Roman Fest marches on
The roar of the amphitheatre features in the new series of Rome which has begun airing on television. Visitors to Chester do not have to go back 2000 years or journey out of the country to see battle commence because the Great Roman Festival kicks off this weekend with events across the city. The Festival is now in its sixth year.
Gladiators will do battle in the Great Roman Festival of Chester at Chester’s ancient Amphitheatre on Saturday and Sunday and also at Dean’s Field, 2000 years after the action in Rome the TV series. There will also be Roman legions marching through the streets of Chester, just as we saw brought to life last night (WEDNESDAY) at 9pm on BBC 2, and repeated on Sunday.
The Great Roman Festival will officially open tomorrow (FRIDAY JUNE 29). Soldiers and gladiators in The March of the Dead (Gladiators) will make their way in a military fashion to the Town Hall Square and at 5pm the Sheriff of Chester Cllr Andrew Storrar and his wife Cllr Jeanne Storrar will declare the opening of the Chester Festival. An evening of Bacchanalian musical entertainment and North Africa dance follows at Alexander’s Bar, Rufus Court.
The highlight of the Festival will be on Saturday with Roman Race Day at Chester Racecourse and with Roman activities at Chester Amphitheatre and Dean’s Field. There will be military pageantry, an encampment of Romans, an owl keeper and children will have the chance to join the Kids Army for the day at the Amphitheatre. Also, on Saturday, at Dean’s Field there will be a living history camp and arena from 11am to 5pm and Roman traders will be at Rufus Court demonstrating crafts and selling pottery, ironwork and food.
Paul Harstone, AKA Centurion Occratius Maximus Gittus, said:
“The action in the tv series Rome is gripping. Rome is in its second series and the Great Roman Festival of Chester is in its eighth year. The Great Roman Festival hopes to emulate the marvellous action and drama of the tv series, with events happening across the city. The Festival celebrates Chester’s Roman heritage which is brought to life with a programme of events for all the family.”
On Sunday, Roman legions will take to Chester’s streets at 11:30am, setting off from Dean’s Field and the Amphitheatre to converge at Eastgate and continue around the city. Meanwhile, Gladiators will fight for their lives in the Amphitheatre to entertain the crowds.
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BACKGROUND TO ROME:
Rome first hit our screens in 2005, charting the critical points in the formation of the Roman Empire. The action revolves around two regular soldiers of the Roman army, Lucius Vorenus, played by Kevin McKidd and Titus Pullo, played by Ray Stevenson. The series culminated in the assassination of Julius Caesar, played by Ciarán Hinds and series two, which starts on BBC 2 tonight, picks up the story in the ensuing chaos.
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