Many people will be familiar with Julian for his television series ‘Meet the Ancestors,’ which used archaeology to give an insight into people from the past. He continues to work in broadcasting, education and heritage interpretation, using his extensive experience to find innovative ways to bring the past to life.

She said: “That eight starting gates to the Roman Chariot Racing Track have been found undisturbed for almost 2000 years under the garden of the Sergeant’s Mess in Colchester’s former Garrison area is more like the plot of one of my novels! This is the only Roman Circus found in Britain. We have a real opportunity now to rescue this archaeology and make it a centre of excellence for our Roman Heritage – a major visitor attraction for Colchester, East Anglia and the UK.”

“I am a regular visitor to Colchester”, he told us. “he discovery in Colchester of Britain’s only Roman Circus is of major historical importance – worldwide. That the eight Roman Starting Gates have lain undamaged for over 2000 years is remarkable! I fully support this Appeal preserve the garden and Sergeants’ Mess as a Heritage Centre – it’s such an brilliant opportunity for Colchester.”

Michael is the writer and presenter of many critically acclaimed series on television, including Art of the Western World, Legacy and In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great. He is author of over sixty TV films which have been shown worldwide and of several best selling and highly praised books.

He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Oriel College Oxford where he did postgraduate research in Anglo-Saxon history. Since then he has worked as a journalist, broadcaster and film maker. His films have centred on history, but have included travel (Great Railway Journeys of the World; River Journeys; The Sacred Way); politics (Saddam’s Killing Fields: an award winning account of the destruction of the Marsh Arabs of South Iraq) and cultural history (Hitler’s Search for the Holy Grail, 1999: a study of the abuse of history and archaeology under the Nazis).

His academic background was in early medieval English history; among his publications are In Search of the Dark Ages and Domesday.

Michael is currently in and around England filming his latest project, English Story.

In 2000 she wrote ‘The Thieves of Ostia’, the first in a series of children’s adventure stories set in Ancient Rome. The Roman Mysteries combine Caroline’s love of art history, ancient languages and travel. In 2009, she won the Classical Association Prize for her Roman Mysteries series. The award is given annually for ‘a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classics’.

He has written many books about Roman Britain and has made numerous appearances on Channel 4′s Time Team, including a major role in the special film made about Colchester’s Roman Circus and other television programmes such as Channel 5′s Pompeii Live. He teaches History and Classical Civilization in Lincolnshire and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and of the Historical Association.

He told the appeal committee: “I was very excited to be involved in Time Team’s special about the Colchester Roman circus and visited the excavations for filming on several occasions. It would be very sad if the remains of this unqiue building were buried out of sight. I do hope that everything can be done to make them a permanent feature of Britain’s oldest town.”

He said: “I fully support the fundraising appeal to Save Colchester’s Roman Circus. What did the Romans do for us? Apart from Education, Sanitation, Peace, Government etc they also brought us ‘Panem et Circenses’ translated means ‘Bread and Circus’ – Circenses means ‘a race track for horses’. Chariot racing was as popular a pastime as football is today.”

“The Romans changed the landscape and culture of Britain.”

He has lived in East Anglia since 1955 and was editor of Penguin Classics for more than 20 years.

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