The Eagle of the Ninth

Story

Ex Roman soldier, Marcus, sets off for the north of England with his friend and freed slave Esca in tow. Their mission: discover what happened to the lost Roman legion Marcus’ father fought in and bring the legion’s symbol of honor (a bronze eagle) back to Rome.

Why we chose it

Rosemary Sutcliffe is one of the great writers of historical fiction for children. In The Eagle of the Ninth she brings Roman Britain to life.

Where it came from

Faced with the mystery of a Roman legion that disappeared in the north of England around 117AD and a mysterious Roman eagle discovered in Hampshire in the 1860’s, Rosemary Sutcliffe started imagining. Where historical records couldn’t give her any answers, she created Marcus to search them out for her instead and so began the tale of The Eagle of the Ninth.

Where it went next

The Eagle of the Ninth has been adapted several times for radio, TV, and the big screen. The best known adaptation is the 2011 film The Eagle starring Channing Tatum.

Associated stories

After The Eagle of the Ninth, Sutcliffe wrote a series of novels set in the Roman era including The Lantern Bearers (which won the Carnegie medal).