Curator’s introduction to Legion: life in the Roman army

Join exhibition Lead Curator Richard Abdy as he introduces the themes of this fascinating exhibition. From family life on the fort to the brutality of the battlefield, Legion explores Rome’s war machine through the people who knew it best – the soldiers who served in it. In this talk, Abdy shows how the Roman Empire grew to span more than a million square miles and depended upon its military might. But how did this happen and how did it work in reality? This event is part of the public programme supporting the exhibition Legion: life in the Roman army (1 February – 23 June 2024). More information about the exhibition can be found here: Sign up to our newsletters for the latest news on our work, stories about the collection and upcoming events: We’re bringing inspiring stories of humanity’s shared histories and cultural achievements to millions of people online. Your support ensures that we can continue to make the collection and videos like this one available to as many people as possible. If you can, please donate today: or you can text BMLEARN to 70085. Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message. Please see our social media code of conduct: Image: Bronze cavalry helmet, England, 1st century AD. View on collection online: