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Vindolanda

Text Vindolanda

TLF ID M011203

This resource is about the Roman garrison established at Vindolanda. It includes extracts from the Vindolanda tablets dating from the period AD 97-103, which documented details of everyday life for a Roman soldier on the north-west frontier of Roman Britain. The resource describes the discovery of the tablets and their importance in providing information about the nature of life on the frontier, both military and civilian. It includes text with images and quotation boxes, most of which contain primary source quotes.

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Educational details

Educational value
  • This resource is useful for addressing the Australian Curriculum: History content description in year 7 relating to significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Romans associated with everyday life. It examines the contents of the Vindolanda tablets, which record details of the military and personal lives of the officers and their families who lived in the fort, focusing in particular on Flavius Cerialis, a commanding officer from about AD 97.
  • The resource is useful for the insights provided about the daily life of the ordinary soldiers of the fort, including their diet and clothing. The evidence suggests that they ate reasonably well. The Vindolanda tablets record 46 different foodstuffs. Wheat was distributed to the soldiers, who also had access to oysters and pepper and bacon. Families would often send them parcels with clothing including socks, underpants and sandals.
  • This resource is useful for the development of historical skills. Students prepare a presentation about life on the north-west frontier of Roman Britain using the primary sources included in the resource.
Year level

7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12

Topics War Lifestyles Italian history
Learning area
  • History

Other details

Contributors
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  • Organization: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  • Address: UNITED KINGDOM
  • URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk
  • Publisher
  • Name: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  • Organization: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: UNITED KINGDOM
  • URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Generic
Learning Resource Type
  • Text
  • Image
Rights
  • Resource: BBC © 2012, except where indicated otherwise. You may download, copy and communicate this material for free, and use it in digital and hardcopy format for non-commercial educational use in Australian schools and TAFE institutions, provided you retain all acknowledgements associated with the material. 'Interactive' image: © Education Services Australia Limited 2012. You may copy, communicate and adapt this image for non-commercial educational purposes provided you retain all acknowledgements associated with the image.