Sir – Your article (WHT, June 4) about the Welwyn Festival Roman Day, on June 22, was headed See what the Romans did for us . Apparently the day is being promoted by the Welwyn Hatfield Museum Service as an educational day . So what did the Romans do

Sir - Your article (WHT, June 4) about the Welwyn Festival Roman Day, on June 22, was headed "See what the Romans did for us". Apparently the day is being promoted by the Welwyn Hatfield Museum Service as an "educational day".

So what did the Romans do for us?

a - They had powerful military technology and training, which we were on the receiving end of!

b - They built straight roads. Not so useful apparently since after the Romans left most of them were abandoned (along with drains and plumbing)!

c - They drank themselves silly on wine - at least we haven't abandoned that!

d - They hardly contributed anything to philosophy or politics

e - They slaughtered animals, prisoners and each other for entertainment

f - They introduced rabbits - the eating of dormice having been banned by the Emperor

g - They built bathhouses where they lazed away their afternoons while the slaves (our ancestors) stoked the fire or worked themselves to death elsewhere on the estate

h - They introduced (and invented) crucifixion as the ultimate in barbarism and intimidation

i - They introduced the middle class and taxes, which were sent back to support debauchery in Rome

The Romans were allowed to conquer the country by the local British leaders, ever ready to be bribed with palaces and Roman lifestyles and in fact when they left, their empire having disintegrated due to mis-governance, they left no great legacy, their departure opening the door to the Saxon invasion in turn.

Even though I too have dressed up in a Roman uniform in my time, I now feel that in celebrating the Roman conquest, we're ignoring our own culture.

So don't spend all your time cheering the oppressors, turn instead to the nice people from Celtic Harmony who will be able to tell you all about Boudicca who was brave enough to fight back!

Adrian Toole, Sweet Briar, WGC.