Main content

The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall

Episode 4 of 4

Alice Roberts reveals the story of the Roman cavalry. As she sets off across Hadrian's Wall on their trail, re-enactors recreate a cavalry tournament.

In this special, Professor Alice Roberts reveals the forgotten story of the Roman Army's secret weapon in Britain - their cavalry. These fearsome horsemen were the key to defending Britain's most famous Roman monument fortification, Hadrian's Wall.

Alice sets off across Hadrian's Wall to investigate any evidence the Roman cavalry left behind, while a team of archaeologists and historical re-enactors attempt to restage a Roman cavalry tournament - a spectacle that no-one has seen for over 1,600 years.

We follow the team's training as they prepare for the performance, and Alice joins them at a public display in Carlisle where 30 riders perform in front of a crowd of spectators.

To put the cavalry's story in context, the film also explores the latest archaeological digs happening across the UK, each of which is searching for new evidence of the Roman cavalry.

On her journey across Hadrian's Wall, Alice visits some of the most iconic sites associated with the Roman cavalry, including Chester's Roman fort, Vindolanda fort and museum and Hexham Abbey. Along the way she builds a picture of the horsemen's lives here on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire.

Available now

59 minutes

Audio described

Last on

Tue 22 Oct 2024 20:00

More episodes

Next

You are at the last episode

See all episodes from Digging for Britain

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Alice Roberts
Production Company 360 Production
Executive Producer Emma Parkins
Series Producer Nick Gillam-Smith
Producer James Gray
Director James Gray

Broadcasts

Digging for Ireland

Digging for Ireland

Outstanding archaeology from Ireland, including perfectly preserved Iron Age bog bodies