Would you swallow a spoonful of snail slime, trust a cure made from squished fish or brave a treatment prescribed nearly 2,000 years ago?
Families can discover the weird, wonderful and occasionally stomach-churning world of ancient medicine at The Roman Baths this October half term with Eew! Revolting Roman Remedies, a new family adventure running from 16 October to 1 November.
Armed with a family trail, young doctors-in-training will journey through the museum helping a series of patients suffering from mysterious complaints. Their challenge is to find the right remedy for each ailment by tracking down clues around the site.
Along the way, families will discover some of the surprising beliefs behind Roman healthcare and find out how healers used everything from herbs and plants to ingredients that might seem distinctly revolting today.
The trail offers families a new way to explore The Roman Baths, from the steaming waters of the Great Bath to stories of the people who lived, worked and worshipped there nearly 2,000 years ago.
From 24 October to 1 November, visitors can also meet a Roman doctor, or medicus, who will reveal some of the remedies used by Romans to stay healthy, including herbs, honey and some rather less appealing ingredients.
There will also be daily Roman remedy-making sessions from 24-30 October and 1 November, giving children the chance to experiment with herbs and natural ingredients and create their own Roman-inspired remedies.
For Halloween, The Roman Baths is teaming up with Children’s Scrapstore Bristol for the first time for a special creative event on 31 October.
Taking place at the Clore Learning Centre, the Halloween Scraptastic Event will invite children to transform reclaimed materials into spooky creations to take home.
Councillor Paul Roper, Bath & North East Somerset Council, said, “The Roman Baths is one of the UK’s most extraordinary places to explore as a family, and our October half-term programme is a fantastic way for visitors of all ages to discover the fascinating stories hidden within the site.
“Eew! Revolting Roman Remedies combines history, humour and hands-on activities to bring the ancient world to life. Whether you’re investigating bizarre cures, meeting Roman characters or marvelling at the Great Bath, there’s something to spark the imagination and create lasting family memories.”
What’s on at The Roman Baths this October half term
- Eew! Revolting Roman Remedies Trail – 16 October-1 November. Included with admission. Pick up a free family trail and discover some of the strange and stomach-turning cures used by Roman doctors.
- Meet a Roman Doctor – 24 October-1 November. Included with admission. Meet a Roman medicus and discover how illness was treated across the Roman Empire.
- Roman Remedy Making – 24-30 October and 1 November, 10am-3pm. Included with admission. Create a Roman-inspired remedy and learn how herbs and plants were used in ancient medicine.
- Halloween Scraptastic Event with Children’s Scrapstore Bristol – 31 October, 10am-3pm at The Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre, entrance in Swallow Street. £5 per child with accompanying adults free. Children must be accompanied and pre-booking is recommended.
For more information and tickets, visit www.romanbaths.co.uk.
