Dr Alan Montgomery
@classicalalan.bsky.social
6.7K followers 2.7K following 1.5K posts
Historian, artist, tour guide and FSAScot. A lover of legend and folklore. Buy my art and my books here: https://linktr.ee/classicalalan
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classicalalan.bsky.social
I am excited to announce that I'll be talking about Roman Scotland and my book The Road to Mons Graupius in Glasgow as part of the Aye Write festival. I'll be at the Mitchell Library on Sunday 9th November at 12.45pm - tickets available here: www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/1/the-...
#RomanSiteSaturday
The Road to Mons Gaupius: Alan Montgomery - Glasgow Life
Aye Write 2025 presents The Road to Mons Gaupius: Alan Montgomery
www.glasgowlife.org.uk
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
classicalalan.bsky.social
Two photos taken in 1906 during the excavations of the Roman fort at Newstead in Scotland carried out by local solicitor and amateur archaeologist James Curle. In 1911, Curle published his finds in the groundbreaking book “A Roman Frontier Post and its People”. #RomanFortThursday
A black and white photo of an excavation with broken stones surrounding the base of a carved column. A piece of Roman masonry with a fancy herringbone pattern carved into it.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
tessmachling.bsky.social
I made these for friends last year, but seeing if anyone else would be interested for xmas? They're painted plaster of paris, modelled from real arrowheads.

£35 a set incl. gift box, gift tag & 24hr SignedFor postage (sorry, can only do UK).

(... & there's more artefacts to come!)

#Archaeology 🏺
Rainbow coloured arrowheads on rainbow coloured ribbons.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
kpw1453.bsky.social
The remains of a courtyard house at Piercebridge Roman Fort in County Durham. The fort lies at a strategic point where Dere Street crossed the River Tees. 📸 My own. #RomanFortThursday #RomanBritain #Piercebridge
classicalalan.bsky.social
Two photos taken in 1906 during the excavations of the Roman fort at Newstead in Scotland carried out by local solicitor and amateur archaeologist James Curle. In 1911, Curle published his finds in the groundbreaking book “A Roman Frontier Post and its People”. #RomanFortThursday
A black and white photo of an excavation with broken stones surrounding the base of a carved column. A piece of Roman masonry with a fancy herringbone pattern carved into it.
classicalalan.bsky.social
WOOHOO!!
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who entered this. The winner was @classicalalan.bsky.social - signed book on its way to you tomorrow!

And the winner of the extra book, kindly donated by @biggreenbooks.bsky.social, was @mthrjo.bsky.social (please can you message Simon with your address).
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
I'm giving away this signed 1st edition h/b of my new novel (it has a tiny jacket rip which means I wouldn't sell it) to one person who reposts this.

You might like it if you like:
Folkloric creatures
Old records
Intricate psychedelic stories
The idea of circular time

All shares much-appreciated.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
classicalalan.bsky.social
It is a bit grey in London this morning, so here is a little golden sun to cheer us all up!

The original watercolour and gold ink painting on recycled cotton rag paper is now available in my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Suns....
A small painting of a sun with a face with a shiny gold halo.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
classicalalan.bsky.social
This is the only visible stretch of the Roman wall of Dorchester, known in ancient times as Durnovaria. Only the inner rubble core of the wall survives - it would have been faced with more regular carved blocks on each side, but these have long since disappeared. #WallsonWednesday
A short stretch of rough rubble wall incorporated into a garden wall with a fence in front.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
I'm giving away this signed 1st edition h/b of my new novel (it has a tiny jacket rip which means I wouldn't sell it) to one person who reposts this.

You might like it if you like:
Folkloric creatures
Old records
Intricate psychedelic stories
The idea of circular time

All shares much-appreciated.
Joe McLaren's fabulous cover for Everything Will Swallow You A close up of the small tear on this first edition of Everything Will Swallow You
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
trimontiumtrust.bsky.social
A clip of Longcroft for #HillfortsWednesday - a complex hillfort to the east of #Oxton in the #ScottishBorders. It had 3 periods of construction that have created four ramparts with intermediate ditches. The traces of several round houses can also be seen.
classicalalan.bsky.social
It is a bit grey in London this morning, so here is a little golden sun to cheer us all up!

The original watercolour and gold ink painting on recycled cotton rag paper is now available in my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Suns....
A small painting of a sun with a face with a shiny gold halo.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Witness Augustus as you’ve never seem him, re-sculptured to look nothing like himself!

