12 April 2005

Civic reception for Buchan Lecture

Photo opportunity: 6.15pm, Wednesday 13 April, Baxter Conference Suite, First floor, Tower Building, University of Dundee

Dundee Lord Provost John Letford will host a civic reception for this year's Buchan lecture at the University of Dundee on Wednesday 13 April.

The Abertay Historical Society is hosting the prestigious Buchan Lecture, which examines new archaeological evidence suggesting that the Romans may have been in Scotland much longer than originally thought.

Dr David Woolliscoft, director of the Roman Gask project in Perthshire will give the lecture entitled "Agricola: he came, he saw, but did he conquer?".

The Buchan Lecture series is part of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland programme. Named after David Steuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan (1742-1829), the series was endowed by the late Dr Ronald Cant, formerly Reader in Scottish History at the University of St Andrews and President of the Society of Antiquaries.

The Roman Gask system is a line of forts, watch towers and small Roman forts known as fortlets, strung out along the Roman road into northern Scotland. As currently known, it begins at Glenbank, just to the north of Dunblane and ends at Bertha, just upstream of Perth on the Tay, although it might eventually prove to extend further. For much of its length, it runs along the prominent Gask Ridge on the northern side of Stathearn in Perthshire, hence its name.

The lecture starts at 7.00pm in the Tower Extension lecture theatre. Open to all. No entry fee.

By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344768, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk