at the Quarterhouse, Tontine Steet, Folkestone on Sunday 31st July.
Talk and Discussion led by Andy Brockman 5.00 pm
Film – “The Eagle” 6.00 pm
£3.50 in advance £4.50 on the door. Tel: 01303-858500
Historian and archaeologist Andy Brockman will talk about the fascinating story behind Rosemary Sutcliff’s Roman novels, including The Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch, in which Sutcliff takes us to the Roman villa on Folkestone’s East Cliff. Andy will also discuss our continuing fascination with Ancient Rome and how Rome is represented in film and literature.
Rosemary Sutcliff (1920-1992) is best known as a writer of Historical fiction that was primarily meant for children though the quality and depth of her writing is such that she is read by many adults and indeed she once said her books were “for children of all ages from eight to eighty-eight”.
Andy Brockman is a working archaeologist who specialises in community archaeology, where local communities work alongside professional archaeologists, and the Archaeology of Modern Conflict. He was Project Archaeologist on the “Take Me To The River” project on the Thames Foreshore at North Woolwich and devised and managed the “05-45” and “Normans to Normandy” projects in schools in Woolwich and Bexley, both funded by the National Lottery.
He is also Research Director of the ongoing Digging Dad’s Army Project which is looking at the impact of war and the preparations for war in south east London. This is a role which has led to Andy acting as a consultant on The Real Dad’s Army for Channel 4 and the forthcoming Reel History of Britain for the BBC as well as appearing on screen in Channel Four’s Time Team [Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill: 2007] and ITN Productions “Mud Men” with Johnny Vaughn made in 2010.
He is currently undertaking PhD Research at the University of Southampton into the use of shipping in Roman Britain.
The Eagle, adapted by Jeremy Brock from Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth (1954), tells the story of a young Roman officer seeking to recover the lost Roman eagle standard of his father’s legion in the northern part of Britain. The story is based on the Ninth Spanish Legion’s supposed disappearance in Britain. It is, Andy Brockman says, “a viscerally exciting action adventure that also has some very interesting things to say about how we define our identity and our relationship with our military and the foreign adventures our governments send them on.”
“Swords and Sandals” has been organised by A Town Unearthed, which is a three year project of community archaeology in Folkestone, organised by Canterbury Christ Church University, the Folkestone People’s History Centre and Canterbury Archaeological Trust. It is funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund and The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust with additional contributions by Folkestone Town Council, Kent Archaeological Society, Kent County Council Shepway District Council (East Folkestone Change together)and the Tory Family Foundation.
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