The ancient Roman sword, found in the River Lugg
A near 2,000-year-old spatha sword surfaced near Bodenham. We examine its ancient past, and how what is a very rare archaeological find found its way to Herefordshire.
A near 2,000-year-old spatha sword surfaced near Bodenham. We examine its ancient past, and how what is a very rare archaeological find found its way to Herefordshire.
In the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD, long and straight, double-edged swords were the norm for the Roman armies, slightly longer than the traditional gladius. This one, found on a dog walk in 2004, could have been forged in Ariconium, the site near what is now Weston under Penyard, using iron ore from the Forest of Dean.
Andrew Marston meets Judy Stevenson at Hereford Museum, unwrapping this slice of ancient history in the Welsh Marches.
