Saturday 9th June 2012 from 11am until 3pm. Please do come along and visit us – for more information and directions please follow this link http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events/behind_the_scenes_tours.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/296443413763889/

Connecting Collections – St John’s Store

St John's Museum Store

St. John’s Store is home to a wide variety of objects including furniture, retired models and spa equipment. This three part series will look at the history of the building, the spa related objects and the furniture collection.

Part 1 - About the Building

In 2006, Bath and North East Somerset Council took over a third of the building to house its large social history collection and create a spacious, accessible store. The collection is primarily made up of large pieces of historic furniture and some weird and wonderful spa treatment equipment. The building is currently shared with Mobile Libraries, Weston Day Centre, and acts as Trading Standards stationary store. Before its modern use, the building served as St John the Evangelist School. The school was built in 1875 and sits in the Parish of Weston. It was built as part of the movement towards public education, which first began in the previous century with the creation of Sunday schools.

Prior to 1800, there were very few schools. Most of those that existed were run by the church, for the church, stressing religious education. In 1814, compulsory apprenticeship by indenture was abolished. By 1831, Sunday school in Great Britain was ministering weekly to 1,250,000 children, approximately 25% of the population.

The Elementary Education Act of 1870 (The Forster Act) was a milestone in the British school education system. The act made it compulsory to provide education for children between the ages of 5 and 10. An extension to the Elementary Education Act in 1880 insisted on compulsory attendance for children aged from 5–10 years. The Elementary Education (School Attendance) Act 1893 raised the minimum leaving age to 11. Later the same year, the act was extended to cover blind and deaf children. This act was amended in 1899 to raise the school leaving age up to 12 years.

Unfortunately, our knowledge of the history of St John’s school is limited. We know it closed in the 1970’s but could you help? Do you know anything about St John’s School?

We are looking for information, if you know of anyone who used to go to school here or who might know anything more about the building, please leave a comment or contact us on 01225 477779; susan_fox@bathnes.gov.uk

The store is open to the public several times a year. The next store open day is Saturday 9th June 2012 from 11am until 3pm, so please do come along and visit us – for more information and directions please follow this link http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/whats_on/events/behind_the_scenes_tours.aspx  or check out our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/296443413763889/

Helen Harman - Collections Assistant

Coins from the Sacred Spring

New display - Roman Baths, King's Bath Corridor

The redisplay of a timeline showing Roman coins found in the Sacred Spring has prompted a lot of coin-related questions from visitors, with most people wanting to know why the coins of some emperors outnumber those of others so greatly. In modern Britain, where we are used to the same face appearing on all the coins all of the time, this is an idea that might take some explaining! Lots of factors to do with the coins themselves and how people used them go into explaining why the number of surviving coins from emperor to emperor can vary so greatly. First off, the really obvious answer: some emperors had really long reigns, so it stands to reason that their coins are going to outnumber those of other emperors who ruled for a shorter period of time! For example: Hadrian’s 20 year reign meant that the overall amount of coins he issued dwarfed the number issued by other less long-lived emperors. With that in mind, it makes sense that the number of surviving Hadrianic coins is so great in proportion to some other emperors.


But we shouldn’t think that emperor x will be well represented in museum collections and archaeological finds just because he minted lots of coins. One good explanation could be that some emperors’ coins were more debased than those issued by their predecessors, which reduced their value. What does this mean? It means that when an emperor found himself strapped for cash, he would order that base metal be added to the precious metal used to mint the coins. This is exactly what Claudius (of I, Claudius fame) did when he found himself short of silver. By diluting the precious metal mixture with iron and bronze, he could produce more coins from technically the same amount of metal. Geddit? It’s a little like how the gin lasts longer when you dilute it with tonic water, but with far less tasty and appealing results. Over his 13 year reign, Claudius’ mints churned out these debased coins possibly in their millions – and the Romans weren’t impressed! What seems to have happened is many people stashed away older less debased coins of previous emperors but continued to use the new Claudian ones for day to day stuff. The result was that the older more valuable coins had an increased chance of survival, while the Claudian ones got lost, broken, or were chucked into the melting pot. It is also probable that Nero (the next emperor) systematically withdrew and melted down Claudius’ less valuable coins to make sure that people did not continue to pull the nicer coins out of circulation and into their savings. This is why Claudius is very underrepresented in terms of coins, despite reigning for the same amount of time as Nero (whose coins survive in abundance).

