Brittunculus
@brittunculus.bsky.social
History/classics MA
"The climate is wretched” - Tacitus ('Agricola' 12)
#RomanBritain
"The climate is wretched” - Tacitus ('Agricola' 12)
#RomanBritain
Pinned
Brittunculus
@brittunculus.bsky.social
· Nov 19
A fragment of a military intelligence report from the Roman fort at Vindolanda, on the northern frontier of #RomanBritain. The thin, postcard-sized wooden tablet describes the fighting style of the native Britons, disparagingly referred to as BRITTUNCULI or 'Little Brits.'
#EpigraphyTuesday
#EpigraphyTuesday
Reposted by Brittunculus
Have you ever tasted medlar fruits? They are ancient sweet tasting fruits, that need to soften before eating. Not as popular nowadays, they were brought to Britain by the Romans.
This medlar fruit stone was discovered at the Roman town near Silchester. 1934.114.3.586 Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
This medlar fruit stone was discovered at the Roman town near Silchester. 1934.114.3.586 Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Have you ever tasted medlar fruits? They are ancient sweet tasting fruits, that need to soften before eating. Not as popular nowadays, they were brought to Britain by the Romans.
This medlar fruit stone was discovered at the Roman town near Silchester. 1934.114.3.586 Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
This medlar fruit stone was discovered at the Roman town near Silchester. 1934.114.3.586 Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
Reposted by Brittunculus
Recently learned that during the Roman conquest of Britain the Romans would refer to us as 'Brittunculi' (derogatory), meaning, 'fucking little Britons'. As in, "These fucking little Britons do not know they are conquered".
And ever since I've been tempted to add 'proud brittunculi' to my bio 😂
And ever since I've been tempted to add 'proud brittunculi' to my bio 😂
November 27, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Recently learned that during the Roman conquest of Britain the Romans would refer to us as 'Brittunculi' (derogatory), meaning, 'fucking little Britons'. As in, "These fucking little Britons do not know they are conquered".
And ever since I've been tempted to add 'proud brittunculi' to my bio 😂
And ever since I've been tempted to add 'proud brittunculi' to my bio 😂
Reposted by Brittunculus
#AshmoleanAdvent Day 2: A Bronze Stag 🦌
This Roman bronze brooch in the shape of a stag would have been used to fasten a shawl or cloak.
This brooch was once decorated with bright multi-coloured enamel which was very popular in Britain and France during the Roman period.
🦌 AN1927.418
This Roman bronze brooch in the shape of a stag would have been used to fasten a shawl or cloak.
This brooch was once decorated with bright multi-coloured enamel which was very popular in Britain and France during the Roman period.
🦌 AN1927.418
December 2, 2025 at 8:01 AM
#AshmoleanAdvent Day 2: A Bronze Stag 🦌
This Roman bronze brooch in the shape of a stag would have been used to fasten a shawl or cloak.
This brooch was once decorated with bright multi-coloured enamel which was very popular in Britain and France during the Roman period.
🦌 AN1927.418
This Roman bronze brooch in the shape of a stag would have been used to fasten a shawl or cloak.
This brooch was once decorated with bright multi-coloured enamel which was very popular in Britain and France during the Roman period.
🦌 AN1927.418
Relief from Aphrodisias in Turkey.
A heroically nude Claudius dominates a pleading woman, captioned below in Greek as BPETANNIA.
The relief commemorates the emperor's invasion of Britain in 43, and was found in 1980.
(Now in Aphrodisias Archaeological Museum.)
#EpigraphyTuesday
#ReliefWednesday
A heroically nude Claudius dominates a pleading woman, captioned below in Greek as BPETANNIA.
The relief commemorates the emperor's invasion of Britain in 43, and was found in 1980.
(Now in Aphrodisias Archaeological Museum.)
#EpigraphyTuesday
#ReliefWednesday
December 2, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Relief from Aphrodisias in Turkey.
A heroically nude Claudius dominates a pleading woman, captioned below in Greek as BPETANNIA.
The relief commemorates the emperor's invasion of Britain in 43, and was found in 1980.
(Now in Aphrodisias Archaeological Museum.)
#EpigraphyTuesday
#ReliefWednesday
A heroically nude Claudius dominates a pleading woman, captioned below in Greek as BPETANNIA.
The relief commemorates the emperor's invasion of Britain in 43, and was found in 1980.
(Now in Aphrodisias Archaeological Museum.)
#EpigraphyTuesday
#ReliefWednesday
Reposted by Brittunculus
A bonus post for this #MosaicMonday. Ever puzzled over why Neptune has crab claws and Oceanus has a trident in some RB mosaics? My thoughts have just been published in the latest Journal of Mosaic Research. Open access, so feel free to enjoy! 1/2
dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/jmr/i...
dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/jmr/i...
