National Roman Legionary Museum, 6 High Street, Caerleon, Newport. NP18 1DY.
Posted by: 
greysman
N 51° 36.606 W 002° 57.332
30U E 503079 N 5717674
Telling of the life and times of the Roman Legionary Fortress of Isca Silurium.
Waymark Code: WMN651
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/02/2015
Views: 1
This small/medium sized museum first opened in 1850 when the Caerleon Antiquarian Association requested H.F Lockwood of Hull to design somewher to house their collection of Roman artifacts. It was a very early example of a single-theme museum, the Roman Legionary Fortress of Isca Silurium. It is now run by the National Museum of Wales.
The original building incorporated timbers from HMS Collingwood, which was being scrapped at the time, and stone details from the Old Market House which was demolished in 1847. The portico is the only part of the original building to remain when it was demolished in 1987, to be rebuilt in a contemporary manner in steel, glass and stone.
The portico is built in Bath limestone ashlar in the form of a Doric tetrastyle (four columns) portico with Greek style Doric order triglyph frieze and pediment. The fluting on the columns does not continue to the ground. The plinth is of two stone steps and behind is a blind wall with large panelled entrance doors in a pylon architrave. The doors were replaced at the time of the rebuilding of the museum in 1987. Strange that the portico is of Greek style in a museum dedicated to Roman antiquities.
The collection of artifacts in the museum tells how Romans lived, fought, worshipped and died. From this we can learn what made the Romans a formidable force and how modern life wouldn't be the same without them. There are two self-guided audio guides whilst children's activities and school trips are a speciality. To the rear is a garden laid out as if it were a Roman garden with the planting typical of that period.
Caerleon was one of only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain, known as Isca to the Romans, the fortress itself was built in the typical playing-card shape used by the Romans for towns all over their empire, it covered 50 acres. The other permanent fortresses were Chester, Deva, and York, Eboracum. The Museum now lies at the heart of the old town.
Just a few minutes walk from the galleries takes you to the most complete Amphitheatre in Britain, the only remains of a Roman Legionary Barracks on view anywhere in Europe, and beautifully presented Fortress Baths, where the eye-catching excavations include an open-air swimming pool (natatio) and cold bath suite (frigidarium), which represent only a portion of the vast original structure.