British Museum: Legion

I'm a bit late to the party but, like lots of bloggers seem to have done, I managed to get along to the British Museum to see the Legion exhibition.  The exhibition explores life in the Roman army and is a fantastic collection of artifacts both military and more mundane.  I combined the trip with an fundraising event in London for work but forgot that this was taking place over the Friday of half-term which meant that the museum was hoaching with families as well as the usual tourists and the queue to get in stretched a long way around the front of the museum!  The exhibition tickets are timed  though, so getting into this was fine and there was no queue and I was able to get in a bit early.

Obviously as a wargamer all the military stuff was of great interest but I also enjoyed the other bits... shoes, tent panels made of goat skin, and tent pegs which were quite like some I've used myself on camping trips!

So here are a selection of photos...

The only surviving example of a Roman shield

Model of the emperor carried as a standard

Another standard

Cornifex

Dummy used for sword practice and an ox skull holed by bolts.

Ship's prow

Draco standard

Horse harness

Crocodile skin armour

Goat skin tent panels

Tent pegs

Part of a leather shield cover

Leather quiver

Cataphract armour

And cataphract head armour

Sculpture of a prisoner

...and the spoils of war

Plaque of citizenship

If you're planning to go along, you'll have to be quick as it finishes on 23rd June.

Finally here are a few more random photos taken while I was waiting for my slot at the exhibition... hmm.... Assyrians.... now there's an idea for a new project!!