0:00:20 > 0:00:25- What did Romans do in their spare time?- Did they live in luxury?
0:00:25 > 0:00:29- What were villas like? - Was there Roman entertainment?
0:00:31 > 0:00:36- Oh, Romulus, there you are. I'm so pleased to have found you.- My lady.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Please, do call me Romola.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Then you must call me Rom.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Nice to see you, my... Romola.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I was expecting your husband, Marcus Verimus Richmus.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52We'd planned a trip to the 21st century.
0:00:52 > 0:00:59- He was looking forward to it. He's been called away on business.- Right.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- Thanks for telling me. - Don't cancel the trip.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06I thought I'd come along instead. You don't mind?
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Er...
0:01:09 > 0:01:11No. No.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Wouldn't want to take up your time.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Don't worry. I'm free all day.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26I thought you could entertain me until my banquet this evening.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28What's the 21st century like?
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Oh, it's very different. It's not like Roman times at all.
0:01:33 > 0:01:40- Oh, dear. How dreadful.- Some people think it's better.- Really? Who?
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Women, for example. They have a lot more freedom.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- Do they?- Yes.- How is that possible?
0:01:47 > 0:01:52I have lots of freedom. I arrange everything that goes on at my villa.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56And I have 20 slaves working for me.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Oh, really. You're very lucky.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Yes, I am, aren't I?
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And I make all my own decisions.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09First thing in the 21st century, I'll visit the baths.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11It's very hot in here.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17- I'll need to freshen up. You don't mind, do you?- No.- Next stop,
0:02:17 > 0:02:2021st century. Mind the time gap.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23We're here. How splendid.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30- Is this the 21st century?- It is.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- We're in Bath.- How exciting.
0:02:33 > 0:02:40- This isn't a bath. Surely this is some kind of street.- It is.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44A street in Bath. Bath is the modern name for this city.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48In Roman times we knew it as Aquae Sulis.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51People named it after our baths.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56Really? Where are they? I can't see them anywhere.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01They're underground now. They're just round the corner.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Thank goodness we've found them.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- I love a bath. Don't you?- Oh, yes.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Perhaps some slaves could help me.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13I'll need my strigil to scrape off the dirt.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18And oils from the East, like the ones you sold me last week.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23- I do hope the baths haven't changed much.- I think they probably have.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26And you won't find any slaves.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28People here don't have them.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32How very inconvenient. I thought you said
0:03:32 > 0:03:37- women had more freedom in the 21st century.- They do.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- So do the slaves.- Oh.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I suppose I could do without them.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- Shall we go in?- Please.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55- Rom, I can't have a bath in here. - You wouldn't be allowed to.- What?
0:03:55 > 0:03:59These baths are 2,000 years old.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04Tourist attraction now, visited by people from all over the world.
0:04:04 > 0:04:10- Oh. Don't people in the 21st century have baths?- Yes, of course they do.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Roman public baths were special.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18- Were they? And do modern people think so, too?- Yes.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24Baths are a cross between a leisure centre and a health club and a pub.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Just as popular with women as men.
0:04:27 > 0:04:34- Pity you can't have a bath. Have some water.- Not if it's from there.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38No. Comes from the spring we Romans used, though.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Cheers.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Mmm.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It's quite nice.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49I'm glad the water's still here.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53But I wonder how the baths got into such a state?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Maybe my gadget could help.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59It's a jolly clever thing, isn't it?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02I hope it can tell us what happened.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07The goddess Minerva would be angry if she saw this mess.
0:05:07 > 0:05:13Before the Romans came to Britain, Bath was known for its water.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18Sick people swam here and prayed to Sulis, a Celtic goddess
0:05:18 > 0:05:21who they believed might cure them.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26When the Romans took over they had their own goddess, Minerva,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30who was also believed to have healing qualities.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34They built a temple for her right next to the baths.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The Romans treasured their baths,
0:05:37 > 0:05:42but generations that came after them weren't so interested.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Baths were buried and forgotten.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49In the 19th century they were rediscovered and repaired
0:05:49 > 0:05:53and people now come to see them.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57How could people let these baths be forgotten?
