The Department of Archaeology at the University of Reading, in collaboration with the Runnymede Trust (an educational race equality charity) and children’s author Caroline Lawrence (author of The Roman Mysteries), have launched a new website:

www.romansrevealed.com.

This website provides a teaching resource for children to learn about diversity in Roman Britain, and is particularly aimed at KS2 and KS3. Students can learn about life in Roman Britain through four individuals, and can explore them either through ‘excavating’ their graves or following short stories written by Caroline Lawrence. Through videos, they can also hear from the research team, and learn about the work archaeologists do.

A teaching resource pack and activity sheets can be downloaded from the website, and used in the class-room or for home learning.

The website is based on recent archaeological research at the University of Reading, which examined more than 150 skeletons from Roman Britain. This research identified a significant number of migrants in the burial record of Roman Britain, particularly late Roman York and Winchester. The results of scientific analysis indicated that up to a third of the individuals sampled could be classed as non-local, with a smaller number possibly from outside the UK. Contrary to popular perception, women and children were found to be amongst these migrants and immigrants came from both warmer and colder climates. The findings of the research are contrary to popular perceptions of ‘The Romans’ as essentially Italian soldiers and men.

Visit the website [ HERE … ]