Theatre performed under a starry sky, regular spa days, courtyard gardens with fountains, and luxurious seasonally inspired dining: the Romans in Britain had it all sorted. In popular imagination at least, the three and a half centuries of foreign rule that followed the Roman invasion in AD 43 saw the development of many of the cultural pursuits that are still enjoyed by the middle classes of the British Isles.
Now, the Romans’ more civilised leisure activities in Britain are being recreated up and down the country. A series of amphitheatres, either newly built or recently restored, are opening to the public this summer, together with a full-scale recreation of a Roman villa in the West Country.