0:05:57 > 0:06:02- It must upset Minerva.- It's amazing that there's so much of them left.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05The caldarium - a very hot bath.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Tepidarium - a warm one.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Frigidarium - freezing cold.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16Because we Romans had the hypocaust we could have hot water.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20A hypocaust? I don't think I've seen one of those.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25It's an underground heating system. We Romans used to build
0:06:25 > 0:06:28our floors on small columns.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33Warm air heated from a furnace was circulated around them.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Anything above kept warm and cosy.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39We Romans are clever, aren't we?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43We certainly are. Maybe the goddess Minerva was clever enough
0:06:43 > 0:06:48to preserve these baths for the generations.
0:06:48 > 0:06:54- Where are we going now?- I thought YOU made all the decisions.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59Perhaps we could visit a Roman villa. I think I'd like that.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04We might find one like mine - all lovely and newly decorated.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- If only I could freshen up first. - Ah.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- There we are.- Oh.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17- What's this?- How they freshen up in the 21st century.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Oh.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24How splendid.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Thank you.
0:07:29 > 0:07:35- What are villas?- Did all Romans have them?- Were they in town or country?
0:07:35 > 0:07:40Rom, where have you brought me? All I can see are more ruins.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43I thought we were going to a villa.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45This is a villa -
0:07:45 > 0:07:50- Chedworth Villa in Gloucestershire. - There's so little left.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56- Why don't 21st-century people look after their buildings?- They do.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59This isn't one of their buildings.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03It's Roman. People from other generations didn't look after it.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Modern people care about historic buildings, so we can visit this.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Come on. I'll show you some more.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17But surely this can't have belonged to rich Romans.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- Why not?- Because it's so untidy.
0:08:20 > 0:08:27But it wasn't in Roman times. This has been under earth for centuries.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29They uncovered it 100 years ago.
0:08:29 > 0:08:35This man was digging in the woods. He uncovered signs of us Romans.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Then archaeologists uncovered more.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41How can they tell it was Roman?
0:08:41 > 0:08:47- Well, they found evidence of a rich way of life.- Where?
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I can't see it anywhere.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Come on. The mosaiced bath house.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55The water shrine where they prayed.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Farmland in every direction.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03All that is evidence of how this was once an impressive Roman villa.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Look. This is the Chedworth dining room.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Fantastic, isn't it? There's been some Roman hospitality in here.
0:09:15 > 0:09:21All those parties with food grown off the estate. Just picture it.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24But that's just it, Rom.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27I can't. Oh, I do wish
0:09:27 > 0:09:29people could see my villa.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34I could show them my dining room and tell them about my banquets.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37They'd love it, don't you think?
0:09:37 > 0:09:43- Yes, I'm sure they would.- Hey! You could come and see my villa.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46We could travel back in time.
0:09:46 > 0:09:52Yes, we could. I thought you wanted to see more of the 21st century.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56I do, but I want to show you my villa first.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01And, after all, I am making the decisions today,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03aren't I?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06You certainly are.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Here we are. This is my villa.
0:10:17 > 0:10:23Oh, it's truly wonderful. I think everyone should live in luxury,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27- don't you?- Oh, yes. I'm sure they'd like to.
0:10:27 > 0:10:33Oh, isn't this courtyard splendid? And so fashionable.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Just like they have in Rome.
0:10:35 > 0:10:41Come on. I can't wait to show you my frescos.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43This is my favourite room.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48- It's wonderful, isn't it?- Yes. I like the paintings on the wall.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51They're not just paintings, Rom.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55They're frescos, the latest thing.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58The paint is made from plants,
0:10:58 > 0:11:03natural stones and animal dyes mixed with egg-whites to thicken them.
0:11:03 > 0:11:10- Delicious.- You paint carefully onto wet plaster so they last longer.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- What are Roman banquets like? - Did wealthy Romans entertain?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18This is the life, isn't it?
0:11:18 > 0:11:23I love relaxing in this dining room, thinking about banquets we've held.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27My husband loves entertaining.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32We have guests most nights of the week. The food comes from the farm.
0:11:32 > 0:11:38I'm famous for my dinner parties. Perhaps you've heard of them.
0:11:38 > 0:11:43Yes. I heard about Sickius spending all night in the vomitarium.
0:11:43 > 0:11:49That wasn't at one of my dinner parties. My guests never overdo it.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52They drink a lot of wine, though.
0:11:52 > 0:11:58I know because I supply it. Comes from all parts of the Roman Empire.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Yes, well, we have to buy some things
0:12:02 > 0:12:05like wine, olive oil, fish sauce.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09But most of the food my slaves prepare and serve
0:12:09 > 0:12:12is really very fresh indeed.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Tonight we're having my favourite.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Dormice cooked in honey,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21served with poppy seeds.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Oh, lovely.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27My life is so luxurious.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32I can't possibly see how it could be any better in the 21st century.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37Yes, but you haven't really seen enough of the 21st century to know.