Journal of Mosaic Research » Makale » Neptune and Oceanus in Romano-British Mosaics: A Special Case?
dergipark.org.tr
December 1, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reposting for #FindsFriday
For #GlassobjectThursday here’s a Roman gaming piece or counter from Wroxeter. My 📷 object in care of EH
November 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposting for #FindsFriday
Outrageous!
Life on Rome’s northern frontier: a 1,900-year-old military memo in which a Roman soldier records the combat tactics of the Britons, who he refers to as ‘Brittunculi’ — ‘wretched Brits’! 😳
From Vindolanda, Northumberland, 📷 by me
#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
From Vindolanda, Northumberland, 📷 by me
#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
![My photo shows a thin, rectangular, dark brown leaf of wood, which is broken in places. Across the surface are six lines of cursive Latin handwriting. The text is written in black ink which appears faded and faint. The Latin reads:
nenụ ...[.]n. Brittoneṣ
nimium multi ‣ equites
gladis ‣ non ụtụṇtur equi-
tes ‣ nec residunt
Brittunculi ‣ ụt ‣ iaculos
mittant
Translated as:
… the Britons are unprotected by armour (?). There are very many cavalry. The cavalry do not use swords nor do the wretched Britons mount in order to throw javelins.
On display at the British Museum.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:j56ydp325adovobhwpkzc6sp/bafkreiepntyce43pmmptw3xewwjw46tha2u4sqm7mptegttx5u2mqj527a@jpeg)
November 27, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Outrageous!
A 'low-budget' but rather charming mosaic from Abbots Ann, Hampshire.
It would have welcomed guests to a small villa, which was the final phase of a farmstead originating in an Iron Age ‘banjo enclosure’.
C.3/4, now in the British Museum.
#MosaicMonday #RomanBritain #IronAge
#BecomingRoman
My 📸
It would have welcomed guests to a small villa, which was the final phase of a farmstead originating in an Iron Age ‘banjo enclosure’.
C.3/4, now in the British Museum.
#MosaicMonday #RomanBritain #IronAge
#BecomingRoman
My 📸
November 24, 2025 at 5:31 PM
A 'low-budget' but rather charming mosaic from Abbots Ann, Hampshire.
It would have welcomed guests to a small villa, which was the final phase of a farmstead originating in an Iron Age ‘banjo enclosure’.
C.3/4, now in the British Museum.
#MosaicMonday #RomanBritain #IronAge
#BecomingRoman
My 📸
It would have welcomed guests to a small villa, which was the final phase of a farmstead originating in an Iron Age ‘banjo enclosure’.
C.3/4, now in the British Museum.
#MosaicMonday #RomanBritain #IronAge
#BecomingRoman
My 📸
Reposted by Brittunculus
How about this?
November 19, 2025 at 11:50 PM
How about this?
Reposted by Brittunculus
On a chilly morning such as this, let’s imagine ourselves as a Hadrian’s Wall soldier starting his shift in one of the turrets, checking his section of wall, & then upwards on watch duty.
Filmed Tuesday morning, at fabulous @vindolandatrust.bsky.social before the snow!
#RomanFortThursday
Filmed Tuesday morning, at fabulous @vindolandatrust.bsky.social before the snow!
#RomanFortThursday
November 20, 2025 at 8:10 AM
On a chilly morning such as this, let’s imagine ourselves as a Hadrian’s Wall soldier starting his shift in one of the turrets, checking his section of wall, & then upwards on watch duty.
Filmed Tuesday morning, at fabulous @vindolandatrust.bsky.social before the snow!
#RomanFortThursday
Filmed Tuesday morning, at fabulous @vindolandatrust.bsky.social before the snow!
#RomanFortThursday
Tile plaque with female face from the legionary bathhouse at Exeter. A line of these plaques would have decorated the eaves of a tiled roof; helping ward off bad luck and pigeons! Made by the 2nd Legion Augusta around AD60 and now in the @rammuseum.bsky.social.
#ReliefWednesday
#RomanFortThursday
#ReliefWednesday
#RomanFortThursday
November 19, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Tile plaque with female face from the legionary bathhouse at Exeter. A line of these plaques would have decorated the eaves of a tiled roof; helping ward off bad luck and pigeons! Made by the 2nd Legion Augusta around AD60 and now in the @rammuseum.bsky.social.
#ReliefWednesday
#RomanFortThursday
#ReliefWednesday
#RomanFortThursday
@ArchaeologyPeeps, is this very limited excavation approach normal when the area of interest will be 'designed out' of the development? (It's now been backfilled.)
