The Bit Before the Middle Ages (comic story)

The Bit Before the Middle Ages

Main setting:

Ancient Rome

Key crew

Publisher:

Marvel Comics

Writer:

Tim Quinn

Artist:

Dicky Howett

Release details

Number of parts:

Release number:

Printed in:

DWM 113

Release date:

8 May 1986

Reprinted in:

It's Even Bigger on the Inside

*The History Tour*
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Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C.	The Bit After the Last Bit

The Bit Before the Middle Ages was the third story in The History Tour series by Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett. The third part covered developments in Ancient Rome.

Summary[]

to be added

Plot[]

to be added

Characters[]

Worldbuilding[]

Football originated in Ancient Rome. The game got less violent after Christians stopped being used as the ball.
The Doctor and Peri witness the earliest form of Roman commercialism.
According to the Doctor, the Roman Centurions were the finest band of fighting men all over one hundred years of age.
The Doctor says the Romans were best remembered for their road-making skills, especially their spaghetti junctions.
The Doctor considers the Latin teacher to be the most ferocious fighting force to come out of Rome.
The Doctor claims the galley slaves had a hard time rowing to the monotonous drum-beat of the galley master until he synthesised it up for them.
The Doctor believes he has been given an award by the Roman Emperor but it turns out to be the Dalek Emperor.

Notes[]

The design of the Dalek Emperor in this story resembles that from the 1960s Dalek annuals.

Continuity[]

The Doctor once again visits Rome. He had previously done so in his first incarnation (TV: The Romans, PROSE: Byzantium!) and would do so again in his seventh incarnation. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Revelation, The Best of Days)

Dalek comic stories

For the purposes of this list, a "Dalek comic story" is one in which one living, authentic Dalek plays a part within the confines of the story, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story.

Dalek annuals

The Dalek Book	Dalek Planetarium • Invasion of the Daleks • The Oil Well • The Message of Mystery • City of the Daleks • The Humanoids • Monsters of Gurnian • Battle for the Moon

The Dalek World	The Mechanical Planet • Treasure of the Daleks • The Invisible Invaders • The World That Waits • Masters of the World

The Dalek Outer Space Book	The Dalek Trap • Sara Kingdom: Space Security Agent • The Super Sub • The Secret of the Emperor • The Brain Tappers

Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1976	Planet of Serpents • Flood!!!

Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1977	The Daleks

Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1978	The Human Bombs • Island of Horror

The Daleks

Genesis of Evil • Power Play • Duel of the Daleks • The Amaryll Challenge • The Penta Ray Factor • Plague of Death • The Menace of the Monstrons • Eve of War • The Archives of Phryne • The Rogue Planet • Impasse • The Terrorkon Harvest • Legacy of Yesteryear • Shadow of Humanity • The Emissaries of Jevo • The Road to Conflict

Give-a-Show Projectors

The Daleks Destroy the Zomites • The Defeat of the Daleks • The Daleks Are Foiled • Dr. Who and the Nerve Machine • Rescued from the Daleks

TV Comic

The Trodos Ambush • The Doctor Strikes Back • The Exterminator • Jungle Adventure • Attack of the Daleks • The Disintegrator • Return of the Daleks • The Dalek Revenge

TV Action

*Sub Zero • The Planet of the Daleks • The Threat from Beneath

Doctor Who Magazine

The Return of the Daleks • Abslom Daak... Dalek Killer • Doctor Who and the Dogs of Doom • On the Icy Edge of the Galaxy... • Nemesis of the Daleks • Emperor of the Daleks! • Bringer of Darkness • Return of the Elders • Fire and Brimstone • Children of the Revolution • Liberation of the Daleks

The History Tour

Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C. • The Bit Before the Middle Ages • The Doctor Who History Tour No. 10

Doctor Who Yearbooks

Metamorphosis • Untitled

Doctor Who:
Battles in Time

Carnage Zoo / Flight and Fury / The Living Ghosts / Extermination of the Daleks

BBC Graphic Novels

The Only Good Dalek • The Dalek Project

Dalek: The Astounding
Untold History of the
Greatest Enemies
of the Universe

Ambush • Safe Haven • Empire of the Daleks

Titan Comics

Harvest of the Daleks • Defender of the Daleks

Others

Daleks, invasión a la Tierra año 2150 • The Test of Time • Doctor Who and the Last Stand • A Stitch in Time • Tales of the Dark Times

Because of the ubiquity of this race, no attempt will be made here to list every appearance in every medium. Instead, we focus on comic appearances here, and invite you to explore a complete list of appearances elsewhere.

Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett stories

Doctor Who
Magazine

Doctor Who?	64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 • 101 • 102 • 103 • 104 • 106 • 107 • 108 • 109 • 110 • 111 • 112 • 113 • 114 • 115 • 116 • 117 • 118 • 119 • 120 • 121 • 122 • 123 • 124 • 125 • 126 • 127 • 128 • 129 • 130 • 131 • 132 • 133 • 134 • 135 • 136 • 137 • 138 • 139 • 140 • 141 • 142 • 143 • 144 • 145 • 146 • 147 • 148 • 149 • 150 • 151 • 152 • 153 • 154 • 155 • 156 • 157 • 158 • 159 • 160 • 161 • 162 • 163 • 164 • 165 • 166 • 167 • 168 • The Year Ahead? • 170 • 171 • 172 • 173 • 174 • 175 • 176 • 177 • 178 • 179 • 180 • 181 • 182 • The Year Ahead • 183 • 184 • 185 • 186 • 187 • 188 • 189 • 190 • 191 • 192 • 193 • 194 • 195 • 196 • 197 • 198 • 190 • 200 • 201 • 202 • 203 • 204 • 205 • 206 • 207 • 208 • 209 • 210 • 211 • 212 • 213 • 214 • 215 • 216 • 218 • 219 • 220 • 221 • 222 • 223 • 224 • 225 • 350 • Doctor Whos?

The History Tour	In the Beginning • Early Man: Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150 B.C. • The Bit Before the Middle Ages • The Bit After the Last Bit • Discoveries • The Bits We've Missed So Far • (No. 7.) • No. 8 • Number Nine • No. 10 • The (Final) Doctor Who History Tour

From DWM specials	So You Think You'd Make A Good Companion For Dr Who! • The Next 20 Years • An Unearthly Child: The Unscreened Edition • Ever Wondered What Happened At.. The Auditions For The Seven Doctors?

Other	What If Doctor Who Was Produced By...? • Enlightenment • Untitled • Everyone Wants To Read Doctor Who Magazine • Untitled

Channel 33⅓

Doctor Who?

The Doctor Who
Fun Book

Comic stories	Untitled 1 • Introduction • Who Was 'Ere! • The Test of Time • Quick Change • The Third Doctor's Guide to Plutovian Karate • A Life in the Day of a Doctor Who Production • Untitled 2 • The Enemy Within • Enthroned • Untitled 3 • Dalek Invasion of Ealing 1987 • Cut! • Dalek Invasion - Salford 1987 • They Shall Not Pass • Someone, Somewhere Out There Wants a Cheque From You... • Untitled 4 • Rush Hour • The Final Script • Outta Space

Secrets of the Daleks	Regeneration of a Dalek • 2 • 3

Prose stories and features	Spot the TARDIS • Gallifrey Academy Report • Extracts from the Doctor's 500 Year Diary • The Universe Marathon • Pozzle Time • Is Your Dad An Evil Alien? • Doctor Who 3 - The Third Motion Picture • TARDIS Stolen! • Are You Observant?

It's Bigger on
the Inside!

Comic stories	Untitled 1 • The Exclusive Doctor Who Club • Nostalgia Corner • K9 and Company • Excerpts From the Best-Seller; '101 Things To Do With A TARDIS'. • On Location With Doctor Who • Time And Relative Dimensions In Sussex • Some BBC Special Effects That Weren't So Special • The Regeneration Game • Untitled 2 • Untitled 3 • Different Makes of TARDIS... • The Doctor in the Media • Fit For A Dog • S.O.S. C.S.O. • Paradocs • Untitled 4 • Untitled 5 • Flushed Out! • Where On Who? • The Oldest Joke in the TARDIS • Untitled 6 • Doctor Who Around The World • In the Shadow of Shada • Outnumbered! • Doc Watch • Untitled 7 • A Day in the Life of a Doctor Who Set Designer • It's True! It's Who! • Excerpts From '101 Things To Do With A Dead Dalek' • Untitled 8 • Untitled 9 • Untitled 10

Famous Daleks	1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7

Prose stories and features	How To Be A Companion • Little-known characters in Doctor Who • Dr Who's Spare Facts and Fancies • The Doctor Who 'Almost' Lookalikes • The Doctor Who Trivial Quiz • Exclusive!

Doctor Who
Yearbook

The Complete Guide to Doctor Who? • Untitled 1 • A Religious Experience • Doctor Who's Infamous Moments in History • Untitled 2

It's Even Bigger
on the Inside

"Oddities"	Untitled 1 • The Doctor Who Awards Cermony 1989 • Untitled 2 • Untitled 3 • Untitled 4 • Untitled 5 • Untitled 6 • Origins of Who? • A Moment from 'Doctor Who' (1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • Untitled 7) • Father Christmas and TARDIS • Untitled 8 • Untitled 9 • Character portraits • Untitled 10 • Untitled 11

"From Other Worlds"	Christmas Crackers • Untitled 12 • Untitled 13 • Twit in Space • Sid Buys A Time-Share Apartment • Ariel • Untitled 14 • Years Apart

Drawing Breath
/ Argh!

Movie Millie • Bloody Ages Ago • Untitled 1 • Dicky's Scrapbook • Back Tracks • Untitled 2

Monster Marvel Memories

Untitled 1 • Untitled 2 • Hulk the Menace Joins the Fight! • The Tyme Twins • Portraits • Untitled 3 • Untitled 4

Other

Welcome to Disaster World • An Adventure in Space and Time • Shada

Tardis