A recent discovery in central Spain has provided archaeologists with a fascinating glimpse into the lives and travels of Roman soldiers. A 1,900-year-old bronze vessel, known as the Berlanga Cup, was unearthed in the municipality of Berlanga de Duero, nearly 1,200 miles away from its likely origin. This remarkable find is believed to be a keepsake commemorating a soldier's service at Hadrian’s Wall in Britain.
The cup, a small representation of a functional drinking vessel called a trulla, features colorful enameled designs and Latin inscriptions. What makes the Berlanga Cup truly unique is that it is the only known vessel of its kind to list forts from the eastern section of Hadrian's Wall: Cilurnum, Onno, Vindobala, and Condercom. The study of the item has recently been published in the Britannia journal.
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3D reconstruction of the ‘Berlanga Cup’. (De Pablo Martínez et al./Britannia)
A Soldier's Souvenir
Researchers suggest the cup may have belonged to a veteran of the Cohors I Celtiberorum, an auxiliary unit composed of troops from Celtiberia, the very region where the cup was found. These soldiers were stationed near Hadrian's Wall during the reign of Emperor Trajan, before returning to their homeland.
According to Jesús García Sánchez of the Archaeological Institute of Mérida, "The cup is a small representation of a functional vessel called a Roman trulla—a bronze or clay cup with a handle used to drink water. It is not only crafted with metals, but also expensive enamels, and later on customized." This level of customization indicates it was a prized possession, perhaps a retirement gift or a souvenir purchased to remember the camaraderie experienced on the distant frontier.
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Berlanga Cup. (Above) Photograph (Roberto De Pablo); (below) Drawing (Francisco Tapias). (De Pablo Martínez et al./Britannia)
Unveiling the Origins
Scientific analysis of the bronze, composed largely of copper and tin with a substantial addition of lead, points to mines in northern England as the source of the materials. This strongly suggests the cup was manufactured locally near Hadrian's Wall between AD 124 and 199.
The discovery site in Spain, potentially the ancient settlement of Valeranica, yielded fragments of Roman pottery and masonry walls, hinting at a rural villa occupied between the first and fourth centuries.
Connecting the Empire
The Berlanga Cup is only the second object of its type found in Hispania and the clearest example to date. It serves as a tangible link between two distant corners of the Roman Empire, illustrating the mobility of its military personnel.
As soldiers completed their service and returned home, they carried with them not just memories, but objects that tied their personal history to the grand narrative of Rome's frontiers. The Berlanga Cup stands as a beautifully crafted testament to a soldier's life on the edge of the known world.
Top image: Details of the Berlanga cup found in Spain. Source: De Pablo Martínez et al./Britannia
By Gary Manners
References
De Pablo Martínez, R., De Luis Mariño, S., Garcia Sanchez, J., Montero Ruiz, I., Aparicio Resco, P. 2026. The Berlanga Cup. New evidence of Hadrian's Wall pans found in Hispania Citerior (Spain). Britannia. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068113X26100701
García Sánchez, J. 2026. Researchers Analyze Roman Keepsake From Hadrian’s Wall. Archaeology Magazine. Available at: https://archaeology.org/news/2026/05/01/researchers-analyze-roman-keepsake-from-hadrians-wall/
Killgrove, K. 2026. 1,900-year-old souvenir cup featuring Hadrian's Wall and Roman forts discovered in Spain. Live Science. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/1-900-year-old-souvenir-cup-featuring-hadrians-wall-and-roman-forts-discovered-in-spain
Radley, D. 2026. Roman cup found in Spain reveals new link to Hadrian’s Wall and Roman soldiers. Archaeology News Online Magazine. Available at: https://archaeologymag.com/2026/04/cup-found-in-spain-reveals-link-to-hadrians-wall/
