Press Releases

The mighty Military Spectacular – an open air celebration of all things Roman - rolls into town on 1 and 2 July, and the National Roman Legion Museum and Cadw are working together to make it a weekend to remember.

Roman re-enactors, the Ermine Street Guards will be joined by a ten-strong troupe of scantily clad Gladiators, Ars DImicandi, showing off their fighting skills in the town's amphitheatre, in what promises to be a ‘Spectacular' show for all the family.

Bethan Lewis, Museum Manager at the National Roman Legion Museum said:

“The Romans really take over the town on Military Spectacular weekend. The weekend is the ideal opportunity for us at the National Roman Legion Museum to showcase our work, and the relationship we have with Cadw. It's great to work together on projects like this and it's an opportunity to make the most of Caerleon itself as the destination for all things Roman. Let the games begin!”

Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport, Alun Pugh, is delighted that Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and Cadw are working closely together and says:

“The Military Spectacular is one of the highlights of the year in Caerleon, and I am pleased that the museum and Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service, are working together to maximise the success of the event. The Spectacular is an extremely popular event which entertains as well as educates those who attend it every year, and it's great to see the whole town pulling together to celebrate all things Roman !”

The Military spectacular takes place on Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 July at the Roman Amphitheatre in Caerleon, 11am – 5pm. Admission £4 Adults, £2 Children and £10 Family.

Both Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and Cadw are supporting the History Matters – Pass It On celebrations, launched in Wales on 3 July. History Matters is a joint project between Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Cadw, Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Trust. For more details go to www.historymatterswales.org.uk.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales celebrates its centenary in 2007. For more details go to the .

Entry to all the national museums is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Cadw is the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service with responsibility for protecting, conserving and promoting an appreciation of the historic environment of Wales. This includes historic buildings, ancient monuments, historic parks and gardens, landscapes and underwater archaeology. From prehistoric burial chambers tens of thousands years old to Victorian townhouses and simple workers' cottages, Cadw, is responsible for over a hundred thousand years of Wales' built history. There are almost three and a half thousand ancient monuments in Wales and some 27,000 listed buildings.