Also, we can’t forget that the supply of coins to different parts of the empire was sporadic and fluctuating. Let’s take Britain as an example. Immediately following the conquest of the island in the 40s AD, the supply of coins from the continent is thought to have been minimal and intermittent, but picked up by the middle to late 100s AD. What does this mean? Well, it means that while Nero minted extensively throughout his entire reign, we are less likely to find him represented in coins from a British site because his reign comes so early on in the history of Roman Britain. On the other side of the coin (pardon the pun!), coins of Antoninus Pius and Hadrian appear on many British sites in greater numbers than Nero or earlier emperors who minted just as extensively. The reasons for such inconsistent supply are varied – war and conflict could disrupt the reliability of supply lines, and the demand for coins in a specific place may have had a large part to play in whether coins were shipped there in great numbers.

I hope that makes the issue a little clearer! The reason that some emperors have more surviving coins than others is more complicated than whether they minted lots or not!

Matt

It's all About..... Weapons and Tools

During Science Week at the Roman Baths, visitors were invited to look at and handle some of the artefacts from the museum collection. Our visitors were encouraged to consider how tools were made during the Mesolithic to Neolithic period (c. c.10, 000 BC to c.3, 200 BC); the Bronze Age (c.3, 200 BC to c.700 BC); the Iron Age (c.700 BC to c.100AD); and the Romano-British period (43AD to c.400-500AD).

My ‘handling table’ held replica flint hand tools and two Neolithic flint arrow-heads – one from Yorkshire and one found at the Baths during excavations of the King’s Bath / ‘Sacred Spring’ in 1979. Visitors enjoyed handling the replica flint hand tools, which included a hand axe, a flint knife, a flint saw and some flint scrapers that were used to clean animal skins.

Me at my handling table

Next to the flint tools, visitors handled a replica cast of a Bronze Age ‘socketed’ axe head that was discovered in Bristol and examined a Bronze Age ‘flanged’ axe and a spear head from the Museum’s collection.

Our visitors were also able to handle lumps of metal working waste which were excavated from the Bath Easton bypass in 1990. There are a number of Iron Age settlements in the Avon valley and on the hills surrounding Bath, such as the camp at Bathampton Down.

Finally, the handling table held a photograph of the bronze ballista washer that is on display in the Roman Baths Museum. This circular piece of cast bronze looks a “bit like a plug”, according to one of our visitors, and it does! It was made to sit, with three others, on the four corners of the heavy wooden frame which made the front piece of a Roman ballista.

Roman ballista washer from Roman Baths collection BATRM 1983.13.b.1

A ballista was a siege weapon a little like a very large crossbow, which fired arrows, or bolts that were between six inches and up to a foot long. The bronze washer was also found during the excavation of the Sacred Spring in the King’s Bath in 1979; and when it was found, archaeologists thought that it belonged to the modern pump they were using to pump water from the King’s Bath so they could excavate! Our visitors were also told that similar ‘washers’ were found in Italy and Iraq, and experimental archaeology has shown that the size of the washer tells experts the size of the ballista weapon they came from – ours is one of the smallest, so probably came from one of the smaller weapons.

It is interesting how the washer came to be in the Sacred Spring along with other Roman offerings. Perhaps the washer was thrown into the Sacred Spring by a Roman artillery soldier as an offering for thanks for or a prayer for luck in a coming battle? What our visitors found most intriguing is that the ballista washer was found close to the Neolithic flint arrow-head that was with the flint tools on display! Archaeologists think that the site of the Sacred Spring was important before the Romans came to Bath, and maybe the flint arrowhead was thrown into the spring as an ‘offering’, or a votive, to whichever gods were believed to have been there thousands of years before the Roman goddess Minerva or Aquae Sulis came to Bath.

Tony - Collections placement

It's all About..... X-Rays

National Science and Engineering week gave us an opportunity to look at some of the more unusual topics in archaeology, and one that has always been a mystery to me is X-radiography. We’ve all heard of X-rays – most people have had some part of them X-rayed for medical reasons – but it turns out that they are also a really helpful analytical technique for archaeologists!

