History Hit’s Tristan Hughes heads behind the scenes at the British Museum to get a special look at items from their exhibition touring the UK in 2025-2026: Gladiators of Britain.

Taking visitors back nearly 2,000 years to the Roman province of Britannia and beyond, the exhibition brings together 25 items from the British Museum and Colchester Museums collections, as well as items from each local museum partner.

Join curators Dr Anna Willi and Dr Richard Hobbs as they discuss items featured in the exhibition, including the Murmillo figurine, a bone figurine found near Colchester that depicts a gladiator of the heavily armoured Murmillo class from the 1st - 2nd Century AD, as well as a rare coin with a depiction of the Colosseum on one side, a beautifully preserved gladiator themed oil lamp and incredibly, the Hawkedon Helmet (1st century AD). This is the only piece of gladiatorial armour ever found from Roman Britain.