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Home » War and Rebellion » Arms and equipment » Roman tools

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  • An elaborate copper alloy stud decorated with rings of inlaid glass mosaic. The stud almost certainly adorned a horse harness. Found before 1862. An exact twin from Chepstow is in the British Museum. The presence of an early legionary fortress at Usk (Burrium) was detected as recently as the late 1960s. It was built about the year AD 55, probably by the Twentieth Legion, as a base for the conquest of south Wales. The fortress was defended by a rampart, with timber towers and gateways, and a ditch in front. The buildings would also have been constructed from wood. Usk was vacated in the late 60s, but the fortress was dismantled only when new headquarters were built in AD 74 or 75 by the Second legion, downstream at Caerleon.
Roman harness stud from Usk
  • A group of iron weapons of the third century AD: spearheads; pilum-head; arrowhead. Caerleon, 'City of the Legion', was known to the Romans as Isca. Established in AD 74 or 75, Isca was one of the three permanent legionary bases in Roman Britain: the other two were at Chester (Deva) and York (Eberacum). The fortress, sited at the lowest bridging-point across the River Usk, held a key position in the military road system in South Wales. Its garrison, as inscriptions tell us, was legio II Augusta, a body of heavy infantry comprising well over 5,000 men. The legion finally departed from Caerleon at the end of the third century.
Weapons from the Roman fort of Caerleon
  • Pottery inkwell, an iron stylus for writing on waxed tablets, a seal-box and a lead property marker inscribed 'Century of Vibius Proculus'. The legion kept meticulous records - military reports, rosters, lists of supplies and requests for leave - and soldiers wrote letters to their families and friends. Many documents and letters have been found at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, south of Hadrian's Wall. Caerleon, 'City of the Legion', was known to the Romans as Isca. Established in AD 74 or 75, Isca was one of the three permanent legionary bases in Roman Britain: the other two were at Chester (Deva) and York (Eberacum). The fortress, sited at the lowest bridging-point across the River Usk, held a key position in the military road system in South Wales. Its garrison, as inscriptions tell us, was legio II Augusta, a body of heavy infantry comprising well over 5,000 men. The legion finally departed from Caerleon at the end of the third century.
Roman pottery inkwell, stylus etc. from Caerleon
  • A soldier's iron dagger-sheath inlaid with silver wire. Although made of iron the sheath would have been lined with leather and wood. The dagger sheath would have been attached to the belt on the left side of the legionary. The presence of an early legionary fortress at Usk (Burrium) was detected as recently as the late 1960s. It was built about the year AD 55, probably by the Twentieth Legion, as a base for the conquest of South Wales. The fortress was defended by a rampart, with timber towers and gateways, and a ditch in front. The buildings would also have been constructed from wood. Usk was vacated in the late 60s, but the fortress was dismantled only when new headquarters were built in AD 74 or 75 by the Second legion, downstream at Caerleon.
Roman silver inlaid dagger sheath from Usk
Roman Bronze probe found at Caerleon
  • A pair of Roman tweezers with a decorated knob terminal found in Mill Street, Caerleon.
Roman bronze tweezers found at Caerleon