Britannia are looking forward to a busy 2013.

Our storage facility has had to change locations and we've had to construct a new secure building in the process. This should make things easier to coordinate when it's finished.

We worked on the introduction to BBC's One Show recently and were lucky  enough to have spent the afternoon with movie star John Hannah (who played Lentulus Batitatus in the TV Series `Spartacus'). Live television, especially working in the confines of a small studio was a valuable experience and we were looked after very nicely by the One Show team.

Britannia staged a reconstruction of the Battle of Badon and contributed to the Chester Roman festival in 2012. Both events were very well received and despite our gladiator show at the Kelmarsh event being cancelled in 2012 due to flooding we are looking forward to supporting English Heritage again in 2013.

We also contributed to what may well be the final series of Horrible Histories (Series 5) both on location and in the studio. Amongst the many sketches we worked on were a version of popular UK car review show Top Gear being hosted by Vikings, and the Roman Consul Crassus singing about his wealth in the style of a rap artist...complete with bling! Directors Dominic Brigstocke and Steve Connelly were very complimentary about our contributions.

Our shows for 2013 are already stacking up, so do check out our events page!

In late 2011 Britannia worked on the 4th Series of Horrible Histories. Most of this was location work involving diverse periods such as Roman Republicans, Persians, Greeks (Spartans, Athenians and Macedonians) as well as Knights Templar and at least one fainting Elizabethan fop!The experience has proved to be both challenging and enormous fun in equal measure, an article on our experiences appeared in Skirmish Magazine in early 2012.

In the Summer of 2011 we staged four gladiator shows for clients: English Heritage, Fishbourne Roman Palace and The Museum of London. These proved to be a great success and all four weekends were playing to full capacity crowds. The highest profile event was for the Museum of London. This was the re-creation of the gladiatorial games in London's Guildhall Yard, site of London's Roman amphitheatre. Not only did this draw a crowd of over 6,000 spectators it also received very positive reviews from the national newspapers and Time Out magazine.

 

Britannia also worked on series 3 of Horrible Histories, the location and studio work was a great experience for many of our people in a variety of roles.

The cast and crew were very dedicated, professional and often hysterically funny!

We were also lucky enough to work with Horrible Histories author Terry Deary .

Here's his site: http://www.terry-deary.com/pg/television-and-movies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GLADIATORS; BACK FROM THE DEAD (October Films)
Britannia assisted with most of the equipment and personnel in this landmark Channel 4 Documentary for UK TV. Shown in June 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Centurion, (Director: Neil Marshall 2009)
Centurion: Britannia featured heavily in the combat scenes and Dan Shadrake
of Britannia advised on the drill and co-ordinated the Roman army in the
battle scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

Britannia played host to the official English Heritage 410AD - 2010AD celebrations at Old Sarum hillfort near Salisbury (UK)

Britannia, along with guests from the UK, Germany, France and Sweden managed to form the first Later Roman Century (80 Men) seen since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Our client was thrilled and the crowds went wild.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Hood: Britannia took part in this new epic in various locations in the UK (Guests of Clan Ranald/Combat International).
Director: Ridley Scott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TV Work

Britannia worked on the 1st and 2nd Series of CBBC's `Horrible Histories' working as extras, advisors and providing props. Some of Britannia are seen here with actor Jim Howick.

Right: Britannia member Matt Shadrake as a caveman in the `Horrible Histories' CSI Stone Age sketch.

 

 

 

 

 

Curiosities

Britannia members unearthed a later Roman sword chape in a rabbit hole, on the edge of a spoil heap at Flag Fen in 2008.Bronze (3rd-4th Century AD).

Measurements 2.5 inches across (It has two holes - one central counter-sunk hole & one at the base on one side only). One commentator said it looked like it was deliberately damaged (a sword sized hole ruptured through the base of the chape) and the funny grass pattern on it was probably the result of years of sitting in a Fenland reed-bed!

Britannia members Joe Purcell & Dan Shadrake were putting up tents on the edge of the spoil-bank and saw it sitting near a rabbit hole. They first thought it was a Victorian pocket watch, but when they shook the soil off of the item they thought it looked like a distinct kind of Later Roman chape (This was a lucky recognition on the part of Britannia members as it could have been discarded as rubbish because of its rather plain industrial appearance). It was indeed later confirmed as a damaged 3rd-4th Century bronze Roman sword chape (scabbard end).

Sadly because of its location (on the surface) it is impossible to date it precisely or link it to any specific area in Flag Fen.
It remains a curiosity used by Cambridge's educational department.

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