The cameo: becoming a Roman legionary

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For this programme, the reconstruction cameo saw Time Team digger Matt Williams signing up as a Roman legionary with the Comitatus re-enactment group.

Ros Ereira, cameo producer
Matt Williams, Time Team digger and Roman legionary
Comitatus, experimental archaeology group

Ros Ereira, cameo producer

When I saw that the reconstructed Roman fort at Arbeia had a barrack block, complete with beds, it became inevitable that someone would have to spend the night in them – and Matt was surprisingly pleased when I told him he had been volunteered for the task!

Matt's new comrades-in-arms were supplied by the late-Roman re-enactment group, Comitatus, who provided us with a commander and a group of fellow soldiers for Matt to join. Matt had to learn to handle the weapons used by the soldiers of the time, as well as living the life of a Roman legionary for 24 hours. He was allowed only to wear Roman clothes, eat Roman food, sleep in a Roman bed – and drink Roman alcohol. In the evening, he had a Roman massage and then drank seaweed ale, mead and thick red wine with his new friends in their Roman 'tavern', before being put on guard-duty at 2am. His packet of cigarettes, which he'd intended to help see him through the long night, was unceremoniously crushed underfoot by the commander as 'non-Roman'.

As the film crew retired to their beds long beforehand, it was left to me to endure the long hours alongside Matt in order to film his ordeal. This meant that the two of us were huddled together in the cold and dark at 2am trying to find a way of getting enough light on his face for the camera to see him. Judging from the state that poor Matt was in the next morning, I think he's rather pleased that he's an archaeologist, and not a Roman soldier!

Matt Williams, Time Team digger and Roman legionary

Back in the good old days things were so much simpler. No disturbing mobile phones, no noisy traffic, no central heating, no electric lights, no gas stoves and certainly no decent weatherproof clothing. Men were tough and the weather was cruel, combat was face to face and bloody and no-one cried if they got hurt. And this is (sort of) where I ended up – as a Roman soldier from Germany in third-century Britain.

My name was Germanicus and I was stationed in Arbeia, on Hadrian's Wall. After signing my freedom away with a cross, I was dressed for the part. An ill-fitting helmet (mass produced for the army – one size fits none); some strappy sandals (just right for the bracing Newcastle weather); a shield I could hardly lift; a vicious-looking spear; some rather fetching woollen trousers; and finally an enormous chain-mail vest. I buckled over just trying to stand up. How was I supposed to train in all this?

Nonetheless, it was outside for the initiation and my first mistake – looking my centurion in the eye. As a sign of respect I was supposed always to look above his head when speaking to him. I then pledged my allegiance to God and the Emperor (pretty much the same person as far as I could work out) and the training could begin.

Despite the lack of technology, there were plenty of different things to do. I marched up and down, in a circle, backwards, forwards and sideways. And then did it all again. And again. And again.

Then there was the weapons training, which is far more exciting, involving real weapons. First I tried the plumbata, which were heavy lead balls with an arrowhead attached, which were thrown underarm to rain down on your foe. Then there was sword fighting, spear throwing and – my favourite, which I think I had quite a flair for – the javelin, which was hurled out with a kind of sling. You could reach quite a distance and do someone a nasty injury throwing that thing around, which I suppose was the point of it.

Finally, we tried a charge. As we thundered forward my helmet slowly slipped over my eyes, and when we ran down the eight-foot deep ditch and up the other side I was pretty much sightless, and we all collapsed in a pile of mud, sweat and spiky weapons at the other side. (I would like to point out that for 'television reasons' the director made us do this six times in quick succession. Lawrence, if you are reading this, I am still plotting my revenge.)

After a hearty meal of barley porridge and cheese, we settled down to entertain ourselves Roman style. Out came the lavender beer and various other pungent drinks and soon the ludo gave way to thumb wrestling, then arm wrestling and finally leg wrestling. 'All back to mine!' shouted Gaius, which wasn't really necessary as we were all sleeping in the same bed.

A soldier's work is never done, however, and after a couple of hours' sleep I was awoken to go on guard duty. From two until four in the morning, I stood in the freezing night with Paulus. We took it in turns to patrol the fort perimeter and swap tales of the old days, when the nights weren't so cold and the hangovers, which were gently creeping up on us, weren't so bad.

Finally, my training was over and I was ceremonially accepted into the Roman army and given an identity bracelet. My legs were blue from the cold and I could hardly lift my arms, but it had been one of the most exhilarating experiences I have known. How on earth those soldiers could have lived like that and still defeated the armies of the known world was incredible; everything they did was painful, tiring and dangerous (including the drinking). The next time I stare into the sunset and yearn for a simple life – just like in the old days – I'll definitely think again.

Comitatus, experimental archaeology group

The Comitatus re-enactment group is a collection of friends who primarily re-create the skills of the late Roman imperial army of around 400 AD. We were approached by Time Team to give Matt the digger an experience of 24 hours in the life of a Roman soldier. We spent some time preparing rooms in the barracks and courtyard at Arbeia. On Matt's arrival we were able to literally strip him of the 21st century and equip him as a pede of the Praesidiensis.

The cameras meant it was impossible to give Matt a true period experience. Despite our best intentions the modern world was just too intrusive. But we were able to work him pretty hard in the time we had. And we were able to intercept most of the cigarettes the production team kept slipping him. Matt certainly enjoyed the period alcohol on offer. He was swaying on his feet by the end of the experience. But he tried everything with good grace and never gave up.

A very special 24 hours for Matt was a standard weekend for us. You can see more of our activities at www.comitatus.net.

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