Legionary Gemstone from Drapers’ Gardens
By James Gerrard
Website editing: Graham Sherwood
 Excavations
at Drapers’ Gardens recovered a large number of exciting small
finds. Perhaps the most beautiful is a small oval gemstone (or intaglio)
some 15 x 11mm. The design cut into the stone’s face is a
strongly military one, depicting a legionary eagle perched on a
thunderbolt and holding a victory wreath in its beak. To either
side of the eagle are maniple standards, topped by a hand. The specialist
on Roman gemstones from Britain, Dr Martin Henig (Oxford University),
has suggested that the style of the gem cutting and the stone (which
is red jasper) indicates a late second-century date. He also says
that this intaglio is the finest example of its type known to him
from Roman Britain.
The gem was probably originally owned by an officer of one of the
three legions stationed in Britain during the second century (Legio
II, Legio VI and Legio XX). Given the location of the find it seems
plausible to suggest that this officer had been seconded to London,
based at the Cripplegate fort and may have been serving on the Governor’s
staff. Its loss was probably very upsetting, as such stones were
expensive and very personal items. The officer’s loss though
is our gain and thanks to an eagle-eyed excavator we have this tiny
piece of Roman art to admire.
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