91Èȱ¬

This object from the collection of the Hunterian Museum was chosen, and written about, by Nicola McConnell, postgraduate student, Department of Classics, University of Glasgow.

This statue of Mars Ultor (Mars, the "Avenger") was discovered in a Scottish fort. Mars took on the epithet of Ultor during the reign of Augustus to celebrate the success of Augustus over Caeser's assassins. It is unlikely that the Roman soldiers carried this object to Scotland with them, so it may have been fashioned by local craftsmen upon arrival.

I chose this object due to the Scottish origins of the artefact and the fact that it can be instantly recognised as Mars, complete with helmet, spear and shield. Mars was an extremely important deity to the Romans and is a god that today we often instantly associate with Rome and therefore, I feel this object clearly displays the presence of the Romans in Scotland.