Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire

A major new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will tackle the common misconception that the Romans never got beyond Hadrian’s Wall. The famous landmark is often thought of as the northernmost reach of the Romans in Britain. However, three times the Empire extended much further north, up to Scotland’s central belt and deep into north-east Scotland. 

Press images are available here. 

Bringing together recent research, significant loans from across Europe and previously unseen archaeological discoveries from Scotland, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire will tell new stories of Roman occupation and reshape our understanding of Scotland’s relationship with the Roman world.   

Central to the exhibition are finds from a 2nd century AD Roman fort at Inveresk in East Lothian, a site whose full significance will be revealed in this exhibition. The Antonine Wall was built across the narrowest part of Scotland from Forth to Clyde, with additional forts along the coasts to east and west. Inveresk was one of these, and grew to become a major centre with a substantial population.

Recent excavations have transformed our understanding of the site, highlighting its significance in the story of Roman Scotland. The fort was home to the world’s most northerly Mithraeum (temple to the god Mithras), and the exhibition’s centrepiece will be two spectacular altars from the temple, newly conserved and on display for the first time. 

A thriving town surrounded the military base at Inveresk. This bustling community, ranging from soldiers and their families to traders, craftworkers and enslaved people, will be brought to life in the exhibition. Locals in this occupied land had to interact with these invading groups, and the exhibition will paint a vivid picture of their relationships, from bloodshed to diplomatic deals. 

Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistory and Roman Archaeology at National Museums Scotland said: 

“This rich exhibition is the first to explore Roman attempts to conquer Scotland in detail, asking why they failed, what effect they had on the locals, and examining the legacy they left behind. The extraordinary material found at Inveresk sheds new light on the peak of Roman occupation in Scotland, revealing how this significant frontier outpost and fortification was supplied from across the Empire, and taking visitors beyond the soldiers and into the lives of a vibrant and diverse frontier community.”