National Roman Legion Museum facts for kids
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| Location | Caerleon, Newport, Wales |
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| Type | Archaeological museum |
The National Roman Legion Museum is a cool place in Caerleon, near Newport, in south-east Wales. It's one of three Roman sites you can visit in Caerleon. The others are the Baths museum and the outdoor ruins of the amphitheatre and barracks. This museum is part of the bigger Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales group.
Contents
Discovering Roman Wales
Long ago, Roman Wales was the furthest west the mighty Roman Empire reached in Roman Britain. To protect their lands, the Romans built a strong fortress called Isca Augusta in 75 AD. This fortress, now known as Caerleon, was one of only three permanent Roman army bases in all of Roman Britain. It was used by soldiers for over 200 years!
What You'll See at the Museum
The National Roman Legion Museum is built right inside what's left of that old fortress. Inside, you'll find many amazing artefacts from the time of Isca Augusta and the Legio II Augusta (the Second Augustan Legion). These items range from ancient Roman currency to pieces of Roman uniforms.
Exploring Nearby Roman Ruins
Just a short walk from the museum, you can explore more of the ancient Isca Augusta. It's like stepping back in time!
- You can see parts of the military bath house at the Roman Baths Museum.
- There's the most complete Roman amphitheatre in all of Britain. Imagine gladiators fighting there!
- You can also walk along sections of the original fortress walls.
- At Prysg Field, you'll find the only remains of a Roman legionary barracks that you can see anywhere in Europe.
The Museum Building's Story
The museum is located right in the middle of where Roman Isca used to be. It sits on what was once the via principalis, a main road that led to the amphitheatre.
How the Museum Started
The very first museum building here was called the Antiquarian Museum, built in 1850. It was designed by H.F Lockwood and looked like a simple box made of special Bath stone. The most interesting part was its front porch, which had pillars in the Greek Doric style. We know that parts of the roof were made from old ship's timbers, and some stone details came from Caerleon's Old Market House, which had been taken down.
Modern Changes to the Museum
The original museum building was listed as a Grade II historic building in 1951. However, most of it was taken down in 1987 when the museum was rebuilt and made much bigger. Only the pillared porch from the old building remains today. The new building has a modern look, but like the original, it doesn't have many windows.
The museum was closed for redevelopment in early 2019 and reopened later that year. It continues to be a great place for local schools to visit and learn about Roman history.
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