It is no exaggeration to say that Ivan Donald Margary had more influence over our understanding of the Roman road network in Britain than any other individual in modern times, and arguably still does today. To celebrate the work and legacy of the 20th century’s most influential Roman roads researcher & historian, in 2016 we brought together a diverse mix of speakers including internationally renowned academics, Romanists and Roman roads researchers for the country’s first ever conferences devoted to the study of Roman roads.

Held on the 3rd – 4th September at the University of Portsmouth, and on the 12th & 13th November at the Burn Hall Hotel, Huby, York, the conferences marked the 40th anniversary of the death of Ivan Margary, and 120 years since his birth. Their aim was to explore how we can better understand the Roman road network in Britain and the strategic planning that underpinned it. They looked at just how much our knowledge of the Roman road network in Britain has developed since his death in 1976, and looked at how new technologies and approaches may move our understanding still further forward in the years to come.