New exhibition will reveal international stories from within the Roman Military
Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum in Wallsend will open its new exhibition, Following the Eagle, on Saturday 28 March, showcasing five remarkable near-complete bronze Roman military diplomas, three of which have never been displayed in the UK.
The bronze diplomas reveal the diverse identities, careers, and long‑distance movements of soldiers across the Roman Empire, including a Syrian archer stationed in Britain and a Praetorian Guard who may have travelled with the Emperor Septimius Severus when he came to Britain.
The exhibition will also feature objects on loan from continental collections and other items from the North East Museums collection. Alongside the diplomas, Following the Eagle brings together a wide range of artefacts that illuminate how Rome’s soldiers, as well as objects and ideas moved across the Empire, including religious practices from North Africa and rare glazed pottery from Asia Minor. Many of the pieces of military equipment and domestic goods have added inscriptions, recording details such as peoples’ names, their place of origin and their rank. The inscriptions provide an insight into the lives of every-day people, including an incredible curse tablet where a Roman soldier took against many of his fellow companions.
The Eagle itself is featured in a section that includes an element of a rare Roman military standard and eagle‑decorated horse armour, which offer audiences a richer understanding of how the iconic eagle symbol unified soldiers serving thousands of kilometres from home.
Geoff Woodward, Museum Manager for North and South Tyneside venues at North East Museums, said:
“We’re delighted to be launching our 2026 exhibition, Following the Eagle, which has been made possible through the generosity of our lenders and partners. Their willingness to share such remarkable objects allows us to tell an expansive story of the Roman army. It’s also a great pleasure to display alongside the loans items from our own collection, connecting discoveries made here in the North East directly alongside objects found much further afield across the Empire. Together, they offer visitors a vivid sense of how the local evidence fits within the wider Roman world.”
Alex Croom, Keeper of History at North East Museums, said:
“The bronze diplomas on display give us an extraordinary window into the real lives of Roman soldiers. Because they survive almost complete, they allow us to trace individual units, movements across the Empire, and sometimes even glimpses of personal identity and family. They’re rare documents, and having five examples together, including three never displayed in the UK, makes this a truly exceptional moment for Segedunum. We’re enormously grateful to our lenders for making it possible to share these stories. I hope visitors come away with a sense of just how diverse, mobile, and interconnected the Roman army really was, and how powerful symbols like the eagle shaped the identity of those who served.”
Following the Eagle runs from Saturday 28 March to Saturday 3 October at Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum, Wallsend.
The exhibition is open during normal museum opening hours, with free entry for children and young people aged 21 and under, and NE28 residents. Adult and concession charges apply.
