Easter Weekend: Part III - Romans!

So even on asking our hosts, what on earth a Baersdonker is, is not known.

Whatever it is, this was a fun picture to take.  

The Minions have been learning about the fall and rise of the Roman Empire, so we thought it was only right to go to see the Roman city of Xanten! Field TRIP!

Wait you didn't know there was a coliseum in Germany?  This is a very old ruins site they have rebuilt parts of it to show what it looked like using the appropriate materials and the foundations already laid.
This was a city from later in the Roman empire under emperors Hadrian and Augustus.

Here they learned about the official 'positions' of the 'players' in the arena.  The Gladiators.


The story of the arena was told throughout the interior of the coliseum.

Learning about the training camps and patrons.

Finding out about the altars to the Roman gods and goddesses.




Pulleys and levers were also discussed as even the Minions could move this several ton block.

Skoshi gives it a closer inspection.

Moving the block.

View of the Amphitheater from the unfinished side.




Ready to watch the show.



Skoshi and Lady Hummigbyrd dictating from the seat of power.




The trees marking the roads are planted along the locations of the former pillars that supported the overhangs from the buildings.

Sitting on the original gate cornerstone.   Still had the marks from being hit by carts.


Time for some Roman lunch.  Somethings were rebuild a few were still standing.  Like the well.


Into the museum portion to learn of the various rulers of the Empire and region.

Everybody died such terrible deaths we would not want to have been a Roman ruler.

Lady Hummingbyrd wants to learn how this Empress did her hair.

While on the throne you hear the story of how each person was murdered.

Seeing what living like a Roman citizen would have been like.

Seeing the things they have read about in their books in real life was stunning to the Minions.


Somebody found the temple.

Checking out the herb garden to see if their books matched what was there.

The windmill looks a bit out of place here.




This was a very interesting recreation showing how it would have looked.

The altar in front of the temple the Minions were like "sacrifices!"

We couldn't have asked for better weather for pictures.


The main gate into town completely rebuilt with the original work incorporated where possible.

Roman engineering was impressive to see. 

The statue of the emperor, well minus his head.




View from the top of the gate was much more extensive than Hummingbyrd had expected.

The historically accurate stairwell was very Minion un-friendly so they stayed at the bottom.

Grave sites and representations of what they looked like when new.

What the gate would look like upon approach to the town.

Storming the town.

Don Quixote....er Lord Hickory attacks the windmill.

Into the Roman museum to look at the actual ruins and petrified footprints.

It is interesting to see how much more colorful things were than what you see now in the ruins.

These were the city baths.

Hot and cold baths heated by amazing furnace systems.



Those impressions are actual Roman sandal impressions from the men that originally set the stones.

Outside stood some of the original pillars and stones with the puzzle to figure out how they fit together for us to figure out.



Just a hint of the kinds of things the signs said.














This is the original water line from the aqueduct...wow!





Looking into the cistern.




Time to leave.

We walked to the windmill in the distance to use the facilities.








Everyone took Papa's lead and attacks the windmill.

The Party encountered a trio of NPCs with -5 to -10 to Listen checks.




We finally had to bid the NPCs adieu and head home from this historic town.  It was great.

We'll end here with a quote from Emperor Hadrian because, Latin.