0:12:37 > 0:12:43Perhaps we could take a trip back there and visit another Roman site.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Somewhere a bit more entertaining.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Very well, Romola.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Let's go.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Rom...
0:13:00 > 0:13:03where have you brought me?
0:13:03 > 0:13:08It's very quiet. Are you sure this is somewhere entertaining?
0:13:08 > 0:13:10It certainly is.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15The best Roman amphitheatre in 21st-century Britain.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20- 6,000 people once sat here. - HE IMAGINES APPLAUSE
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Where's the audience now? And where's the entertainment?
0:13:26 > 0:13:33- Are there going to be gladiators? I love gladiators.- There won't be any.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- These people don't have them. - Don't they?
0:13:37 > 0:13:39They find it too violent.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44- They don't like watching people being killed.- Why not?
0:13:44 > 0:13:47It's very exciting.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50I absolutely love blood sports,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54especially a fight to the death between two brave gladiators.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00- What were gladiators?- Were theatres used for any other entertainment?
0:14:04 > 0:14:09What entertainment can 21st-century people possibly have
0:14:09 > 0:14:12to compare with the gladiators?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16They have entertainments and celebrities.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22- They have stadiums. They're a bit like amphitheatres.- Not like this.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27Where's it gone? It's grassed over and there are hardly any seats.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32There are Roman features. You just have to use your imagination.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35CROWD ROARS Rom,
0:14:35 > 0:14:40is any of our Roman entertainment still popular in the 21st century?
0:14:40 > 0:14:45People don't tend to like our blood sports these days.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Some of them enjoy celebrating us. They dress up as Romans
0:14:50 > 0:14:56and put on special events and festivals. I'll show you.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I run a company called Roman Tours.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10We put on a Roman Chester Festival.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13People come and experience
0:15:13 > 0:15:16the life of the Romans in Britain.
0:15:22 > 0:15:28It's full of everything about Romans - chariot races, gladiators,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32dancers and musicians, potters and craftspeople.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37We have three Roman legions
0:15:37 > 0:15:40to demonstrate a brief view
0:15:40 > 0:15:44of what life in Roman Britain was like.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51DECLAIMING IN LATIN
0:15:52 > 0:15:57The event's been hugely successful. It's become an annual event
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and it takes place over two days.
0:16:01 > 0:16:07Over the weekend, we usually see about 32,000 people taking part.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12We've been developing this fortress.
0:16:12 > 0:16:18We've used 68 ton of timber. It was built by six people in six days.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23Indicates how quickly the Roman army would have been able to make a fort.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33The Roman period has many aspects.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37People like to see a gladiatorial battle.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39To think people entered an arena
0:16:39 > 0:16:44and fought to the death, and the people cheered.
0:16:44 > 0:16:50It appeals to people today. They want to see the recreation.
0:16:50 > 0:16:56I'm so glad some people are still interested in gladiators. We Romans
0:16:56 > 0:16:59must've been braver than people now.
0:16:59 > 0:17:05I suppose we were, yeah. Romans are still popular in the 21st century.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10People still celebrate us and we haven't ruled Britain for years.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14What happened to us? Why did we stop ruling Britain?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Where did we go?
0:17:16 > 0:17:20That, Romola, is a very good question.
0:17:20 > 0:17:26The Romans controlled Britain for 400 years but gave it up in 410 AD
0:17:26 > 0:17:31when their empire was being attacked by Barbarian enemies.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36The rulers and Roman army had to leave to fight elsewhere.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Most ordinary citizens stayed.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43They lived off the land alongside other settlers
0:17:43 > 0:17:46when the Romans no longer ruled.
0:17:46 > 0:17:52- Now, this building does look Roman. Where are we now?- This is
0:17:52 > 0:17:57- the Roman Legionary Museum. - Smarter than the other buildings
0:17:57 > 0:18:04- we've seen.- It is. It's not Roman. - Isn't it?- It's made to look Roman.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08It contains information about the Roman army.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13Well, it's been most entertaining visiting the 21st century.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16But I prefer Roman times.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21I couldn't do without slaves or not being able to see gladiators.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26- Life would be very different. - Let's go back to the villa.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- You don't mind, do you?- Course not.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33After all, you are the decision maker.