Zosia at the X-ray table

X-radiography is a form of electromagnetic radiation that allows us to create images showing features and details invisible to the naked eye. It is important to X-ray metal objects to create visual record of how an artefact was made, as well as its shape and condition. X-rays can also help with identification if an artefact is hidden by layers of corrosion or concretion, and are an excellent means of scientific examination without affecting or destroying archaeological finds in any way.

For these reasons, artefacts are often X-rayed as part of the conservation process. The examples used for the handling table are all from the excavation of the Thermae Spa in Bath city centre, and were chosen because the archive contained copies of their X-rays.

X-ray of a Roman coin from the SPA98 excavations

In general almost all metal objects should be X-rayed, although it is less effective on very large examples or lead alloys. It is a useful technique because it can reveal small implements trapped within corrosion, and can often expose identifying marks on coins that have lost their surface detail. Fragile or complex finds tend to be lifted in a block of soil, and X-rayed to view and pinpoint the contents for more careful excavation in a laboratory. For example, X-raying a soil block containing a coin hoard could provide information about how it was deposited, as the image would reveal groupings or layers.

Decorative surface details such as inlay or enamel can also be seen through X-ray, and non-ferrous coatings become visible due to the difference in density between the metals.

The English Heritage guidelines on the X-radiography of archaeological metalwork (http://www.helm.org.uk/upload/pdf/X_Radiography.pdf?1331775979  ) has a number of beautiful examples that show exactly how valuable X-raying metal artefacts can be, including images of inlay details and coin identification. I really recommend browsing through it, even if it is just to marvel at the lovely pictures!

Zosia - Collections Intern

It's all about.... Metal

A few weeks ago the Roman Baths had their exciting Science and Engineering week! Every day for a week there was a mix of science experiments and/or a display table. One of the display tables was created by me and I chose to talk about Metals. Here is the inside low down behind the metals the Romans would have had at their disposal throughout the Roman Empire.

Planning my table with Zosia

Gold
One of the world’s most desired metals even today! Gold in the Roman Empire was mined in various locations including Spain, Portugal and Dolaucothi in Wales. This metal’s soft properties and malleability made it easy to beat it into different shapes. It was a favourite metal to make into jewellery such as necklaces, bracelets, brooches and rings.

Silver
Roman currency relied on high supply of silver bullion. Silver was mined in various locations of the empire including Gaul, Greece and Asia Minor. In the mid 2nd century it was estimated 10,000 tons of silver was in circulation. This shiny, soft metal was used for jewellery, coins and utensils. Silver was also used to treat infections or illnesses.

Lead
Lead was commonly used in the Roman world because it was easily extracted and easy to work with. This metal was mined in various areas including central Europe, Spain, Britain and Greece. Lead was used for Roman piping because of its highly malleable and ductile properties. Lead’s symbol is Pb, which is the abbreviated word Plumbum in Latin. Plumbum, as you guessed it, derived later into the English word ‘Plumbing’.

Iron
Iron is the 6th most common element found in the universe. At the height of the Roman Empire it is estimated that approx 82,500 tons of iron was circulated annually. Under Roman rule iron became a very popular metal and its use intensified. This metal was used to create weapons and tools for everyday Roman life.

Bronze

Bronze is an alloy consisting mainly of copper and 1/3 tin. Copper was mined in various areas including Gaul, Cyprus and Arabia. Romans would tear down local religious bronze sculptures within the empire and melt the metal to make armour, weapons, tools and coins. As the Roman Empire expanded, to help the Roman budget, less precious metals like bronze were used more often for coins instead of gold or silver.

Pewter
Pewter is an alloy consisting 80-90% tin and 10-20% lead. Tin was mined in areas such as Iberia, Persia and Roman Britain. Pewter is a good conductor of heat and is sometimes used for cooking and tableware. Surviving examples of pewter can be found from Roman Britain dated around 3rd and 4th century AD.

For a link to just some of the metals within the Roman Bath's Collections please follow this link:
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/explore/Search_Details.aspx

Solange - Collections placement

It's all about.... Glass

I really loved putting together a handling table about glass for National Science and Engineering Week, because I discovered so much about the history of glass and the science behind glassmaking. The enjoyment levels had nothing to do with looking through lovely artefacts at all…really!



