0:00:21 > 0:00:25This story belongs to Riley and her mummy Michelle.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38It's a tiny tale about how children, just like you,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42lived in the olden days nearly 2,000 years ago.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Butterfingers.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Now it's time for Riley and Mummy Michelle
0:00:48 > 0:00:50to go on a journey of discovery.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Together, they're going to find out
0:00:52 > 0:00:55what life was like all those years ago.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- Is your baby having a nice bath? - Yes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Is she ready?
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Can you help me dry my baby? - Bring her over here.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15She's lovely and clean now and she smells good too.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Did you know, Riley, that a long, long time ago,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20there were people called Romans
0:01:20 > 0:01:23- and they used to love having a bath. - The Romans?
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Yeah, the Romans were from Rome
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and they lived in Britain 2,000 years ago.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32- Before the dinosaurs?- Not quite before the dinosaurs, a bit after.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36The Romans were people from a city called Rome
0:01:36 > 0:01:38in a country called Italy.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43They were very clever, brave and great at organising things.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45There are no photographs of Romans.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48These people are pretending to be Romans
0:01:48 > 0:01:50and look a bit like them.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Some of them came to live in Britain a very, very long time ago.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Life was very different in Roman times, Riley.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I know a story about a little girl called Sabina
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and her family who were around when the Romans lived.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10- Do you want to find out about Sabina and the Romans?- Yes, please.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Wow, you look amazing. So, what do you think of our Roman clothes?
0:02:27 > 0:02:30They're a bit heavy and I feel like a boy.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Look at Riley and Mummy Michelle now!
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They're all dressed up in Roman clothes
0:02:36 > 0:02:39just like Sabina and her mummy would have worn.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46Riley and Mummy Michelle look ready for their big adventure.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48But where will they go?
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Mummy Michelle has brought Riley to an English heritage site
0:02:52 > 0:02:54called Wroxeter Roman city.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58It's where lots of Roman people lived a long time ago.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02It was the fourth-largest city in Roman Britain.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06It looks very different from our cities, doesn't it?
0:03:06 > 0:03:09So what do you think of Wroxeter Roman city, Riley?
0:03:09 > 0:03:14It's got lots of bricks lying around and it don't look like a city to me.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18I know, well, it's 2,000 years old, Riley. That's a long time ago.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21And there's not many things still around from 2,000 years.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23When the Romans went back to Rome
0:03:23 > 0:03:27and left Britain, the local people took all the houses apart
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and used the bricks for other things, a bit like recycling.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35- So, shall we go for a look around? - Yes, I would like to.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Riley, this looks like a hole in the ground,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47but in Roman times, it was called a latrine.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Do you know what latrine is?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52A place for feeding horses?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56No, in Roman times they used the latrine to go to the toilet.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Some rich people had their toilet
0:03:58 > 0:04:03in their own homes and everybody else had to use a public toilet like this.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- And do you know what this is?- No. - It's a sponge on a stick.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13They'd use this to wipe their bottoms and then they'd clean it in vinegar
0:04:13 > 0:04:17- and pass it on to the next person to use.- What? Yuck.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Actually, Riley, the Romans were very good at keeping clean.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23They loved having baths.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Roman cities would have buildings called bathhouses,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29a bit like the swimming pool we have today.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Here are the Roman baths in Bath. Doesn't it look amazing?
0:04:37 > 0:04:41If their bathhouses looked like this,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I wonder what their homes looked like.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51This is a Roman villa, Riley. It was built four years ago
0:04:51 > 0:04:55but it was built just as it would have been in Roman times.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Would Sabina live here?
0:04:57 > 0:05:01She might have lived in a villa like this or something very similar.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Would you like to live in a house like this?
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- Only if it has a proper toilet! - Shall we have a look around?- Yes.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11I wonder what it's going to be like, Riley.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Rich Romans who lived in the country had a house
0:05:15 > 0:05:19called a villa and it would have looked a lot like this one.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Riley, this is a Roman lounge. Is it like ours?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28No, it isn't and the seats are not comfortable.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Have they got carpets like ours?
0:05:31 > 0:05:36No, the Romans liked to show off their decorated floors. What is it?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40- It's a bull's head.- That's right. This is a mosaic.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45- Mosaics? What are mosaics? - Mosaics are tiny squares, look.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50- And they make a picture out of them. Shall we make a mosaic?- Yes, please.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Come on, then.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00- Riley, what are you making? - I'm making hearts. Can you help me?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Well, let's get some red ones.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07They look just like the building outside.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- What, all broken stones?- Yes.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13- Is that a good heart?- Yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- That is really pretty, Riley. - Well, thank you.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37In Roman times, it was only boys who went to school.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40But girls from rich families were taught at home
0:06:40 > 0:06:43by someone called a tutor.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- Today's lesson, Riley, will be Roman numbers.- OK.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Riley is going to get a Roman lesson just now,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51just like Sabina would have done,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54from Mark, who is pretending to be a Roman tutor.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57The Romans didn't write their numbers like we do,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59they wrote them differently.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Can you write the number two on your wax tablet?
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Riley is writing on something called a wax tablet.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06It was made out of beeswax
0:07:06 > 0:07:10and Romans would write on it using something called a stylus,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- just like you would use a paper and pencil today.- Very good.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16That's not how the Romans wrote the number two.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21They drew two straight lines instead, a little bit like your two fingers.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Can you guess how they might have written the number three?
