Ian Jackson (retired British Geological Survey) will a talk on his book through 50 sites exploring how the rocks of the Roman frontier in northern England shaped its history. It reveals how the landscape and its natural origins connect to its archaeology.
The book explains how the landscape the Romans first encountered came to be, how rocks determined their decisions about their defences and how the Romans exploited and traded the resources the natural environment offered. It examines the challenges faced by the Roman army as their commanders, surveyors, craftsmen and quartermasters plotted effective route lines through difficult terrain and sourced building materials, energy, mineral and water resources
What did rocks ever do for the Romans? The answer is pretty much everything. From the siting of their defences, to providing building stone, metals for their swords, slingshots and tools, coal for their heating and cooking, pigments for their clothes and paints, and semi-precious stones for their jewellery