0:00:20 > 0:00:23Why did so many join the Roman army?
0:00:23 > 0:00:26What was life like for soldiers?
0:00:26 > 0:00:31- Why did the Romans build Hadrian's Wall?- What did Roman soldiers do?
0:00:35 > 0:00:39- My name is Senecus Spurius Longus, centurion.- What?
0:00:39 > 0:00:44- Senecus Spurius Longus...- Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49It's a bit of a mouthful, that - Senecus Spur... Sen!
0:00:49 > 0:00:51I'll call you Sen.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Romulus the Roman - master trader, genuinely good bloke.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00You can call me Rom. Most people... Aargh! Ow!
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Ooh! Mind where you're putting your sword, Sen!
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Oh!
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- I've just done a marathon. - You?! A marathon?!
0:01:10 > 0:01:16I don't believe it. When did YOU run 26 miles, carrying full kit?
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Ah! Not THAT kind of marathon.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24It was... it was a 26-course marathon banquet.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28- You should eat less and take fitness more seriously.- I AM fit!
0:01:28 > 0:01:34Fit?! Greedy, more like. Certainly you could never be a Roman soldier.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39- How would YOU know?- Because I'm in charge of strong, disciplined men.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43The Roman army could never have conquered Britain
0:01:43 > 0:01:47- if it had eaten a 26-course banquet!- Yeah, well...
0:01:47 > 0:01:52I wanted a few snacks before I came to the 21st century.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57- I'll take you to all my favourite places.- This trip is not a holiday.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02We're here to see signs associated with the Roman army, and only that.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07- You'll have to do a full timetable on a full stomach.- I can manage it!
0:02:07 > 0:02:11- No trouble!- Hmm. We'll see.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15'Next stop, 21st century. Mind the time gap.'
0:02:17 > 0:02:23- Where are we?- Can't you tell? - I recognise that hill over there...
0:02:23 > 0:02:25- It can't be!- It IS! Hadrian's Wall!
0:02:25 > 0:02:29As built by the great Roman emperor, Hadrian.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33What's happened? This should be three metres high!
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It's still here, though, eh? Look! It's very peaceful.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Why is it so quiet?
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Where have all the soldiers gone?
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Well, I don't suppose there's much work for them any more.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51It IS very cut off. Why did you lot come here in the first place?
0:02:51 > 0:02:57- We were following orders! - But there must have been a reason.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Hey, don't worry! I shall use my gadget to find out why.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10After the Romans landed in Britain in 43 AD,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13they conquered more and more land.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18Large numbers of soldiers were based in the north of England,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22keeping an eye on one of the Roman empire's furthest frontiers.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27When Emperor Hadrian visited Britain in 122 AD,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29he decided a wall should be built
0:03:29 > 0:03:33to mark this boundary and keep the Scots away.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It was 120km long and called Hadrian's Wall.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- Where are we now?- Wait, you'll see.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43You said there were lots of signs of us Romans here.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47There are. There are also lots of signs of the 21st century!
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Sometimes you have to look a little closer. Come on!
0:03:51 > 0:03:56This is Segedunum, a museum right at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:03:58 > 0:04:04I've been here before. Ah, yes - excellent Roman remains.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08This might come in handy!
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Look! Great Roman objects,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- aren't they?- How can you say that?
0:04:17 > 0:04:22Do people in the 21st century know how to look after anything?
0:04:22 > 0:04:27A Roman soldier who neglected his equipment would be on latrine duty!
0:04:27 > 0:04:32These are 2,000 years old! You can't expect them to be perfect!
0:04:32 > 0:04:37Yes, I can. The Roman army was a precise military machine...
0:04:38 > 0:04:44..disciplined, well-trained, with superior armour and weaponry.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49They would let the side down.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Hey! I DO know some 21st-century people, though,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57who are into all that Roman army discipline.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02They dress up as Roman legionaries and put on displays across Britain.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07Maybe you, um... maybe you could inspect them, Sen.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13A Roman legionary was a fine fighting machine.
0:05:13 > 0:05:19He wore a highly protective helmet, with guards for neck and face.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26His armour, made from metal pieces, was called "lorica segmentata",
0:05:26 > 0:05:31and he wore hobnailed leather boots, ideal for any situation.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36His weapons included the "gladius" for one-to-one fighting,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40the "pugio" - a shorter backup sword -
0:05:40 > 0:05:45and the "pilum" - a long, deadly javelin.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50His shield was an excellent defence against all enemies.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53BATTLE CRY
0:05:53 > 0:05:58- What's special about the Roman army?- Why did they win battles?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Of course, I'm not just a legionary.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08- I worked my way up. I'm...a centurion!- Yes, I know.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13- I can tell from your helmet. - Yes, the crest makes me stand out -
0:06:13 > 0:06:19makes it easier for the 80 soldiers under my command to recognise me.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I have a very serious job to do. I give the orders, the soldiers obey.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28Oh! So that's what made the Roman army so successful -
0:06:28 > 0:06:34- lots of shouting and funny costumes! - No! We had organised battle plans!
