England was part of the Roman Empire for nearly 400 years. The Romans stationed three legions in Britannia and left a legacy of city-states, roads, and outlying forts. Aquae Sulis (Roman Bath), with its Hot Spring, was then as now, a place of rest and relaxation. The Romans had no difficulty in seeing a connection between the native Celtic gods and their own. Hence the sacred spring of the Celtic Sulis (Bath) became dedicated to Sulis Minerva.

The Great Bath at Aquae Sulis (modern Bath)

In AD 410 the Emperor Honorius, his coffers stretched, granted Britannia responsibility for her own affairs. Bath, which played a significant role in Roman Britain, was the focus of much strife and destruction after the Romans left.

BRLSI's Romans in Bath programme includes 22 lectures, two exhibitions and a field trip to the Roman town of Caerwent. As well as examining life in Aquae Sulis (Roman Bath), it looks at wider aspects of the Roman empire and occupation of Britain. Lectures include Roman Technology: Its Past and Future, Freedom and Slavery in Roman Bath and AD410 - the Sack of Rome. Caveman to Celt, an exhibition from the BRLSI Collections beginning on 24th April, will focus on the unwritten history of the British Isles, while Life in Roman Britain, open from 2nd August, will show life for Romans and Britons under a military dictatorship.

For full details, including times and entrance prices (exhibitions are free) visit our March-June and July-November events guide pages, or download our Romans in Bath programme as a PDF file (see right).

At a Glance  •   March - June  •   July - November