#MosaicMonday
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
November 17, 2025 at 11:59 AM
@ArchaeologyPeeps, is this very limited excavation approach normal when the area of interest will be 'designed out' of the development? (It's now been backfilled.)
#MosaicMonday
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 AM
#MosaicMonday
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
A new mosaic discovered just a few months ago, down the road from where my partner's sister lives.
It came to light as part of a housing development in Newnham, Glos.
But there's no intention to clear and record it fully, which is a crying shame! Details in Alt text.
#RomanBritain
Reposted by Brittunculus
Don’t miss Prof Alex Mullen’s free webinar on November 26th at 7pm!
She’ll be presenting the Joan Pye lecture on ‘Tales from the Tablets: recovering the voices of Roman Britain’.
#archaeology #classics #roman 🏺
Book your tickets here: tinyurl.com/Romanvoices
She’ll be presenting the Joan Pye lecture on ‘Tales from the Tablets: recovering the voices of Roman Britain’.
#archaeology #classics #roman 🏺
Book your tickets here: tinyurl.com/Romanvoices
November 10, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Don’t miss Prof Alex Mullen’s free webinar on November 26th at 7pm!
She’ll be presenting the Joan Pye lecture on ‘Tales from the Tablets: recovering the voices of Roman Britain’.
#archaeology #classics #roman 🏺
Book your tickets here: tinyurl.com/Romanvoices
She’ll be presenting the Joan Pye lecture on ‘Tales from the Tablets: recovering the voices of Roman Britain’.
#archaeology #classics #roman 🏺
Book your tickets here: tinyurl.com/Romanvoices
Reposted by Brittunculus
Ok - its #RomanSiteSaturday & a couple of weeks on I can finally sit down at do a thread on the Antonine Wall & all the Roman goodies around Glasgow
This is a massively underated set of sites & it was really exciting to explore! 🏴
🧵👇
This is a massively underated set of sites & it was really exciting to explore! 🏴
🧵👇
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Ok - its #RomanSiteSaturday & a couple of weeks on I can finally sit down at do a thread on the Antonine Wall & all the Roman goodies around Glasgow
This is a massively underated set of sites & it was really exciting to explore! 🏴
🧵👇
This is a massively underated set of sites & it was really exciting to explore! 🏴
🧵👇
Reposted by Brittunculus
Thursday 13 Nov is our next talk. This one is a bit special because our Chair, Mike Haken, is talking about A New Digital Map of Roman Britain: how to access it, how to use it and what comes next.
It's a huge step forward that's taken a decade to develop
It's a huge step forward that's taken a decade to develop
November 3, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Thursday 13 Nov is our next talk. This one is a bit special because our Chair, Mike Haken, is talking about A New Digital Map of Roman Britain: how to access it, how to use it and what comes next.
It's a huge step forward that's taken a decade to develop
It's a huge step forward that's taken a decade to develop
Reposted by Brittunculus
Fragment of 4th century mosaic from the #Roman bathhouse of Lydney #Gloucestershire
Beautifully captured in watercolour by the great archaeologist, Tessa Verney Wheeler in 1929 🤩
Original painting held by @antiquaries.bsky.social
#MosaicMonday
Beautifully captured in watercolour by the great archaeologist, Tessa Verney Wheeler in 1929 🤩
Original painting held by @antiquaries.bsky.social
#MosaicMonday
November 3, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Fragment of 4th century mosaic from the #Roman bathhouse of Lydney #Gloucestershire
Beautifully captured in watercolour by the great archaeologist, Tessa Verney Wheeler in 1929 🤩
Original painting held by @antiquaries.bsky.social
#MosaicMonday
Beautifully captured in watercolour by the great archaeologist, Tessa Verney Wheeler in 1929 🤩
Original painting held by @antiquaries.bsky.social
#MosaicMonday
Reposted by Brittunculus
Today I'll be mostly decorating "en Barbotine' #AncientBluesky 🏺Soon to be heading for our online shop potted-history.co.uk.
November 1, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Today I'll be mostly decorating "en Barbotine' #AncientBluesky 🏺Soon to be heading for our online shop potted-history.co.uk.
Hundreds of 'irregular burials' have been identified from Roman Britain. Often the head was separated from the body after death and placed between the legs.
The rationale is unknown but one theory is it was to ensure the 'restless dead' stayed in the grave... #Halloween #RomanBritain
The rationale is unknown but one theory is it was to ensure the 'restless dead' stayed in the grave... #Halloween #RomanBritain
October 31, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Hundreds of 'irregular burials' have been identified from Roman Britain. Often the head was separated from the body after death and placed between the legs.
