Roman soldiers in full armour are coming to Torquay Museum on Saturday 24th August from 10am to 4pm for a fun-filled family-friendly Meet a Roman Soldier Day, when visitors will learn more about what it was like to serve in the Roman Army 2,000 years ago and be able to try on arms and armour.
Visitors will encounter friendly and knowledgeable soldiers from the Roman living history group Legio Secunda Avgvsta, who will be dressed in impressive Roman armour, with weapons, as worn by soldiers during the 1st century AD.
The Roman soldiers will also bring a display of replica legionary equipment, from weapons to marching packs (rations, cooking gear, tools etc), and some of the survey equipment the army used to plan out its forts, roads etc. Visitors will be able to handle and wear helmets, armour and weapons, under strict supervision from soldiers, of course.
There will also be Roman-themed arts and crafts, where visitors can make their own Roman shields and daggers, oil lamps from clay and mosaics. Roman craft activities will take place from 10.30am -12.30pm & 1.30 – 3.30pm.
Meet a Roman Soldier Day has been organised to celebrate Torquay Museum’s fascinating temporary exhibition, Ipplepen: New Discoveries on the Edge of the Roman Empire. Created with the British Museum and the University of Exeter, this exhibition will showcase and interpret for the first time some of the finds from the recent excavations at Ipplepen, rewriting our understanding of this region of Devon, which was believed to have been relatively untouched by the Roman invasion.
The Family Romans Day at Torquay Museum will run from 10am until 4pm on Saturday 20th July. Tickets are £5 per person. Previously purchased annual return tickets are not valid as this is a special event day.
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