0:06:34 > 0:06:39- I expect your toy could show you some.- I expect so. It's very good.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The Roman army could have used one!
0:06:42 > 0:06:47Our army was a mighty fighting force. It never needed a gadget.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52Every Roman legion had more than 5,000 soldiers,
0:06:52 > 0:06:57and there were 20 legions in the Roman army.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59That's over 100,000 men -
0:06:59 > 0:07:03a terrifying sight for any opposition.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08In battle, the Romans had clever tactics and marching formations,
0:07:08 > 0:07:14like the "testudo", or tortoise. Their skill gave them the advantage
0:07:14 > 0:07:16time and time again.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20We had it all worked out. The Roman army was perfect -
0:07:20 > 0:07:25- impossible to beat.- Impossible to beat?! I'm not so sure.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31- We had this area licked.- Yes? Well, why did you need to build this wall?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- Well...- I know!
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- It was to hide behind! - Absolutely not!
0:07:37 > 0:07:42We were ordered to build it by the great Emperor Hadrian.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45In fact, my great-great-grandfather,
0:07:45 > 0:07:50Senecus Spurius Crispus, centurion, worked at it. It took six years.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54I reckon you still hid behind it!
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Use your gadget to find out!
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Hadrian's Wall was built by the Roman army.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05The soldiers constructed and protected it
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and lived in forts alongside it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11This structure marked the edge of the Roman empire...
0:08:11 > 0:08:16until Emperor Antoninus Pius built a second wall further north.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21The Antonine Wall was occupied by the Romans for 20 years,
0:08:21 > 0:08:27but they eventually retreated to Hadrian's Wall and remained there.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- Why did the Romans build so many forts?- Were they wood or stone?
0:08:31 > 0:08:36You know, the Roman army didn't just build walls.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41We built roads, houses, shops, forts - all sorts of things.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- I suppose it was quicker to build forts out of wood?- Much quicker.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50And later, when we knew we were staying, we used stone instead.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Like these reconstructions of both here at Vindolanda?
0:08:53 > 0:08:59See, Sen - another example of a site associated with the Roman army.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Can we have a break now? Oh, dinner!
0:09:02 > 0:09:06I know a great place in Corbridge - it's a Roman town...
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I'll remind you that we've come to the 21st century
0:09:09 > 0:09:13to see signs of the Roman army, not to party!
0:09:13 > 0:09:18I'll take you to Housesteads. It's a Roman fort not far from here.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Excellent! I know it well! Come on!
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Look!
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- There's Housesteads!- Where?- There!
0:09:31 > 0:09:36- Isn't it a magnificent location? - Oh, magnificent!
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Come on! No loitering!
0:09:40 > 0:09:44This is where we used to come every morning
0:09:44 > 0:09:49and report to the commanding officer and receive our orders.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54- Seems like there was a lot of orders being given!- An army needs orders.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58This doesn't really give any idea of how it used to be,
0:09:58 > 0:10:03with its beautiful courtyard, and paintings.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08The commanding officer lived in such luxury...and his family.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10He was such a great man.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Related to the emperor...distantly.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18You can't stand there! Only the commanding officer is allowed to!
0:10:18 > 0:10:23I can stand where I like! This is the 21st century,
0:10:23 > 0:10:28and I won't be told what to do by a commanding officer OR a centurion!
0:10:29 > 0:10:32I was looking for somewhere to sit down!
0:10:32 > 0:10:36No time to sit! We've got lots to see.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39What was life like at a Roman fort?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Did the soldiers leave anything?
0:10:42 > 0:10:47What are you doing? Sleeping on the job? I knew you couldn't keep up!
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Excuse me! I was NOT asleep!
0:10:50 > 0:10:56- I was admiring the fine Roman engineering.- Nice!
0:10:56 > 0:10:59The 16-seater latrine!
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- Splendid, isn't it?- Oh, splendid(!)
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- It's a toilet! - Yes, but what an invention!
0:11:06 > 0:11:11- A good opportunity for bonding with the men.- A thousand of you used it!
0:11:11 > 0:11:16Yes - a bit of a queue after breakfast!
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Ah, there you are. What are you writing?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- I'm writing a letter to my mother in Tungria.- You're from Belgium?
0:11:28 > 0:11:32That's what they call it in the 21st century.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37She'll love to hear what I'm up to, especially in the 21st century.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42- And I need new socks and pants. - Careful what you write, Sen.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47These archaeologists in the 21st century found lots of Roman letters.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50You'd be amazed what they found out.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56We're here at Vindolanda in the heart of Hadrian's Wall country.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59What makes Vindolanda very special as a Roman site
0:11:59 > 0:12:04is it has a lot of forts built on top of one another in a short time.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10What that means is that the earlier forts made of timbers, like these,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13are protected from the air,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17so you find things at Vindolanda which simply don't exist elsewhere,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20because they've rotted away through time.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24You get hair and things like that surviving.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29Here we have a man's shoe or slipper,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and you can see all the lacework.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Turn it over, and you see they've worn a big hole in the heel.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43- Do you think that's a piece of cloth?- Oh, yeah! Look at that!
