for_sv's blog

In ancient Europe, all roads led to Rome -- even in England's far north. In this region of the Roman Empire, the garrison of Vindolanda was home to hundreds of people, primarily soldiers and administrators, plus some families and traders. The daily lives and the military significance of the fort are preserved in a cache of postcard-sized wood tablets that Oxford University discovered and put online. Start with the Exhibition section for a comprehensive look at who carved the tablets and why. You can also browse the tablet database and search by topic. The reference section provides detail on aspects of Roman life and terminology such as currency, weights and measures, and the calendar, which are all mentioned in the tablets. These Vindolanda artifacts offer a remarkable reconstruction of life in one community on the edge of the Roman world.