I love a really good travel book. (Do I know what I mean by that? Not really. But apparently, from recent experience, it often includes at least a little bit of history.)

I also love good history books; and Roman/British/women centric is definitely up there as a favourite.

Echolands is fantastic.

An English archaeologist decides to visit all the can-actually-be-identified Boudica-associated sites. And discusses Tactius, Dio, and the archaeology (what’s been found + the history of the finding – is there a word for historiography but it’s archaeology?) along the way. Plus adds some appropriate personal aspects – both about the travelling (some by foot, some by bicycle, some by car, some by train), his career, and occasionally his family. Plus some reflections on the modern physical landscape, and what Boudica means today.

It’s 300 pages long, and it’s extremely readable.

There are many aspects I found fascinating, but one that really stood out is his experimentation with caligae – the hobnailed “sandals” Roman soldiers wore, often – yes – with socks. His conclusion? Incredibly comfortable and sensible for long treks – especially on gravel and other such surfaces, not on tarmac and other such formed surfaces where the nails get little grip. Having heard just a little bit about things like trench foot, just the fact of airflow makes a lot of sense!

Mostly I was enchanted by the way he visits places like the castle at Colchester, and then also places that look completely unremarkable (weird little lakes created by peat mining in WW2), talks about why those spots were so important in the Boudica story, and presents the history of archaeological discovery in the area.

You don’t need to have any Roman or Iron Age British history knowledge to appreciate this.