Deciphering the past in Lincoln’s inaugural Roman Lecture

Secrets of Roman Londinium will be uncovered this June when classicist and cursive Latin expert, Dr Roger Tomlin, visits the University of Lincoln, UK, for its inaugural Roman Lecture.

The free public lecture will uncover some of the very latest news in Roman archaeology, including the discovery of the ‘Bloomberg Tablets’, Britain’s largest, earliest and most significant collection of Roman waxed writing tablets.

More than 400 writing tablets were uncovered during the archaeological excavation of the company Bloomberg’s new headquarters in central London, including the first hand-written document known from Britain and the first reference to London.

During the lecture, Dr Tomlin will discuss his involvement in deciphering and translating over 80 of the writing tablets and some of the problems associated with reading tablets which have lost their wax.

He will also share some of the best examples of writing tablets from the Bloomberg collection, revealing the formal, official, legal and business aspects of life in the first decades of Londinium.

The lecture will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 20th June 2017 in the Stephen Langton Building on the University’s main Brayford Pool Campus.

Professor Paul Stephenson, Head of the School of History and Heritage at the University of Lincoln, said: “It is an honour to have Roger join us and share his unparalleled knowledge of epigraphy in the University’s first annual Roman Lecture.

“His direct involvement in deciphering the Bloomberg Collection will provide fascinating insights into the lives of those living in Roman London, and he promises a brief look at the only tablet (not yet published) to name people in Roman Lincolnshire.’

Dr Tomlin has written about his involvement in deciphering the Roman writing-tablets found at the Bloomberg site in his book, ‘Roman London’s first voices: writing tablets from the Bloomberg London excavations, 2010–14’.

For more information, or to book a place at the Roman Lecture, visit the Events page of the University website, email events@lincoln.ac.uk or phone 01522 837100. Admission to the lecture is free but prior booking is essential.