My handling table and me...

 The objects I chose were perfectly suited to a timeline, showing the development of glassmaking techniques and its uses from obsidian (the only naturally occurring glass, formed by lava floes), through to modern glass jewellery made using techniques and colorants first developed over 2,000 years ago.

It was the Romans who revolutionised glassmaking through the invention of glassblowing. This technique works because atoms and molecules move around freely in molten glass, and do not form a crystalline structure when it cools, as they do in most other materials. Cooling glass stays flexible and can be manipulated by blowing a bubble into it through a long tube, and pulling it into various shapes before it hardens.

The technique of glassblowing is still used today, and the composition of modern glass is also very similar to Roman examples, consisting of:

• Sand (silica), the ‘former’. 65-70% of the overall mixture

• Soda, the ‘flux’. 15% of the overall mixture, which allows it to fuse more efficiently

• Lime, the stabiliser. 10% of the overall mixture, which makes it more durable and chemically resistant

• Pieces from malformed, broken, or old vessels, the ‘cullet’, which lowers the temperature of fusion

• Various impurities or colorants make up the remaining 5-10%

These colorants were usually powdered metals, and once again those used to colour ancient glass are still well known. Some of the most common include:

• Iron (Fe), which gives a pale blue, bottle green, amber or black. This is often used to colour wine bottles, although Chromium (Cr) is more commonly used today

• Manganese (Mn), used to create purple or yellow, and sometimes as a decolourant – clear glass was highly prized

• Copper (Cu), usually used for blue, green, ruby red or opaque red, but most recognisable as a turquoise colour

• Cobalt (Co), also used for rich deep blue, particularly in glass containing potash (burnt wood and bracken)

There were also more unusual colorants, including Uranium (U), which was used by 19th Century glassmakers who were unaware of the dangers of radiation, and creates an almost fluorescent yellow!

Roman Glass from Museum Collection BATRM 2003.22.8

It’s incredible that these ancient techniques and recipes are still widely used in the modern world, but what I find most unbelievable is the concept of their invention – what does it take to decide to stick a pipe into a red hot molten lump of sand and blow, I wonder!?

Zosia - Collections Intern

It's all about...... Roman aqueducts

To many people the words “Roman aqueduct” conjure up an image of huge arched monuments striding across a landscape and is one often used in pictures to portray the Romans.

But to a Roman citizen an aqueductus meant literally “water that’s lead from one place to another” or “water duct” and so the word was used for the whole length of piping or channels that carried water from source (often a spring) to a city or an industrial site. They could run great distances; one supplying Carthage in Tunisia was 132km long!

The earliest known Roman aqueduct was the Aqua Appia in Rome, built in 312BC. The Aqua Claudia also took water to Rome, but only 15km of its 68km length was raised on arches. We know quite a bit about the ones that supplied Rome as one of the men in charge of them (the curator aquarum!), called Frontinus, wrote a book on the subject.

Vallon Des Arcs, Barbegal

In Barbegal, southern France an aqueduct fed water to 16 water wheels which operated flour mills.

Most of the aqueducts relied on gravity: the water flowed from higher ground to low ground and followed a carefully surveyed gradient around a hillside. The aqueduct supplying Nimes in southern France had a gradient change of only 34cm per kilometre.

Sometimes to keep the route of the water flow at the right height, Roman engineers tunnelled through hills, and even ran siphons in watertight pipes up hill.

Castellum aquae

Once the water had arrived at a town it was held in a castellum aquae (or water tower) at the highest point of the settlement, which acted like a header tank in a modern house. This would create enough pressure to send the water through the town in smaller pipes.

In Britain we have little evidence of Roman aqueducts. The best example is near Dorchester, in Dorset, where channels along hillsides have been found that fed water to the Roman town of Durnovaria And every town and fort must have been the same, Bath included. Although the Roman town of Aquae Sulis had its hot water springs it needed cold water for the cold plunge baths, latrines (toilets), domestic supplies and perhaps even street fountains, the only source of clean water for most people. Unfortunately with all the later developments in the city nobody’s found any evidence …yet!

Pont du Gard

The Roman aqueduct now called the Pont du Gard which supplied Nimes, is 48.77m high.

