In this section:
Here are some of our favourite Roman stories that you've sent in:
An amphitheatre
In the town of Rome there lived an emperor that was called Maximus and a boy that had a normal body and elephant head. He was called Marcus. One Monday afternoon the emperor let the boy into his palace and showed him around his house. The boy saw a ring and his eyes gleamed like a light. A week went by and the boy couldn’t stop thinking about the golden ring. That night the boy crept into the house, stole the ring and ran away. The next morning the emperor woke up and the ring was gone. He called his men and said “MEN COME HERE AT ONCE”. The men came running up the stairs and pushed the door right open. One of the men said “what is the matter”. “Someone has stolen my golden ring”. The men told the other people and they all went looking for the missing ring. A year went by and the boy had forgotten about the ring. One day the boy looked in his box and found the ring. He went back that night and put the ring back. The next morning the emperor woke up and looked around, saw the ring and jumped right out of his bed. He went to get the ring and looked at it really closely, saying to himself “I am sure I can see finger marks” and he looked even closer and said “I know those’s finger mark’s”. He sent his men out to the boy’s house. When they arrived one of the men knocked on the door. The boy opened the door and said “what are you doing here”. One of the solider said “to take you to the amphitheatre”. So off they went. When they got there they chucked him on the stage. When Vibius walks on the stage, the crowd shouts “FIGHT”! So they fought. When Vibius jump’s on the boy, the boy couldn’t breathe and the emperor said the boy is dead. After that they never saw that boy again.
By J - a student from Pikemere School
Four easy steps to get your story going. (Our spinners will help you get started with this bit).
Write a simple plot-plan
Doing a rough plan of the story is a really good idea. It should not contain too many details. The idea is to write a great story, not a great plan.
The following stories are taken from an event that Robin did in 2005 with some members of the Young Archaeologists club. These kids were extremely familiar with Romans - they had done some research, had been out on the site of the Roman sea-fort Branoduno and had also interviewed the local scientists of British Roman history. They choose a setting for their stories in Brancaster (Norfolk), approximately 270AD.
The Samian bowl, before being broken!
Day 1
I have decided to write this diary as these days are long, lonely, and so the doctors say, short in number. One day my children will read this and see how dangerous these days are. I am currently lying here in the run down Valetudinarium (Hospital) out on the dark side of town. I have been here near on 6 days. My Master delivered me here after I fainted three times in a row, causing the breakage of my Masters favourite samian bowl, the one with flowers round the edges.
Day 2
Today I am free of that dreadful place. I am restored to almost my previous state , however, I have news that my Master will not accept me back into his household. I am a free woman and will make my money by taking laundry in. With no place I can call “ home” my future looks bleak.
Day 3
What a day it's been! I haven't wrote for at least a month and since then I have met the man of my dreams. Felix is the son of the local Commanding Officer. He is young, brave and handsome so much like my little statue of Hercules! He has bought me a home, a little house near the Praetorium. I have been taking laundry in and somehow managed to get by on very little.
Day 4
Felix has gained permission from my elderly father for us to marry! I can't wait for the day, only one week I shall move into his well kept house with him.
Day 5
Felix, now I am his legal wife I feel that I can talk about the way I want to. His gambling is quite appalling and he has lost so much money! I fear the coming winter. I really will have to stop him.
To be continued...
Characters Helena - Slave girl, writes this diary Herennia - Officers wife, evil lady Felix- Helena's husband, gambles too much Crito Africanus - superior officer Lupis – Murderer, Lupus means “wolf” Nero – Innkeeper.
Locations Valetudinarium- Hospital Inn Via Praetoria Temple
Objects Statue of Hercules Hoard , 2400 coins and 2 bracelets Finger-ring with bust of Emperor Tetricus ( 270-274 AD) Samian Bowl.
Plot plan: Slave girl starts by saying how she ended up in hospital. Freed by Master due to illness. Marries officer's son, Felix. He looses money, gambling. His father dies and inherits ring. Sells it and All Live Happily Ever After!
The cursed ring!
(Pseudonym for George Stevens, George Norman, Jonathan Landless, Sarah Landless, Emma Swanston)
Flashback
Many years ago there was a storm, a stranger crept mysteriously through the loud, pattering rain. He was carrying a dark box with a curse in it, a cursed ring. He began to dig a small hole and placed the box inside it. Then a thunderbolt struck to the ground and the stranger covered up the ring before it could be harmed by the lightening.
Year 280 AD, 12.March
Dear Diary, today a had a big shock! I do not know how to explain this frightening experience. I was sitting in my husband's courtyard- Egbuttius is the Commander of the Fort. A green, luminous lightening bolt came out of the blue. I think it was from the Gods because a golden ring appeared from where it hit the ground. I took it inside and never told anyone about it.
13.March
Dear Diary, today I was walking down the street when I saw someone I had never seen before walk towards me. He said: “You are so ugly, I wish you had a pig's head!” Suddenly a half invisible axe appeared and chopped off someone's head- and a pig's head came up instead. To be continued...
Characters Tullia- Commander's wife writes a diary. She found a RING. Fabia- Slave girl Egbuttius- Commander of the Fort Maro - Cursed guy Juba – Drunken guy at the Inn Nero- Innkeeper.
Objects Hoard - 2400 coins and 2 bracelets, Finger-ring with bust of Emperor Tetricus ( 270-274 AD), Dodecahedron- Mysterious object, Fragments of Roman armour.
Locations - Inn, Trading Post, Vicus Courtyard of Commander.
Plot Plan Flashback- burying the Curse in a dark night. Many years later Tullia finds ring People get cursed Maro, a soldier gets cursed Maro steals hoard of coins and silver bracelets. He leaves behind his Dodecahedron. Buries it in Commander's courtyard. Maro, the thief, dies. Dodecaherdon starts to glow...