Bronze leg found in Scottish bog sheds new light on Roman occupation

The bronze artifact, discovered in 1820 and stored for a century at Dalkeith House, is now the centerpiece of the largest exhibition ever staged on Romans in Scotland. Archaeologists believe it came from a vast statue of Emperor Antoninus Pius on horseback, erected near Hawick after Roman armies took control of southern Scotland around AD140.

Imperial Presence

The exhibition, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire, opens at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday. It challenges previous assumptions about Roman occupation north of Hadrian's Wall, suggesting Romans were a more significant force than previously realized.

Artistic Exchange

The exhibition features a reconstructed earthenware bowl from Inveresk with unique animal reliefs including dolphins, stags and a hunting dog – found nowhere else in the UK. Two carved stone altars from a Mithras temple at Inveresk are also displayed for the first time, with dramatic lighting showing their original vibrant colors.

The entire skeleton of a carefully buried horse from Inveresk is also exhibited, suggesting it was a valued steed. The site was home to a Roman fort, town and rare amphitheatre.

Political Impact

The exhibition explores Rome's influence on Celtic tribes, including introducing silver and inspiring native art styles that later became ornate Pictish standing stones.

Recent scholarship suggests no carving tradition existed in pre-Roman Scotland, but Roman occupation sparked rich native styles. Celtic rulers were attracted to Roman silver, which Rome used to secure loyalty, though this eventually led to Pictish tribes forming an anti-Roman coalition.