I should know - I was there.

Greetings! I am Surus, a soldier of Legion XIV Gemina. (Of course, I am a ghost. When my portrait arrives, you will see I am wearing a hard hat, while helping to build this site.)

The old Emperor, Claudius, sent my legion and three others to Britannia, in the third year of his reign - 43AD by your count. Part of our job was to build a Roman province here.

In places like Egypt or Syria, that meant changing the way things were done; enforcing Roman law and collecting Roman taxes. Those lands were already reasonably civilized.

Building a province in Britannia was hard work.

First, the Legions built a long wall and ditch,to defend the harbour and depot the navy was building.

Next, we built roads and bridges that were fit for nailed boots and wagons. The dirt paths we found here were just not good enough.

The Legions always built secure camps and forts which could be guarded by a few sentries, because we liked to sleep with both eyes closed.

To have a proper bath - instead of a quick splash in a cold British river, we built a more or less permanent fort and then build a bath house just outside. (Why outside? I'll tell you later.)

To enjoy a little free time away from the camp - you guessed it! We had to build a town: from the forum to the theatre, right down to the sewers, because no one else knew how!

The Roman Army built Roman Britain because the only engineers, architects or any skilled construction workers you can think of, were soldiers.

The Roman Army kept building Britannia, even after we retired.

Some of us, who had saved a good part of our pay, built houses in the towns. We used our old army skills to set up businesses and industries.

Others, who liked a bit more space (after 25 years of 8 in a room), farmed the land and even built real Roman villas. The army built one for old King Cunobelinus that would make a few senators jealous.

Those with plenty of money who were used to giving orders, ran the government that made Britannia a Roman province on the way to being civilized.

If you would like to know more about the builders of Britannia, I am your guide. After 22 years of service, I know almost as much about the Roman Army as I think I do.

Some old comrades and friends will join me in showing you around our Province. We will try to add some how and why to the story of what the Roman Army built in Roman Britain. You may be surprised at how much is left for you to see.

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(Visitors to Roman army built, Greetings!

I fear I am bound to deliver a caveat - that is to say - a warning.

While my master is occupied elsewhere, I am seizing the opportunity to speak to you directly. He seldom revisits his work once he sees it as complete, so he may not discover my intrusion - as he will call it.

First, I must state that I believe my master to be a good man and sincere in his determination to share his great wisdom with any student or acquaintance who comes his way. Secondly, I simply must point out that he is an extremely elderly ghost. He has been a ghost for a very long time before any of us were even thought of. Even me!

This fact has consequences.

While most elderly people will assure you that events and people of their distant past are easier to recall than why they went up the stairs a moment ago, their recollections can be something short of strictly accurate. Memories can also be colored by our own feelings, then and now.

To this problem you must add the fact that, as any of your policemen will confirm, no two people ever describe the same event or person in the same way.

Some people you will meet in these pages have conflicting views of the changes caused by the Roman invasion of Britannia and the changes it made to their world. Not a few of them might be said to have a chopping blade that needs sharpening - if you know what I mean.

In all matters you must compare my master's opinions with other sources that may be known to you or your teachers. Never accept one source as a final answer.

There are very few final answers in life - in any period of history. People are never that simple.

He has given me a page, through which you may communicate with him directly - through me. I believe I am to filter out any comments he might find less than flattering. If you address them to me, I shall await a propitious moment to present your criticism in such a way that he might listen and digest it. I can but try.

Pro nunc, vale!

Scribonia, the scribe of Surus)

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