From foreign recruit to retired citizen: the journey of a Roman soldier
Explore the personal history of Claudius Terentianus, a foreign soldier who rose through the ranks. This tour follows his path from enlistment to retirement, using his surviving letters to reveal the reality of life within the Roman army.
Curators Richard Abdy and Carolina Rangel de Lima guide viewers through the life of Claudius Terentianus, an ambitious soldier whose letters serve as the foundation for the British Museum's 'Legion: Life in the Roman Army' exhibition. The tour examines the trajectory of a man who began as a foreign recruit and eventually achieved the status of a legionary.
The exhibition uses these personal records to reconstruct the experiences of the ordinary citizens who comprised the Roman Empire's most famous fighting force. It investigates the mechanics of military service, including the challenges of survival over a 25-year term and the pension plans available to those who completed their service.
Source: The life of an (extra)ordinary Roman soldier | Curators' Tour of Legion: life in the Roman Army
