FINDING OUT ABOUT THE ROMAN POSTAL SYSTEM

The Friends of the Carmarthenshire County Museum is continuing a series of Gallery Talks on the first Saturday of the month.

This month’s talk was by Belinda Todd on the Roman postal system. The talk was a very popular briefing on the museum’s Roman Gallery designed to introduce members of the public to the finer points of the striking displays in the cabinets.

During her talk, Belinda highlighted the Roman postal system and explained how letter writers in Roman times would have had to write with a stylus on wax covered wooden boards which they would tie up and seal with wax within a seal box. Several tiny, beautifully decorated seal boxes are on display in the museum.

She also described the containers (amphorae) which the Romans used for transporting goods, mentioning where they were made and how and what they transported or stored within them. The picture she painted illustrated eloquently how much more sophisticated Roman Carmarthen was than is generally thought.

“Carmarthen was an important centre strategically due to its location as a nodal town and the fact that it had a seaport. Goods could be brought in and traded and the ironwork made in Carmarthen could be easily transported to a vast hinterland” said Belinda. The Roman artefacts at the museum, such as the exquisite and expensive brooches and seal boxes illustrate the refined nature of upper society in those days” she added.

The next talk is by Brenig Davies on Bishop Laud’s Chapel on October 1.

The Gallery Talks are an initiative of the Friends of the Carmarthenshire County Museum and they are held on the morning of the first Saturday of each month at the museum in Abergwili starting at 10.30am and followed by refreshments.  There is no charge to attend.

The Friends of the Carmarthenshire County Museum work to support the museum and to interest people in aspects of Carmarthenshire’s history.

For further information, contact Belinda Todd on 01267 235879.