The rationale is unknown but one theory is it was to ensure the 'restless dead' stayed in the grave... #Halloween #RomanBritain
The rationale is unknown but one theory is it was to ensure the 'restless dead' stayed in the grave... #Halloween #RomanBritain
Reposted by Brittunculus
Want to see some of our unique collections up close? Book now for a behind the scenes tour next week (5th November). Bookings close soon so don't miss your chance. More details on our website. www.readingmuseum.org.uk/new-behind-s...
October 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Want to see some of our unique collections up close? Book now for a behind the scenes tour next week (5th November). Bookings close soon so don't miss your chance. More details on our website. www.readingmuseum.org.uk/new-behind-s...
A pipeclay figurine of a puppy, found behind the temple at Aquae Sulis (Bath, Somerset).
Dogs were associated with healing which makes his presence at #RomanBritain 's most famous health spa very appropriate.
Now in the Roman Baths Museum.
#PhallusThursday #Bath
#GoodBoy
Dogs were associated with healing which makes his presence at #RomanBritain 's most famous health spa very appropriate.
Now in the Roman Baths Museum.
#PhallusThursday #Bath
#GoodBoy
October 30, 2025 at 9:30 AM
A pipeclay figurine of a puppy, found behind the temple at Aquae Sulis (Bath, Somerset).
Dogs were associated with healing which makes his presence at #RomanBritain 's most famous health spa very appropriate.
Now in the Roman Baths Museum.
#PhallusThursday #Bath
#GoodBoy
Dogs were associated with healing which makes his presence at #RomanBritain 's most famous health spa very appropriate.
Now in the Roman Baths Museum.
#PhallusThursday #Bath
#GoodBoy
Reposted by Brittunculus
BIG ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS! 💫
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
October 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
BIG ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS! 💫
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
Reposted by Brittunculus
🎬 International Animation Day🎨
Today we’re celebrating animation’s power to tell bold stories - like this brilliant piece by Sharare, who works with us at St Albans Museums. The animation captures the fierce spirit of Boudicca, the warrior queen who burned Roman Verulamium to the ground.
Today we’re celebrating animation’s power to tell bold stories - like this brilliant piece by Sharare, who works with us at St Albans Museums. The animation captures the fierce spirit of Boudicca, the warrior queen who burned Roman Verulamium to the ground.
October 28, 2025 at 9:03 AM
🎬 International Animation Day🎨
Today we’re celebrating animation’s power to tell bold stories - like this brilliant piece by Sharare, who works with us at St Albans Museums. The animation captures the fierce spirit of Boudicca, the warrior queen who burned Roman Verulamium to the ground.
Today we’re celebrating animation’s power to tell bold stories - like this brilliant piece by Sharare, who works with us at St Albans Museums. The animation captures the fierce spirit of Boudicca, the warrior queen who burned Roman Verulamium to the ground.
Although inspired by Tunisian mosaics, there's something very Roman Britain about these too. 😍
Oh this is gorgeous!
(Algorithm gods sent me - too good to wait til #MosaicMonday to share.)
www.worldofinteriors.com/story/hackne...
(Algorithm gods sent me - too good to wait til #MosaicMonday to share.)
www.worldofinteriors.com/story/hackne...
Crafting community: how Hackney locals embellished their borough with whimsical mosaics
Founded by artist Tessa Hunkin, the Hackney Mosaic Project brought Classical tesserae to hard-scrabble East London through a moving display of public artwork
www.worldofinteriors.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Although inspired by Tunisian mosaics, there's something very Roman Britain about these too. 😍
A beautifully intricate geometric mosaic from Silchester, Hampshire ( #Roman Calleva Atrebatum).
The materials used were mainly local: limestone (yellow), Purbeck chalk (white), Kimmeridge shale (black) & crushed tile (red).
Later C.2, now in @readingmuseum.bsky.social
#RomanBritain #MosaicMonday
The materials used were mainly local: limestone (yellow), Purbeck chalk (white), Kimmeridge shale (black) & crushed tile (red).
Later C.2, now in @readingmuseum.bsky.social
#RomanBritain #MosaicMonday
October 27, 2025 at 12:48 PM
A beautifully intricate geometric mosaic from Silchester, Hampshire ( #Roman Calleva Atrebatum).
The materials used were mainly local: limestone (yellow), Purbeck chalk (white), Kimmeridge shale (black) & crushed tile (red).
Later C.2, now in @readingmuseum.bsky.social
#RomanBritain #MosaicMonday
The materials used were mainly local: limestone (yellow), Purbeck chalk (white), Kimmeridge shale (black) & crushed tile (red).
Later C.2, now in @readingmuseum.bsky.social
#RomanBritain #MosaicMonday