Strachan’s Calgacus: Scotland’s classical past in the art of the Edinburgh National War Memorial

At the end of the First World War, Scotland was a country in deep mourning. During the course of the war it had seen one quarter of its servicemen killed, relative to total population a higher proportion than that suffered by any other country.1 With the grief of war fresh in people’s minds, there was widespread demand for some form of national Scottish commemoration. In August 1919 a committee under the chairmanship of the Duke of Atholl first suggested the idea of a national memorial, recommending as its site Edinburgh castle. Several years later in 1927 the completed monument was finally opened. The Edinburgh National War Memorial stands on Edinburgh castle to this day. Unlike its smaller and simpler counterpart in London, the Cenotaph, the monument is rather a building resembling a church. The windows of its several alcoves are decorated with stained glass windows by the Scottish artist Douglas Strachan. Depicting a series of Christian and historical allegories, these represent the valour of Scottish servicemen during the war and commemorate their sacrifice. In one of the larger windows in the shrine, Strachan depicts a group of figures from Scottish history, including among these Calgacus. These are depicted alongside the Scottish soldiers of the First World War as their heroic forebears. Strachan takes his Calgacus from the Roman historian Tacitus’ Agricola.2 In this work Tacitus describes the deeds of his father-in-law, Gnaeus Julius Agricola (40–93 AD), one of the Roman generals responsible for the subjugation of Britain as a Roman province. Tacitus also makes a broader ethnographic survey of the island of Britain in his time, what is known of its history, people and their customs. In one of the more dramatic episodes of his narrative, Tacitus describes the last resistance of a confederation of Scottish Caledonian tribes against Agricola’s army. The Caledonian leader makes an oration in which he berates the corruption of the Roman empire and valorises the heroic freedom of the last Caledonians beyond the northern border of the Roman world. Calgacus is shown in the lower portion of a large window in the main shrine room of the memorial. Strachan depicts him on horseback. He is bearded and wears a cape over his tunic. He is accompanied by another rider, the Scottish medieval king Robert the Bruce (who led the Scots in their war of independence against the English), and a foot soldier. Calgacus is in profile, facing to the observer’s right towards the centre of the window. His companions also face in the same direction. The man standing beside him appears to be his shield-bearer. He holds up a round shield with his left arm, its straps facing out towards the observer. In his right hand is a horn for calling his fellow soldiers to battle. Both he and Calgacus have long hair, with one pleat running down their back. The Calgacus window flanks a large central window depicting Christ. This is the central pane of the composition and