Britunculii (or possibly how the Romans stomped on ancient Britain)

 

Boudicca and her daughters
Statue by Thomas Thornycroft (1815-1885) on Westminster Bridge
Image © Heritage Action

 

Bettany Hughes, writing on page 123 of next week’s RadioTimes, says, “One of my favourite moments of the summer spent at the digs took place in the finds’ shed at Calleva. The director of excavations pulled out a first-century AD terracotta roof tile. Left to dry in the sun it had on it the imprints of a Roman hobnailed boot… Apart from immediately short-circuiting you into the fury of a [British] craftsman whose afternoon’s work had been ruined by these vandal travellers [the Romans], the marks seemed to stand for the Romano-British experience.

“It is little surprise, perhaps, that the Romans had a name for us – Britunculii – “pathetic little Brits.”

The Romans in Britain. Sunday, 24 October from 9:30pm on Radio 3.

Avebury Tourist Information Centre under threat of closure

“The future of the county’s tourist information centres could be under threat after Wiltshire Council announced five of the centres may be handed over to community groups.

“Maggie Moore, a former manager of the TICs in Devizes and Avebury, said both should continue to have TICs operating. She said: “It would be a great shame if they close.”

More here – http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/8467339.Five_tourist_offices_in_Wiltshire_at_threat_of_closure/