What role did the amphitheatre at Trimontium really play on Rome’s northern frontier?
Virtually nothing remains today of Trimontium’s earth and wood amphitheatre, but this, the most northerly currently identified in the Empire, is emblematic of the reach and power of Rome. These emporia of death, as they have been called, are found wherever Roman culture was strong – and Britain was no exception. But can they simply be seen as symptoms of a violent society besotted with bloodshed in and beyond the arena, or did they have a more complex meaning pointing to an ideology that lent cohesion to the whole of the Empire? Trimontium’s first talk of 2026 will look at examples from across the Roman world and consider what the ancients themselves thought of these fearsome structures and what they stood for.

Dr John Reid is the Chair of the Trimontium Trust and author of “The Eagle and the Bear: A New History of Roman Scotland”. His work spans Roman military archaeology, battlefield research, and public engagement, including the Burnswark Project. He brings an evidence-led, interdisciplinary approach to understanding Rome’s northern frontier.

This talk will take ONLINE ONLY via Zoom.

Trimontium Members, all talks are included as part of your membership. You will automatically be sent joining details as part of your membership 48 hours prior to the talk.

Non members attending online will receive the joining details via email within 48 hours prior to the talk