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What happened to the 9th Legion?
One Journey. One Legion. Vanished...
The town of Chester is full of hidden Roman gems...
... and it was while researching for the Chester Mystery Guide that I uncovered the amazing true story of the lost 9th Legion…
... a puzzling mystery that’s still unsolved to this day.
Who were the 9th Legion?
The 9th Legion were an elite unit of 5,000 men sent to secure the lawless areas of Britannia - perhaps the weakest secured area of the empire. These fearsome warriors were instrumental in the invasion and in upholding Roman power against Queen Boudicca's revolts.
But…
After movements traced in York and Northern England, the 9th Legion suddenly vanished from the records.
What happened to the 9th Legion?
The most common theory is that the men were ambushed near the Scottish Highlands. This suggestion has been the topic of many films and books about the legion.
But no trace of any major battle or remains of the soldiers have ever been found.
Could there be secrets buried somewhere in the Highlands just waiting to be discovered?
Has any evidence ever been uncovered?
Evidence of their existence has been unearthed all across the country...
A roof tile branded with the mark of the 9th legion was found in York...
.. and three tombstones belonging to soldiers of the 9th Legion have been found in Britain.
But what about the other 4997 men?
Interestingly, evidence of their movements has also been uncovered in Germany and the Netherlands, leading some to believe that the they may have met their demise at the hands of lawless Germanic tribes.
What about the 9th Legion’s golden eagle…
If the 9th Legion were lost, they would have lost their golden eagle standard, known as the ‘Aquila’, which for a Roman legion was the ultimate disgrace...
Representing the spirit and loyalty of the unit, soldiers were expected to defend the standard with their lives… believing that if the eagle fell, so would Rome!
In the rare cases that eagles were lost to enemy forces, bloody battles were fought to regain them… and many found their way back to Rome..
.. but the 9th Legion's eagle was never recovered…
Could it still be out there somewhere.. just waiting to be found?
Inspiration for the Chester Mystery Guide
The story of the missing 9th Legion was just perfect for the Chester Mystery Guide...
What if their eagle was hidden somewhere in the town…
.. and what if finding it, held the truth to the legion’s disappearance…
Complete the Chester Mystery Guide and all will become clear…
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