York was the base for the campaigns of successive emperors to the north of Hadrian’s Wall. The Trust’s excavations have revealed parts of the original plan of the timber fortress, and its subsequent reorganisation and rebuilding in stone. Although the Roman soldiers kept the fortress relatively tidy, they left behind fragments of armour and belt plates. We have also found weapons such as arrowheads, catapult bolts, lead shot and stone ballista balls. Pieces of patched leather tents may also have belonged to the military. A cheek-piece from a cavalryman’s helmet which was found near the Roman headquarters was probably owned by a mounted escort or messenger attached to the fort.

A 2nd century enamelled military belt plate

Artist’s impression of the helmet as worn by a cavalryman. His armour, weapons and clothing, and the horse’s harness and fittings, are based on excavated artefacts from the city