Stevenage museum has become a frequent booker of the society, this being our fourth visit to the location as Roman gladiators.

The museum display group attended the site taking the back third of our building and all of the gladiator equipment along to set the scene in the museum's lecture room, converting the back end of the room into a gladiatorial armoury for the public to talk about the equipment and even try some of it on.

With two main gladiatorial events being held in the lecture throughout the afternoon we had to use some elements of the wet weather routine as the museum requested we fight indoors instead of out on the grass to the back of the building. This was as a direct request from some of the museums paying customers the year before because of the previous areas close location to the main road. However, this was not an issue for the group as we train each week to ensure that the fightingportions of the shows can be upscaled or drawn down depending upon the specific requirements from the customer and demands of the actual location and site.

With the group, our building and 50 members of the public, neatly and safely contained in the lecture room the shows went off without a hitch.

Gary gave his usual mixture of comedy, fact, entertianment and crowd participation in his prelude talk before the gladiatorial fights that was well appreciated by the museum staff and public alike. Then Steve (Severus the Umpires) ushured the gladiators into the arena space. First to fight where the ladies, Alisa fulfilling her role as the evil, professional gladiator and Blip filling hers as the high borne lady with equal skill. Fighting against one another as dimacharius they did an excellent job with this most difficult of gladiator types.

Then came the veteran pair demonstrating the love of Greece vs Rome the pairing was a Hoplomachus (John) against a Thracian (Graham). Polycarp and Rotundus fought hard, but clearly not quite hard enough as the mob demanded the death of Polycarp at the end of the bout.

At the end of the day the high borne lady carried the day winning the adoration of the crowd, some money and a rudus.

Afterwards the public were brought forward to the building area to ask questions, look at the gladiatorial merchandise and try on equipment.

In conclusion the day went extremly well with museum staff, us and the public having a great day.

Our thanks to the staff at Stevenage museum for making us so welcome, supplying us with coffee and tea throughout the day and generally being so helpful.