COLCHESTER Castle's museum is encouraging people to come and get a taste of history during a special day celebrating bread.

While visitors can’t actually take a bite, the museum will be showing off its 2,000-year-old loaf which dates back to the Roman era.

It comes as part of National Homemade Bread Day today, where residents will be getting bready to have a go at making their own delicious loaves.

Found at Colchester Institute, in Sheepen Road, in 2007 by the Colchester Archaeological Trust, recent research by Historic England suggests it could have been part of a Roman soldier’s rations.

It may be similar to the bucellatum, eaten by the garrisoned soldiers at Colchester who were part of the invasion of Britain almost 2,000 years ago.

A spokesman for Colchester Council, which runs the castle's museum, said: “This makes it all the more incredible, bringing to life our Roman heritage and past.

“Bread was a staple ration given to the Roman army, along with meat and olive oil, to sustain them in their daily duties.

“This is a tiny loaf of bread, with a big story to tell. This ancient bake appears to be unleavened, consistent with what the Romans would have eaten.

“It's incredible it has survived for more than 2,000 years.”