‘Legion – Life in the Roman Army’ at the British Museum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
Triumphant Cavalrymen, Marble, Rome, Italy, AD 180-220, Legion, Life in the Roman Army, British Museum, London UK 2024
“When was the last time you thought about the Roman Empire?” was trending on TikTok for a good long time last year. To be honest, I didn’t really think about the Romans all that much – unless it was to reminisce about the beauty of Rome… and Pizza. It seemed wonderfully coincidental that the British Museum should announce their latest Landmark Exhibition ‘Legion – Life in the Roman Army’. I was initially hesitant; I had just seen ‘From Burma to Myanmar’ the previous week and wasn’t all that impressed by it. So, I went in with trepidation. To say this show was spectacular is an understatement. Here is why:
First things first, they paired with Horrible Histories, an honestly genius move, and it worked for both adults and children. For children, it made the exhibition playful and explained life as an auxiliary or legionnaire clearly and in a fun and enlightening way. For adults it was all about nostalgia – a lot of people from my generation grew up with Horrible Histories – For me, it was the books, long before they made the TV show. It told you the fun (sometimes disgusting) side of historical figures or moments in history.
But onto some of the artefacts that really stood out to me: Bronze Head of Emperor Augustus, Rome’s first Emperor. Bronze, Calcite, glass and plaster, Sudan - North East Africa, 27-25 BC. I think for this particular piece it was the eyes. I’m not sure if they are the original eyes of the statue – but wow did they draw you in, and capture your attention with an imposing stare – a mark required to be a formidable Emperor.
Bronze Head of Emperor Augustus, Rome’s first Emperor. Bronze, Calcite, glass and plaster, Sudan - North East Africa, 27-25 BC. Legion, Life in the Roman Army, British Museum, London UK 2024
I liked how this exhibition follows the story of a man called Terentianus – it is a treacherous one at that too. Was being in the Roman Army based on a type of class system? Yes. If you were not a Roman citizen but lived within the Roman Empire (and somehow managed to not become a slave) you could join the Roman Army. Not as a Legionnaire or Centurion, but as an Auxiliary member – it was a lowly position and badly paid. But hay! If you survived being an auxiliary soldier for 25+ years you could retire, not only with a full pension but with the coveted Roman Citizenship and have access to full social and legal rights. There are worse things. Like being a member of the Marines. Sounds a little mental – because in modern times being a Marine means you are the best of the best, in Ancient Rome? Not so much – you were the entrails of military might.
But what was it like to be at war? One of the cooler parts of the exhibition was the quasi-immersive experience. You hear the sounds of battle whilst looking at the only known Legionnaire shield to have survived before marvelling at the bust of Emperor Hadrian. Emperors were known to be just behind the front lines directing the battle, but safe from any real harm. Unlike the auxiliary members who only had a small shield and a spear to defend themselves with. You were lucky, and pretty tough, to reach 25+ years of service.
Roman Legionnaire Long Shield (Scutum), Wood Leather and Bronze, Dura-Europoes, Syria, Early AD 200s. Legion, Life in the Roman Army, British Museum, London UK 2024
Emperor Hadrian, Marble, Tivoli, Italy, AD 125-130. Legion, Life in the Roman Army, British Museum, London UK 2024
It leads me to one of my favourite artefacts of the exhibition, the Draco. Supposedly used just before battle by members of the cavalry to inspire fear in enemy ranks. The Draco, was a metal dragon’s head with fiery cloth attached to a long wooden pole. The cavalryman would carry this whilst riding at top speed, and the Draco, would then sound a beastly ‘howl’.
Draco - The Dragon Standard, Bronze, Neiderbieber, Germany, AD 190-260 Legion, Life in the Roman Army, British Museum, London UK 2024
All in all, I would highly recommend this exhibition – dare I say it was better than the Nero exhibition? Not sure, but as someone who doesn't really think about the Roman Empire all that much, it was exciting, interesting, and really good fun for everyone.