The Roman Empire was created and controlled by its soldiers. At the core of the army were its legions, which were without equal in their training, discipline and fighting ability. By the time ...

and probably belonged to a Roman soldier who lost his life in battle. Few examples of this type of shield have survived over the millennia, even though it is well known from depictions in art.

Image caption, This modern painting shows Roman soldiers at Birdoswald Fort (Hadrian's Wall). A centurion watches men training. After a long day’s march, Roman soldiers had to build a camp ...

Image caption, This modern painting shows Roman soldiers at Birdoswald Fort (Hadrian's Wall). A centurion watches men training. After a long day’s march, Roman soldiers had to build a camp ...