The scene is ostensibly Augustus driving a chariot of Tritons. The imagery includes Tritons holding a shield with an oak wreath (thought to be the clipeus virtutis) and Victoria.

#ReliefWednesday #AncientRome
Description from Kunsthistorisches Museum: “The cameo shows Augustus, clad in a toga – the heads of the figures are all modern – viewed from the front in a chariot being pulled through the sea by Tritons. The triumphant naval victor holds a branch in his right hand and a sceptre in his left. An oak wreath is attached to the parapet of the chariot, and a shell is attached to the end of the handle. While the two middle Tritons – one holding a horn in his right, the other a dolphin in his left – each raise an arm symmetrically as if pointing at Augustus, the two outer Tritons carry the symbols of his reign in front of him: the left holds a globe, on which a shield with an oak wreath (clipeus virtutis) flanked by two ibexes, and the right shows Victoria floating on the globe. The cameo was probably created soon after 27 BCE, when Augustus was awarded the oak wreath, which - together with the ibex - was also engraved on the back of the stone in the 16th century.”
classicalalan.bsky.social
Yes I went there when I visited - but the covered mosaics were closed unfortunately.
classicalalan.bsky.social
This is the only visible stretch of the Roman wall of Dorchester, known in ancient times as Durnovaria. Only the inner rubble core of the wall survives - it would have been faced with more regular carved blocks on each side, but these have long since disappeared. #WallsonWednesday
A short stretch of rough rubble wall incorporated into a garden wall with a fence in front.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
classicalalan.bsky.social
This is my ink drawing of Wayland's Smithy, a Neolithic long barrow close to the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire. It is said that if you leave your horse there with a coin then Wayland will magically reshoe it.
The original artwork is now available on my Etsy shop here: shorturl.at/HDzSI
#TombTuesday
A black and white ink drawing of the neolithic tomb known as Wayland's Smithy
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
drfrancisyoung.bsky.social
I’m pleased to say you can now pre-order my next book, ‘Fairies: A History’ (out in February 2026) from
@politybooks.bsky.social. Thank you to Jeremy Harte, Simon Young, Jo Hickey-Hall and Owen Davies for such generous endorsements! 🌿📚 www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
drnwillburger.bsky.social
A stunning head of Medusa, the mythical creature whose sight turns everyone to stone. Medusa’s head was a popular motif used to ward off any evil.
The #Roman bronze fitting was found in Xanten, dating 1st century AD

On display at Römermuseum Xanten.

📷 me

🏺#archaeology
A detailed bronze sculpture of a face with wide eyes and flowing, wavy hair radiating outward resembling snakes, displayed in a glass case under museum lighting.
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
pjrobichaud.bsky.social
West Kennett Long Barrow, July 2023. #TombTuesday
Opening of West Kennet Long Barrow
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
drjeball.bsky.social
Wow, #Roman tombstones really do get around - this one was rediscovered in New Orleans, after being transported across the Atlantic by unknown persons in the chaotic aftermath of WW2...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
New Orleans couple discovers ancient Roman grave marker in their yard
Discovery of 1,900-year-old headstone dedicated to Roman sailor sets off effort to repatriate item to Italy
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
tomsbrown.bsky.social
I'm 65 and I have reached the point in my life and working life I had dreamed of as a young human and I'm on the lip of the unimaginable. You are not too old to... Anything. Begin
Keep going.
Fey creature looks longingly at cathedral looming in the night marsh behind them. Book cover art for Nira by Thomas sniegosli and Jeannine atcherson. Woman surrounded by strange creatures in a pub. She has whiskey, which is important.
classicalalan.bsky.social
This is my ink drawing of Wayland's Smithy, a Neolithic long barrow close to the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire. It is said that if you leave your horse there with a coin then Wayland will magically reshoe it.
The original artwork is now available on my Etsy shop here: shorturl.at/HDzSI
#TombTuesday
A black and white ink drawing of the neolithic tomb known as Wayland's Smithy
classicalalan.bsky.social
The interior is not open to visitors I am afraid, and this is the only picture I took. You might find more out there on the internet...
Reposted by Dr Alan Montgomery
whatsmellslikeblue.bsky.social
Went to Bignor on Saturday, and saw many fine mosaics, one of which was of Venus. The text for the room says how her eyes follow you around the room. My sister and I agreed that she just looks bored. #MosaicMonday
A mosaic of the goddess Venus, rolling her eyes.