I am a guide from another British Roman city, and was hoping to learn more about the Romans, and Roman Chester.
From the very first minute of the tour, Brian gave us a masterclass in laying out Roman history, in Roman military life in all dimensions and in a wonderful overview of imperial Roman history from 59BC to the collapse of the Empire, and reasons for it! Never boring, and totally flexible in approach to questions, in a remarkably articulate and intelligent way, Brian painted a comprehensive picture, domestic, military, political in memorable and beautifully presented terms.
We had the extraordinary good fortune to have him to ourselves (two adults), but reading other reviews, he is clearly an excellent teacher, able to present his information to any age group in an engaging and accessible way...
I hope that Chester realises how lucky they are to have him and that he is suitably rewarded for his encyclopaedic knowledge... I wish that I had had a History teacher like him, and I can't wait to read his thesis, when it is written! This was the absolute high spot of our visit culturally.... DON'T MISS HIM!