New research has revealed that a massive monument to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius once stood in the Scottish Borders. The grand sculpture is the only known example from Scotland and the findings rewrite our understanding of the northern-most frontier of the Roman Empire. The statue has been reconstructed using its surviving gilded bronze leg ahead of a major new exhibition opening at the National Museum of Scotland this weekend; Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire.

14th November 2026 – 18th April 2027 
National Museum of Scotland,  
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF

National Museums Scotland has brought together an international team of experts to reveal the face of a man who died on the Roman frontier at Inveresk, near Edinburgh, almost 2,000 years ago. Cutting-edge scientific techniques have been applied to determine his genetic make-up, geographic origin and life history ahead of a major new exhibition opening next month, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire (14 November 2026 – 18 April 2027).