AN EXPERT from the University of Reading is giving Baldrick a bit of a helping hand.
Dr Matthew Nicholls took part in the first episode of a new Channel 5 series, Tony Robinson’s History of Britain.
The first episode was shown last week and focused on Matthew’s specialist subject, the Romans.
In the show, Tony – best-known from his role in 80s comedy Blackadder – visited the best preserved theatre from Roman Britain, Verulamium in Hertfordshire.
He tells the story of an African Roman soldier who was posted to its most northerly, coldest outpost: Hadrian’s Wall.
The young recruit spends most of his time building roads, including some that we still use today.
Unfortunately, our Roman soldier eventually comes unstuck, not in a battle, but due to a chance meeting with the Roman Emperor, when he tries to play a practical joke on him. Which backfires.
And near Roman ruins in Leicester, archaeologists discovered a pendant that bears the names of an actress, Verecunda, and a gladiator, Lucius.
This is a love token for a Roman showbiz couple.
This leads Tony to go in search of this ‘Posh and Becks’ of Roman Britain.
The theatre at Verulamium in Hertfordshire, could be a place that Verecunda may well have performed at as part of a touring troupe of actors.
And he learns about the Gladiatorial training and weaponry that Lucius would have to master before facing a performance in one of Roman Britain’s theatres of death.
All with a bit of help from Dr Nicholls.
The show can be seen on Channel Five’s On Demand service.
