Eboracum - A Roman Extravaganza

Alright, so for anyone who missed it, this weekend was York's Eboracum Roman festival. An annual event that has sadly been absent from our lives for the past couple of years thanks to the damn virus. But Eboracum is back, baby, and despite Covid having changed everything and rail strikes making it difficult for visitors to attend, and even an uncertain weather forecast, the event went ahead and was a true success.

And as well as reenactors and museum staff, we authors of Roman fiction and non-fiction had our own part to play. Against a background of warbling buccina calls, shouts of centurions bollocking their men for forgetting their own names, and the general roar of a crowd of visitors loving the entertainment, we filled a room with tables of books and were there not only to sell and sign books, but to discuss Rome, writing, the process and the history, and even just to joke and pass time with the visitors. Personally I had some fascinating and memorable conversations over the two days, met some engaging and fascinating people, and had a whale of a time.

In the above photo you can see (L-R) myself, Paul Chrystal, author of a number of fascinating texts on Roman Britain, Alex Gough, author of the Watchmen of Rome and Imperial Assassin series, Nancy Jardine, author of the Celtic Fervour novels, Alison Morton, creator of the Roma Nova series, Ruth Downie, author of the Medicus books about a Roman army doctor, Jane Finnis, author of Roman mysteries set in the North of England, and Edwin Pace, writer of late Roman/Arthurian era non-fiction.

I don't want to bang on about the festival, but make sure to keep an eye out for the next year for a 2023 follow up.

And in the meantime, a huge thank you to everyone who made the event what it was, from the YMT staff (thanks Fi) to the reenactors, brought together for the weekend by the inimitable Paul Harston, to the most important element, those of you who took the time and the effort to come visit us all. For us, the weekend was not about selling books (though it was lovely to do so.) It was about meeting readers, talking to the people who we don't normally meet, at the other end of the written word process, and generally having a good time. And we did. Congratulations and thanks all, and we'll see you next year.