It's all about... Lime

This week is National Science and Engineering Week at the Roman Baths and I have been charged with donning my other hat and talking to you all about Lime (not the little green citrus fruit)…..

So what is Lime?
Lime is a general term given to a number of compounds containing Calcium. This blog will be focusing on Quicklime and Slaked Lime. Quicklime is a white caustic alkaline substance consisting of Calcium Oxide, which is obtained by heating Limestone (Calcium Carbonate). Slaked Lime is a white alkaline substance consisting of Calcium Hydroxide, made by adding water to Quicklime and it is this form that is predominantly used in traditional building methods to make plaster, mortar and limewash.

Calcium Oxide Molecule

The diagram below shows clearly how Limestone or Chalk - Calcium Carbonate - turns into Quicklime (Calcium Oxide) after burning or heating. If water is then added it turns into Hydrated Lime or Slaked Lime (Calcium Hydroxide). The cycle is complete when it reacts with Carbon Dioxide from the air around it, turning it back into Limestone. This process is known as the Lime Cycle.

The Lime Cycle

So why is Lime so important in historic conservation?
Buildings pre 1900 would not have been built with modern cement (with few exceptions in the late 19th century), but with a lime mortar. In order to conserve and repair these buildings, it is essential to use similar materials such as lime mortars, lime plasters and renders.

Does it have to be Lime?
Modern buildings generally rely on an outer layer to prevent moisture penetrating the walls, whereas buildings constructed before 1900 generally rely on allowing the moisture, which has been absorbed by the fabric, to evaporate from the surface. In essence, old buildings exposed to the elements are continually absorbing moisture, and the ability for the moisture to evaporate again is crucial to the welfare of the structure. Lime based building material is perfect for this two way exchange.

Using modern cement based mortars and plasters in traditional buildings risks locking-in the moisture, which could result in dampness internally and spalling of brick and block externally, as a result of freeze and thaw.

Pop along to the Roman Baths today, Wednesday 14th March 2012 between 4pm and 8pm and see me in action. I will be on hand to answer any of your lime based queries and demonstrating how we use lime based building material on-site.

For more specific information on applied lime based building material here at the Roman Baths, take a look at my previous blog – It’s all in the mix.

http://bathsbloggers.blogspot.com/2011/05/its-all-in-mix.html

Helen Harman - Collections Assistant

A Gorgon's Head?

Gorgon's Head?

I have puzzled over an alternative interpretation as to who/what the image in the centre of the Temple Pediment really is. I am sure that the character who dominates the centre is almost certainly not a Gorgon. For starters it’s a male; the only male Gorgon is Nanas (guardian of Zeus) who would have no relation to this site. Most importantly though, where are the snakes!? I see some thick wisps of beard but certainly no snakes. So who is this character?

The obvious choice for me is Neptune, not only does the aged bearded face resemble him but he is the God of water. The Romans had no natural explanation for hot springs such as those found at Bath, so to turn to a supernatural source for worship was not uncommon and here the deity of water makes perfect sense.

Artist illustration of Temple Pediment

If you look carefully you will see nestled in the corner of the pediment are Tritons; half men half fish creatures who were the servants of Neptune. If this image is not of Neptune then who is he? This mysterious figure could be any one of a number of water deities, perhaps the God Oceanus?

Mildenhall Silver Plate

Another theory is that in an effort to endear themselves to the native populous they governed, the Romans often amalgamated ‘their’ Gods with local ones (our very own Sulis Minerva is a great example of this.) Perhaps this is what happened here but current knowledge of local deities is very limited and offers no obvious links.

Next and perhaps most controversially it might be Mithras. This Eastern God was popular amongst the Romans at the time the Baths were active. Worship of Mithras was most popular among the military; soldiers of course built the Baths. The story of this God is also entwined with that of Sol (the Sun God).

As the Roman Baths website tells us the discovery of the Gorgons Head Temple Pediment “confirmed that the Roman site at Bath was unusual and attracted special interest to the site”.
Is it right to keep referring to this image as a Gorgon when it is clearly an interpretation that can be questioned? It’s hard to believe that once the head of Sulis Minerva was believed to be that of Apollo, What do you think?

Heath Meltdown