Directors: Phillip V. Stanley (San Francisco State University) and George Perko, MBA, CPA
This two-week tour of Roman Britain will trace the culture, art, and history of this province through the extant remains there. With Julius Caesar's first expedition to Britain in 55 BC and his second in 54 BC, Britain was brought into Rome's sphere of influence. However, it was not until Claudius' invasion in 43 AD that this island became a Roman province. He founded the first provincial capital at Colchester, which we will visit. Later the capital was moved to Londinium (London). For the next two centuries Rome's power expanded over the entire island and Roman customs and art were introduced into the Celtic world of Britain. We will visit several Celtic sites, such as Badbury Rings, the Cerne Giant, and Maiden Castle in Dorchester. One of the major accomplishments of Rome in Britain was the urbanization of the island. They set up a hierarchy of habitation centers: the provincial capital, Londinium; four coloniae [Colchester, Gloucester (colonia Nervia Glevensium), Lincoln (colonia Lindum), and York]; and a number of towns throughout the island like Verulamium (St. Albans), Caerwent, and Dover. Wherever the Romans went, they introduced their bath structure. At Bath significant portions of the extensive Roman bathhouse have been found and preserved. They also introduced the villa system which thrived especially in southern Britain during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. We will visit several of these villas with their well-preserved mosaics: Bignor Villa, Fishbourne Villa, and Chedworth Villa. An important element in any villa was its gardens. Pliny the Younger in his letter to his friend Gallus described his seaside villa at Laurentum. His description of the grounds was used by several gardeners in 18th and 19th century England to lay out the estates of the nobility. In these gardens elements of the Roman garden are present. We have selected several gardens, which especially embody this Roman quality: Port Lympne Garden, Hidcote Manor Garden, and Hever Castle Garden. Additionally, we will visit Stourhead Garden, which was developed with Vergil's Aeneid in mind and is described in a Vergilius article ("Henry Hoares' Virgilian Garden," Vergilius 42[1996] 3-13). A significant part of Roman life in the provinces was focused on the legions and auxiliaries stationed there. We will visit several forts. Lunt, which is a reconstruction of the ancient fort, was a cavalry fort. Further north we will trace Hadrian's wall stopping at several of the forts and mile stations along the way. Towards the end of Rome's occupation of this island several coastal forts were built, known collectively as the Saxon-shore defenses. Two of these will be visited: Dover and Portchester. uggested reading for this tour is the Internet outline,Tacitus Agricola, Pliny the Younger Letter to Gallus.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
July 14: LONDON
Arrive London. Transfer on your own to your central London hotel.
This afternoon, depart the hotel by private motorcoach for a half day excursion beginning with a guided tour of the Tower of London. Continue to the Mithraic Temple on Queen Street for a visit.
Three course welcome dinner tonight in a local restaurant. Overnight at your central London hotel.
July 15: LONDON
Continental breakfast at the hotel. Metro pass for tour of the British Museum and the City of London Museum.
Overnight at you central London Hotel.
July 16: LONDON - ST. ALBANS
Continental breakfast at the hotel. Half day use of private motorcoach for visit to Verulamium Museum. Return to London in the early afternoon. Leave by train to Newcastle
Overnight at your Newcastle Hotel.
July 17: NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE - HOUSTEADS ROMAN FORT - CORBRIDGE - VINDOLANDA -
English breakfast and early departure for a full day visit to Hadrian's Wall and its environs. Entrance to the following sites have been included: Housesteads, Corbridge and Vindolanda. Time permitting, we'll try to squeeze one more into the schedule.
Return to Newcastle tonight for dinner and overnight.
July 18: NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE - YORK
English breakfast and early check-out. Journey to York. Arrive York. Meet your local guide for a walking tour of the city ending with a guided tour of the York Minster. Overnight in York.
July 19: - HIDCOTE - LUNT ROMAN FORT - CHELTENHAM
English breakfast and early check out. Visit to Hidcote Manor and Gardens this a.m. Continue to Coventry for a visit to the Lunt Roman Fort. Late afternoon arrival at your hotel in Cheltenham.
July 20: CHELTENHAM - CAERWENT (WALES) - CHELTENHAM
English breakfast at the hotel. Depart by motorcoach for Caerwent Roman Town in Wales for a morning visit. Return to Cheltenham in the midafternoon. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Cheltenham.
July 21: CHELTENHAM - CHEDWORTH VILLA - BATH
English breakfast at the hotel and check out. the Baths with brief commentary enroute. Meet at the Baths this morning for entrance to the site. Our coach will meet us as we leave the site. Continue to Chedworth Villa for a site visit. And then, on to Cirencester for a visit to the site and entrance to the Corinium museum. Please note that there is renovation going on here.
Overnight at Bath.
July 22: BATH - MAIDEN CASTLE - CERNE GIANT - STOURHEAD HOUSE AND GARDENS - STONEHENGE - PORTSMOUTH
English breakfast and early check out. Depart by private motorcoach. Before leaving the south of England, stop at Maiden Castle for a brief visit and view the Cerne Giant.
Continue north for a visit at Stourhead House and Garden. Lunch on your own enroute. This afternoon, visit Stonehenge (audio guide included as they discourage guiding on the site. Overnight in Portsmouth.
July 23: PORTSMOUTH - CHICHESTER - FISHBOURNE- PORTSMOUTH
English breakfast this morning. Depart by motorcoach for a morning at leisure in Chichester with entrance to the cathedral there. After lunch, continue to Fishbourne Roman
Palace and Museum. Return to Portsmouth in the early evening. Overnight in Portsmouth.
July 24 PORTSMOUTH - BIGNOR VILLA - HEVER CASTLE - LONDON
Continental breakfast. Hotel check-out. Depart by private motorcoach for a very full day of touring beginning at the Bignor Roman Villa. Continue to Hever Castle Garden (garden visit is included; castle visit is not included). Stop for lunch enroute. This afternoon, arrive Canterbury for a two hour guided tour including a brief orientation of the city and a visit to the cathedral.
Farewell dinner tonight at a local restaurant. Overnight in London.
July 25: London
English breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.
Price: $3,695
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