Roman cavalrymen are depicted hunting down bound and captive indigenous warriors”
Evidence of painted warnings has been detected on carved stones that once formed part of the Antonine Wall, a fortified barrier that separated Roman Britain from the tribes of Scotland. Louisa Campbell (left), who made the discovery, explains the significance of the find
What have you learned from your analysis of the Roman stones? Using non-destructive techniques I analysed the surface of these exquisitely crafted sculptures (called distance stones), and detected the elements and mineral compounds present in small traces of original pigments applied by Roman artisans during the second century AD. This allowed me to reconstruct the authentic colours used and to re-imagine how these sculptures would have looked in vibrant and life-like colours. What messages were the stones designed to convey? They would have had an incredibly powerful impact on the viewers – both Roman and non-Roman alike. The stones feature inscriptions in abbreviated Latin, and were dedicated by the legions who constructed the Antonine Wall to Emperor Antoninus Pius, who commissioned its construction in c142 AD. This lettering was depicted in red to ensure it stood out.
Many of the stones contain relief sculptures of various scenes, particularly battle scenes in which Roman cavalrymen are running down bound and captive indigenous warriors. Different colours of red were used to depict the cloaks of the Roman soldiers and also to show blood on the captive warriors – for example, on a decapitated neck and head. More than one of the stones depicts an eagle, a symbol of the Roman legions. My research has confirmed red paint on an eagle’s beak, symbolising Rome feasting on the flesh of her enemies. Other scenes depict religious ceremonies, with legionaries dedicating offerings to the gods. What were the purposes of these stones? People living north of the wall were not under Roman control. They were outside the boundaries of the empire, and their social structure differed from that which Rome would traditionally have encountered. The very act of constructing the Antonine Wall, a massive mural barrier that cut through ancestral and cultural landscapes, would have caused serious cultural upheaval and most likely antagonised the local population.
Distance stones served several purposes. They allowed the legions who were constructing the wall to demonstrate their allegiance to the emperor by dedicating the stones to him, and they also tell us how much of the wall each legion built. The stones were most likely placed in highly visible places so that Roman military personnel and Roman visitors were reminded of the empire’s military might and control of the region.
Most importantly, they served as a very visible and effective means of discouraging insurgence and challenges to Rome’s power. The Antonine Wall was the most heavily garrisoned frontier in the empire – and there must have been a good reason for this. What does this discovery tell us about life in Roman Britain? The colours provide a very interesting insight into life on the edge of empire. The iconography isn’t all blood and gore: some of the scenes depicted encompass religious life and deities. The iconography of the stones is incredibly powerful and tells a story in its own right.