0:12:43 > 0:12:49That is ultra-rare, that you find bits of Roman garments surviving.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Today we've found a piece of Roman fabric. It looks like a bandage.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58It's phenomenal, because things made of textile are very fragile,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02and for that to survive is wonderful.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06The Vindolanda writing tablets -
0:13:06 > 0:13:10which look like wooden postcards, written on with an ink pen -
0:13:10 > 0:13:15the very first tablet found told us about mundane things.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19It was found by the director of the Vindolanda Trust, Robin Birley.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24He was sitting in the trench and he found two little slivers of wood
0:13:24 > 0:13:26that were sandwiched together.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31He put his fingernail between them and split them, and opened them up,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36and he found to his surprise he had line after line of writing there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39We discovered a wonderful letter -
0:13:39 > 0:13:42somebody's mum sending a parcel, containing...
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Up until this point in time,
0:13:49 > 0:13:53we had no idea that the Roman army even wore underpants in Britain!
0:13:53 > 0:13:58So they got parcels from home 2,000 years ago, just like we get today.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- How did Roman soldiers spend their days?- Did they have any free time?
0:14:02 > 0:14:05SNORING
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- Are you sleeping again?- No! Of course not! What do you want?
0:14:09 > 0:14:14There's so little left here, let's go back to a real Roman fort.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19- Back in time?- Yes. Let's see if the Vindolanda tablets are accurate.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- And I've got a letter to post. - Right.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36At ease, men. ..See - these are real barracks.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Smell that? Porridge - best way to start the day.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44You know, eight people live in these two rooms.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- They sleep at the back.- Out!
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Bye-bye.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06Every day, Roman soldiers train for at least two hours. Every month,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09they must go on a 26-mile run.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Those swords don't look very dangerous. Wouldn't scare anybody!
0:15:13 > 0:15:17They only train with wooden swords, so as not to hurt each other.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21We've heard enough about soldiers' fitness, Sen.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24What do they do for fun?
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Well, there's the baths.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31And there's the vicus. Every fort has a lively settlement outside.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35The vicus! I've been to one or two of those in my time!
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- Great bars, good place to do a deal. They...- See?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Life in the Roman army was fun.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47- Come on - can't we go back to the 21st century?- Oh, all right.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55- Why did people join the Roman army? - Was being a soldier a good job?
0:15:55 > 0:16:00Look! Little soldiers! I love this game! Do you play it?
0:16:00 > 0:16:06I certainly do. Much more my idea of soldiering!
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Why do people join the army? It seems such hard work.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12It was a good life. Good money, good prospects.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Some soldiers - auxiliaries -
0:16:15 > 0:16:19joined the army after we Romans invaded their countries.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24- Army life was better than life as a slave.- You're right. Your move.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27After a spell in the army,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30you could win your freedom and become a Roman citizen.
0:16:30 > 0:16:36- Ha-ha! I win!- I was distracted! I demand a re-match! I'll beat you!
0:16:36 > 0:16:42- Got to get back - dinner soon.- Can't we see one more Roman army site?
0:16:42 > 0:16:47Well, actually, yeah. You might be impressed by what they've got here.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Come on.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Ah! This is more like it!
0:16:59 > 0:17:04Yeah. It's a reconstruction of Hadrian's Wall, back at Segedunum.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Impressive. They can still build a decent wall.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Why DID the Romans leave Britain?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13We were so strong, so disciplined.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- Did some great invading force scare us away?- No!
0:17:17 > 0:17:22It just got harder to find people who wanted to join the Roman army.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27Once the empire had granted them freedom, no need to fight for Rome.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32- It was an honour to fight for Rome! - You can't live on honour, Sen.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37No - there was problems with wages not getting through to Britain,
0:17:37 > 0:17:42lots of problems in Rome. Thousands of men got sent back there.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44People did stay on in Britain.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49They just looked for other ways to make their living.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54I can't believe it. Things would never have got that bad in my day.
0:17:54 > 0:18:00But we Romans have a lot to be proud about. We ruled here for 400 years.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05- We have, haven't we?- Yeah.- Thanks, Rom. It's been an enjoyable trip.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's amazing -
0:18:07 > 0:18:12there are still signs of us Romans 2,000 years after we first arrived.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- I think it's time...- ..for dinner! - Yes.- Oh!
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Hey! Why don't you come to mine?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Why not?
0:18:21 > 0:18:26But I don't want a 26-course marathon meal...and neither do you!
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Subtitles by Judith Russell BBC Broadcast 2003
0:18:39 > 0:18:42E-mail us at subtitling@bbc.co.uk