New research suggests that a large bronze leg found in a Scottish bog in 1820, previously thought to be loot from further south, came from a giant gilded equestrian statue of the emperor Antoninus Pius, believed to have been erected near Hawick to mark the conquest of southern Scotland.
Antiquarians argued that the leg had been looted, perhaps from York, and carried north over Hadrian’s Wall. In 1932, scholar James Curle said he could not visualise conditions that would have led to its erection north of the Great Wall.
The over-lifesized bronze limb, which spent a century in a charter room of a stately home owned by the Duke of Buccleuch, now forms the centrepiece of a new exhibition in Edinburgh. Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator of prehistoric and Roman archaeology at NMS, said the find 'really turns on its head our understanding of Rome's second attempt at conquering Scotland'.
Researchers said the leg was carefully removed rather than brutally hacked off. Examination found no cut marks on the top, which remained as cast. The absence of gilding around the knee shows that the area was covered by a tunic or cloak.
Researchers identified the emperor as Antoninus Pius because his conquest of what is now southern Scotland was the only foreign adventure he commemorated with the title Imperator. The complete statue was similar in form to the one of Marcus Aurelius on horseback in Rome. A wider study found that imperial statues, including equestrian ones, were erected in frontier forts, making a Scottish location for this statue more feasible.
The exhibition, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire, also features a uniquely decorated earthenware bowl from Inveresk, described by assistant curator Bethany Simpson as unique in Scotland and the rest of the UK, two well-preserved stone altars from a temple to Mithras, and the skeleton of a carefully buried horse.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Rewrites the map of Roman imperial display: a monumental gilded equestrian statue in what is now the Scottish Borders shows Rome's propaganda reach was far more ambitious north of Hadrian's Wall than previously acknowledged.
- Changes 200-year-old assumptions about a key museum artefact and its origin, moving it from category of looted spoils to evidence of deliberate Roman retreat protocols.
- Strengthens the case that Roman occupation had a deep and lasting cultural impact on indigenous Celtic tribes, spurring the development of unique art forms like Pictish standing stones.
Background
The bronze leg was found in 1820 in Milsington near Hawick. It was long believed to be loot from York, as scholars struggled to explain how such an object could be found in Scotland. The Antonine Wall was built under Antoninus Pius around AD 142. The new research is presented alongside the exhibition Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire, which argues for a much more significant Roman presence in the region.
Key Perspectives
James Curle (1932): Argued it was impossible for the statue to have been erected north of Hadrian's Wall.
Dr Fraser Hunter, National Museums Scotland: States the leg was part of an equestrian statue of Antoninus Pius erected in Scotland and carefully disassembled upon Roman withdrawal, overturning previous assumptions.
What to Watch
- Further archaeological surveys in the Milsington or Hawick area for the missing parts of the statue.
- Academic reception and potential debate over the reinterpretation of the leg's origin.
- Visitor numbers and cultural impact of the Roman Scotland exhibition on regional tourism.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedNew research suggests a giant statue of Antoninus Pius once stood in the Scottish Borders.BBC Scotland: “A giant gilded statue of a Roman emperor once stood proudly in the heart of the Scottish Borders, new research suggests.”
- SupportedThe bronze leg found in a Scottish bog in 1820 was previously thought to be loot taken from further south, perhaps York.BBC Scotland: “It had previously been assumed that a bronze leg found in a bog in Milsington near Hawick in 1820 was loot taken from a site further south - possibly York.”
- SupportedThe leg came from a giant gilded equestrian statue of Antoninus Pius, believed to have been erected near Hawick to mark the conquest of southern Scotland.World news | The Guardian: “archaeologists now believe the hefty gilded bronze limb came from the Scottish Borders and was part of a vast statue of the emperor Antoninus Pius on horseback, erected near Hawick after his armies had wrested control of southern Scotland in about AD140.”
- SupportedAntiquarians argued that the leg had been looted, perhaps from York, and carried north over Hadrian’s Wall.World news | The Guardian: “Antiquarians argued that the so-called Mislington leg had been looted, perhaps from York, hacked off by marauding Scottish tribes and carried north over Hadrian’s Wall.”
- SupportedIn 1932, James Curle said he could not visualise conditions that would have led to the leg’s erection north of the Great Wall.World news | The Guardian: ““We cannot visualise the conditions which would have led to its erection anywhere north of the Great Wall,” said one scholar, James Curle, in 1932.”
- SupportedDr Fraser Hunter said the find “really turns on its head our understanding of Rome's second attempt at conquering Scotland”.BBC Scotland: “Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator of prehistoric and Roman archaeology at National Museums Scotland (NMS), said: "This really turns on its head our understanding of Rome's second attempt at conquering Scotland."”
- SupportedThe leg was carefully removed rather than brutally hacked off; examination found no cut marks on top, which remained as cast.BBC Scotland: “They said it had been carefully removed, not "brutally hacked off". Examination of the top of the leg has found that there are no cut marks, but rather it remains exactly as it was cast.”
- SupportedThe absence of gilding around the knee shows that the area was covered by a tunic or cloak.BBC Scotland: “The absence of gilding around the knee shows that this area was covered by a tunic or cloak”
- SupportedResearchers identified Antoninus Pius because his conquest of what is now southern Scotland was the only foreign adventure he commemorated with the title Imperator.BBC Scotland: “His conquest of what is now southern Scotland was the only foreign adventure that he commemorated with the title Imperator”
- Partly supportedA wider study found imperial statues, including equestrian ones, were erected in frontier forts, making a Scottish location for this statue more feasible.BBC Scotland: “A wider study of statue fragments from the Roman frontier showed that bronze imperial statues - including equestrian ones - were erected in frontier forts, thus making a Scottish location for this particular statue more feasible.”
- SupportedThe exhibition includes a uniquely decorated earthenware bowl from Inveresk, two well-preserved stone altars from a Mithras temple, and the skeleton of a carefully buried horse.World news | The Guardian: “The museum is also showing for the first time two remarkably well preserved, locally carved stone altars from a mithraeum excavated at Inveresk.”
