"Blockbuster" exhibition to tell tales of Roman cavalry archaeology found along Hadrian's Wall

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Three-metre high tombstone of Flavinus among planned highlights as museums across Roman frontiers unite

Curators are concocting a “blockbuster” exhibition telling the story of the Roman cavalry which once roamed Hadrian’s Wall, with writing tablets etched by troopers and the tombstone of Flavinus – a standard-bearer who battled barbarians in the Tyne valley nearly 2,000 years ago – set to go on public display.

A vital but less well-known force in the frontier garrison, cavalry regiments were the elite of the Roman army’s auxiliary forces as they seized control of the region. The training, equipment, military operations and daily life of a unit specialising in long-range reconnaissance, high-speed communications and shock tactics will be revealed in an £790,000 display planned by a consortium of heritage groups across the modern landscape of the wall.

“From Segedunum [fort] we know that cavalry horses were stabled with the troopers in adjacent rooms in customised barrack blocks,” says Bill Griffiths, who led the project which has won funding from Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund.

“Chesters Roman Fort is the best preserved cavalry fort in Britain. Many of the best known writing tablets from Vindolanda were written by Batavian troopers posted there following their deployment as shock troops to overpower the druids on Anglesey and before their subsequent deployment to the Danube to support Emperor Trajan in his war against the Dacians.

“The three-metre high tombstone of Flavinus, from Hexham Abbey, is one of the most celebrated portrayals of the cavalryman-barbarian motif from across the empire.

“The sheer quantity, quality and range of objects from sites across Hadrian’s Wall provides opportunities to tell many different stories as well as celebrating the beauty and interest of the objects themselves.

“Evidence from sites along Hadrian’s Wall has informed understanding of cavalry regiments across the Roman empire.”

Cavalry regiments were stationed at key locations on major road and river crossings along Hadrian’s Wall, supported by part-mounted regiments at many other forts. The cavalry regiment at Stanwix, north of Carlisle, was one of only three 1,000-strong cavalry regiments in the Roman army.

Regiments were costly to raise and maintain, containing highly-paid troopers who required lengthy training alongside their horses.

Their equipment - including full face parade helmets such as the one found at Crosby Garrett and horse armour such as the Vindolanda chamfron - was expensive, exotic and designed to impress.

The Hadrian's Wall frontier is part of the transnational frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site, including the Antonine Wall in Scotland and the Upper German/Raetian Limes, representing the borderline of the Roman Empire at its furthest extent in the 2nd century AD.

Each museum and heritage site in the alliance will host an event or display as part of the project, inspired by the success of a previous exhibition, Wall Face, which ran from Arbeia Roman Fort in South Shields to the Senhouse Roman Museum in Maryport, featuring portraits from the National Portrait Gallery.

“All the partners are keen to work together again on a much bigger scale,” says Griffiths.

“We are also hoping to work with museums across the frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site to assemble a unique collection for this exhibition.”

The exhibition is expected to open in Easter 2017. Visit visithadrianswall.co.uk for more.

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Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk//history-and-heritage/military-history/pre-20th-century-conflict/art519982-blockbuster-exhibition-to-tell-tales-of-roman-cavalry-archaeology-found-along-hadrian-wall