Our Roman Objects

Leicester City Council's Roman Archaeology Collection

Leicester City Council boasts the largest collection of Roman archaeology in the Midlands. The gallery below highlights some of the most significant small items from our extensive Roman collection. Explore these key artefacts to gain insight into the lives of people in Roman Leicester.

Helmet cheek piece

Copper alloy, iron

This cheek piece from a military helmet is made from tinned bronze with an iron backing. The design shows a winged cupid with what appears to be fruit in their left hand and a bird in the right. Discovered in Bath Lane, Leicester.

Lead seal

Lead alloy

This lead seal was for a package of military goods being sent from the Legio III Cyrenaica, a military unit that only served in Africa and the Middle East. It was found in the Vine Street/Burgess Street area of Leicester.

Box Flue tile

Ceramic

This ceramic flue box tile has the inscription ‘PRIMUS FECIT X’. This means ‘Primus made ten’ (of these tiles). A box flue allows smoke or steam to escape from a building. It was found near the Wyggeston School in Highcross Street, Leicester.

Chatelaine grooming set

Metal, enamel

This beautiful chatelaine grooming set is made of copper alloy with enamel inlay. It consists of a nail cleaner, curved notched blade, tweezers, pick/spoon and nail cleaner. It may have been worn hanging from the waist. It was discovered in the Stibbe site near Vaughan Way and Great Central Street in Leicester.

Balsamarium

Copper alloy, wood

This ointment holder in the shape of a bust is made of copper alloy. There are two rings at the top which suggest there may have been a hinged lid and a handle. The main vessel is in the shape of a young man with his hair in four layers of short, tight coils. It might have been a style resembling dreadlocks. On his chest and back is a decorative scallop, suggesting clothing or armour. It was found in Redcross Street, near Leicester Castle.

Frog brooch

Bronze, enamel

This beautiful bronze and enamel brooch in the shape of a frog has eight white enamelled dots running down its back. It was found in Blue Boar Lane, Leicester.

Servandus curse tablet

Lead

This piece of lead is inscribed with a Latin curse from Servandus to the god, Maglus, to avenge the theft of his cloak. The text reads:

I give to the god Maglus him who did wrong from the slave-quarters.

I give him who did theft the cloak from the slave-quarters; who stole the cloak of Servandus:

Silvester, Rigomandus, Senilis, Venustinus, Vorvena, Calaminus, Felicianus, Rufaedo, Vendicina, Ingenuinus, Iuventius, Alocus,

Cennosus, Germanus, Senedo, Cunovendus, Regalis, Nigella, Senicianus (last name is crossed out).

I give that the god Maglus before the ninth day take away him who stole the cloak of Servandus.

It was discovered at Roman courtyard house in Vine Street, Leicester.

Anubis ivory panel

Ivory

This ivory panel features the jackal-headed god Anubis squatting amongst lotus flowers and holding a lance. It was probably inlaid in a very decorative box. Anubis was popular amongst Egyptian soldiers in the Roman army and the lance may indicate that the owner had a military connection. It was found in an impressive Roman courtyard house, now under the Highcross car park in Leicester.

Gold ring with engraved garnet

Gold, garnet

This ring was singled out by the archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon as an important find from the Jewry Wall site in the 1930s. It is either for a child or for the top joint of a finger. The engraved panel consists of an amalgam of three heads with one pair of eyes serving for all three. Their common hair represents the top of a bunch of grapes.

Key handle

Metal

This ornate handle, for a knife or key, was found in a high status Roman townhouse with wonderful mosaic floors. Cast in copper alloy it shows a male figure, possibly a Roman caricature of a Germanic ‘barbarian’, under attack from a male lion. This might be a captive facing execution in an amphitheatre.

Under the man and lion are four naked, curly-haired men shown holding objects or animals.

An interactive digital model of the (partially cleaned) handle can be viewed on the SketchFab website:

• 3D Interactive Model

The key handle was found at the former Stibbe factory, near Great Central Street, Leicester.