0:07:24 > 0:07:29- Three fingers.- Can you write it on there?- Three. Three, three, three.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Three straight lines. Well done, you. What about the number five?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The Romans didn't use five like we do. Can you see?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- Between your fingers, there is a V shape?- Yup.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41That's the number five.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46They use the letter V to represent the number five.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50- Does that make sense?- Yeah.- Good. Do you fancy doing a Roman sum?
0:07:51 > 0:07:58OK, then, Riley, using your fingers, what is 5+3?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- Show me with your fingers.- 5+3.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- How many is that?- Eight?- Eight!
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Well done. Do you want to write it down as the Romans would write it?
0:08:08 > 0:08:14- Yeah.- OK, so, we need...- A V and... - ..a five, a V...- ..and three lines?
0:08:14 > 0:08:17And three lines to make eight.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24- A V and three lines. - Very good. Well done, Riley.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Wow, Riley is very clever.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Just like the real Romans.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32CHILDREN SCREAM
0:08:32 > 0:08:36What's happening now? Of course, it's playtime!
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Some of Riley's friends have come to try the games
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Sabina would have played all those years ago.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Just do it about that high.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46This is a game called trigon.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49They have to throw and catch a leather ball.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52The first person to drop the ball is out.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53Good catch!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Yo!
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Riley and Christa are now playing tropa.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02They need to try and throw five nuts into a jar.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Do you think you could do it?
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Oh!
0:09:07 > 0:09:10It's my turn again.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12OK, class, let's make some music.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Roman children were often taught by their tutors
0:09:17 > 0:09:20how to play musical instruments.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Riley and her friends are playing with instruments
0:09:23 > 0:09:25that look a lot like the ones
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Sabina would have learned to play in Roman times.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Riley is having a bash at some cymbals.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Have you ever played with these?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Now she's shaking a Roman sistrum
0:09:39 > 0:09:42which sounds just like a baby's rattle.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Roman instruments are certainly noisy
0:09:45 > 0:09:48but they look like great fun to play.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Do you like making sounds with musical instruments?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Left, right, left.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Roman soldiers were the first Romans to come to Britain.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13And look, here are some men who are pretending to be Roman soldiers.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Rome had a huge army
0:10:15 > 0:10:20and they marched all the way across Europe to get to Britain.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23As well as being good soldiers,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27the Romans were also amazing craftsmen and builders.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Mummy Michelle has brought Riley to meet the men
0:10:31 > 0:10:34who love dressing up as Roman soldiers.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37They're going to find out what it was like
0:10:37 > 0:10:38to live in a Roman camp
0:10:38 > 0:10:42that marching soldiers would have built a long time ago.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48I wonder what the Roman soldiers would have eaten in their camp.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54- Would you like to try one of these snails?- Ew, yuck.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Well, Riley didn't fancy trying some snails
0:10:57 > 0:11:00but she is going to try marching like a Roman soldier.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04She's brought some friends along and they're all practising
0:11:04 > 0:11:09marching with the men just like real Roman soldiers would have done.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Testudinem, tortoise formation!
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Now they're going to watch the men doing some shield practice.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19The Roman soldiers would protect themselves by grouping together
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and holding up their shields to form a barrier
0:11:22 > 0:11:25just like these men are doing now.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29It's a bit like a tortoise shell, do you agree?
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Now Riley and her friends are going to try to copy the soldiers
0:11:33 > 0:11:37- and make their own tortoise shell with their shields.- Get ready...
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Tortoise! That's it, that's it, that's it.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44Wow! Riley and her friends make their tortoise shell
0:11:44 > 0:11:48quicker than the Roman soldiers did. Good work!
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Riley looks like a real Roman soldier now.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07- Riley, did you have a great time finding out about the Romans?- Yes.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Do you remember all the different things we did?
0:12:10 > 0:12:15We got dressed up as Romans, and you looked lovely, Mummy.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19We went to visit an old Roman city.
0:12:19 > 0:12:25It was mostly old stones and bricks and didn't look like a city.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30We visited a house that looked like a Roman villa.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It still had a mosaic picture on the floor.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34'What is it?'
0:12:34 > 0:12:36'It's a bull's head.'
0:12:36 > 0:12:41Then we made our own mosaic and played lots of games
0:12:41 > 0:12:45and instruments just like Sabina would have.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50We went to see a pretend Roman camp.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I was offered a cooked snail.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- 'Would you like to try one of these snails?- Ew, yuck!'
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Then I marched with the soldiers.
0:13:00 > 0:13:06Then we watched the men make a tortoise shell with their shields.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07'Ready? Tortoise!'
0:13:07 > 0:13:10And I made a tortoise shell.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11'Oh, superb, yes!'
0:13:11 > 0:13:16- So, what did you enjoy the most? - Doing the numbers on the tablet.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21- What was your favourite part, Mummy? - I enjoyed making the mosaic pictures,
0:13:21 > 0:13:25and most of all, spending time with you.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Shall we get changed into our normal clothes?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Yes, please, because I feel like a boy.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Before we do,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- shall we have a big cuddle for a big adventure?- Yes, please.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41What a fabulous heap of fun.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44That was Riley and Mummy Michelle's tiny tale
0:13:44 > 0:13:48about being a child during Roman times, nearly 2,000 years ago.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Now Mummy Michelle has shared this story with Riley,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54it's time for a Riley to start her very own story.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Do you know someone with a story to share?