Gladiators, are you ready? Roman Carlisle comes alive at Tullie
Gladiators, are you ready?
Where Worlds Met: Roman Carlisle comes alive at Tullie.
by Danni Murphy
Nearly two thousand years ago, Carlisle sat at the very edge of the Roman Empire. Known then as Luguvalium, it was a place of movement and exchange where soldiers, traders and families from across the Roman world lived side by side. Tullie Museum invites visitors to rediscover that remarkable past through a powerful pair of exhibitions that bring Roman Carlisle vividly back to life.
Gladiators of Britain, a major touring exhibition created in partnership with the British Museum and Colchester and Ipswich Museums is one of the exhibitions currently being hosted at Tullie. It explores the brutal yet captivating world of gladiatorial combat, a form of entertainment that was central to Roman culture and reached far beyond Rome itself. Through armour, sculpture and rare objects, the exhibition reveals who gladiators really were, enslaved fighters who were denied basic rights yet celebrated as the celebrities of their age.
Among the standout objects is the Hawkedon Helmet, the only confirmed piece of gladiatorial armour ever found in Roman Britain, alongside a marble relief showing a dramatic battle between a lion and a beast fighter.
Set against Carlisle’s strategic position on the northern frontier, the exhibition shows how the spectacle of the amphitheatre resonated even at the Empire’s edge, where military power, culture and global connections collided.
Running alongside it, Uncovering Roman Carlisle: Where Worlds Met turns the spotlight on the city itself. Drawing on recent archaeological discoveries from excavations at Carlisle Cricket Club, the exhibition reveals Luguvalium as a thriving and surprisingly cosmopolitan place. Artefacts from across the Roman world, including objects from as far away as Syria, tell stories of migration, trade and belief, showing how diverse communities shaped life in the city nearly two thousand years ago. The themes of movement and cultural exchange feel strikingly relevant today, echoing Carlisle’s continuing role as a place shaped by people and journeys from many backgrounds.
Uncovering Roman Carlisle are set to resume their excavations at the cricket ground in April this year. The story of Roman Carlisle is still being uncovered. In 2017, renovations at Carlisle Cricket Club led to the unexpected discovery of a large Roman bath house, hidden just below the surface. What began as a routine investigation soon became a major archaeological site, with permission granted for further digs that have continued every year since.
Each excavation has revealed remarkable finds that had lain undisturbed for nearly two thousand years. Precious stones once worn as jewellery, hundreds of pieces of pottery and Roman coins have all been unearthed.
In 2023, the discovery of two carved stone heads depicting Roman figures added another striking chapter to the site’s story.
While it has long been known that the Romans lived in Carlisle, these finds are helping to reveal how they lived. Each object adds a new piece to the puzzle, allowing archaeologists and historians to build a richer picture of the people, lives and experiences that once shaped the city.
Together, the exhibitions paint a rich and human picture of Roman Britain, from the roar of the arena to the everyday realities of life on the frontier. The season is also supported by a programme of events and a city wide Roman themed festival, bringing ancient Luguvalium into the streets of modern Carlisle through talks, performances and family activities.
‘Gladiators of Britain’ and ‘Uncovering Roman Carlisle: Where Worlds Met’ run at Tullie until 31 May 2026.
Entry is included with a Tullie annual pass or day ticket, and under 18s go free.
For more information, visit tullie.org.uk and www.uncoveringromancarlisle.co.uk.
Uncovering Roman Carlisle
This April, more Roman secrets that have been buried beneath Carlisle’s cricket club for 2000 years could be revealed as Uncovering Roman Carlisle commence another four week excavation on the site.
Since breaking ground in 2017 there has been a myriad of artefacts found within the grounds. Discoveries have been made which have expanded our current understanding of the people who lived in the area 2000 years ago.
From beads and jewellery to pottery, stone carvings and evidence of the food they consumed, each find fills in a piece of a puzzle historians have been speculating about for centuries.
Uncovering Roman Carlisle relies entirely on funding either through grants or fundraising efforts and donations to continue their work. They raise funds through their workshops, merchandise, and more recently the two books they have released.
Every penny of funds raised goes toward excavation efforts and every member of the team works on a voluntary basis, and you can be part of it – join a dig!
If you would like to more information, or would like to get involved yourself then visit their website at:
www.uncoveringromancarlisle.co.uk
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