During the unseasonably hot English spring of 2011, Lindsay Powell visited the remodelled Roman Army Museum on Hadrian’s Wall.

For anyone interested in the Romans and their army in particular, a visit to Hadrian’s Wall is a pilgrimage. At Greenhead, near Walltown Crags, one of the highest standing sections of the Wall, is the Roman Army Museum. From the small car park, a signed path guides the visitor to a small stone-built farmhouse building. The museum stands next to the remains of the Roman fort of Carvoran or Magna. It has been severely robbed of its stone, leaving little trace save for ditches and banks. Farm animals safely graze where once Roman soldiers stood guard and baked their daily bread.

“What was the name of the mountain on Sicily held against the Romans for several years by Hamilcar Barca?” A straightforward question, one might think, and those with an interest in the Punic Wars might even recall the answer as “Mt. Eryx” (now known as Monte San Guiliano) – but matters of ancient history are seldom that simple or straightforward! Those who gave such an answer might well be deemed wrong.

Interest in the fate of Legio IX Hispana is back to new heights with the release of The Eagle and last year's Centurion. Many would still like to believe Rosemary Sutcliff's story about the disappearance of the legion in the mists of Scotland. The evidence does not support this theory, however, and alternatives have been put forward long ago. Duncan Campbell published an overview of the debate in Ancient Warfare IV.5. This article can now be downloaded for free.

The Hellenistic world is a great background for historical novels. Not only is the sudden and unsolved death of Alexander the Great a good source for suspense, the larger than life struggles of successors, their intrigues and romances are also a fertile ground to base an epic adventure on. The Hellenistic world up to and including the period of the tragic death of Cleopatra VII of Egypt, still excites many novelists and readers. Let's review a few of books set in this era.