Hadrian's Wall - Fort - Birdoswald (Banna)

Hadrian's Wall Fort and Signal Station

The name of the Birdoswald fort has been in dispute for some considerable time, the argument being compounded by discrepancies in the Roman maps of the period. The name of this fort was either Banna or Camboglanna, depending on which itinerary you used. The name now favoured by Roman historians is Banna, a word (Welsh/Gaelic) meaning ‘peak’ or ‘horn’, related to the Old Welsh word ban and the Old Irish word benn.

Fortifications at Birdoswald (Banna)

Stanegate Frontier Signal Station at Birdoswald (Banna)

During the early second century, between about AD100 and 120, a small square tower was built at Birdoswald.  This was probably designed to signal the fort on the Stanegate frontier to the south of the river. The tower was discovered to the east of the southeast corner of the stone fort in 1930, it was described as a ‘good building 6.096m square with 960mm wide walls standing 13 courses high.’ Richmond 1931, 130

The promontory enclosure ditch and palisade

In about AD 122 the woodland was cleared and the Turf Wall was built with free standing stone turrets. A temporary tented camp was set up on the spur, defended by a pair of concentric ditches associated with a palisade trench, south of the fort site. This may have been for the legionary soldiers who built the Turf Wall. When the camp was no longer needed parts of the tents were thrown in the ditch and they were found in 1931 by McIntyre and Richmond. In 1931 a section cut through the inner ditch of the early polygonal enclosure revealed in the black silt which filled the very bottom of the ditch, a compressed mass of leather. The position showed that this had been thrown into the ditch while the polygonal enclosure was still occupied, and that it had not come in as part of the later filling.

First Roman Fort at Birdoswald (Banna) – Turf and Timber

In order the build a fort in the centre of the site the bog there first had to be drained and infilled.  The first fort in this area was probably built astride the turf wall and was itself of turf-and-timber construction, intended to house a force of 500 cavalry. Cavalry forts always shad three gates projecting beyond the wall, so that cavalry could be quickly deployed. The Vallum was a flat bottomed ditch, 6metres deep and 3m wide, with 6m wide banks set 9m from either side of it running to the south of the wall.

Turret 49a was located at Birdoswald

In 1928 it was found that the Vallum which curves round the southern side of the Birdoswald fort has a circuit which suggests that it was so shaped as to avoid a fort placed on the Wall which was considerably smaller than the later fort whose outline can nowadays be seen. This probably means that the fort was expanded in size sometime after the Vallum was built, during the construction of which, the Vallum appears to have been back-filled. This seems to have occurred very soon after the Vallum was originally completed.

The Stone fort

In AD 130, the timber fort was rebuilt in stone and it straddled the Turf Wall. By this time the garrison had been changed to a cohort of infantry, and in consequence the Wall was realigned to incorporate the northern defences of the fort, to conform to the usual plan for an infantry fort on the Wall. This divergence from the original line has meant that a section of the original turf wall has been preserved for about 1½ miles (2km) to the west of Birdoswald. The forts North East and west gates all opened to the north of the wall. There were additional minor gates on the east and west side to the south of the wall.

The stone infantry fort measures some 580 by 400 feet and covered an area of almost 5½ acres. The fort was placed on a prominent ridge looking across the Irthing Gorge towards the Stanegate in the south, and across the Midgeholme Moss to Fanum Cocidi (Bewcastle) in the north. The garrison was placed here to protect the Roman bridge across the River Irthing which lay only half a mile (0.8km) to the east.

The Stone Wall replaced the Turf Wall

The Turf Wall was replaced with Stone in about 138 AD. Along the wall this replaced the Turf wall in the same place, however at Birdoswald the placement of the stone Wall was to the north and abutted the northern side of the Stone Wall. At this point the only gate opening to the north of that wall was the Northern Gate. The minor gates on the east and west sides of the fort were walled up.

Hadrian’s Wall Abandoned then reoccupied

Hadrian’s successor, Antoninius Pius abandoned Hadrian’s wall between c 143 AD and built a new wall to the north. Antoninius’ wall was abandoned after 20 years and soldiers returned to Hadrain’s Wall.

RIB 1917 - Centurial stone of Congaonius Candidus

The century of Congaonius Candidus (built) 30 feet.

𐆛 CONGAONI
CANDIDI P XXX

The name Congaonius seems to be unmatched.For Congonius as cognomen see CIL iii 1203, and as nomen CIL v 2413.For Conconius as a cognomen see CIL viii 19099.For other building-stones which cite the length of Wall built in the sector just east of Birdoswald see JRS xlviii (1958) 152 no. 10 (e), xlix (1959) 136 no. 5 (a), both citing p xxx.

RIB 1910 - Fragmentary dedication to Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla (198-209AD)

For the Emperor-Caesars Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius, both Augusti ..

[...   ]
[...]ERO
[... ]CI ET
[...]
[...]

No commentary.

RIB 1911 - Altar dedicated to Caracalla (212-217AD)

For the welfare of our most great and most mighty Lord the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus … built ..

PRO SALVTE
D N MAXIMI AC
FORT IMP CAES
M AVREL [...]
[   ] AVG [..]OC
[...]V[...]VST
[...]O AEDIF

The emperor is Caracalla, A.D. 212-17. The emperor Caracalla became joint emperor with his younger brother Geta following the death of their father Septimius Severus at Eburacum in north-east England on 4th February 211AD. Geta is not mentioned on this stone so it must have been erected after his murder in December 211, and obviously before the murder of the fratricidal older brother Caracalla in April 217.
The bottom of this stone is heavily damaged, and no attempt has been made to expand or translate this text.

RIB 1912 - Dedication to Diocletian and Maximian

For our Lords Diocletian and Maximian, Invincible, both Augusti, and for Constantius and Maximianus, most noble Caesars, under His Perfection Aurelius Arpagius, the governor, the … Cohort restored the commandant’s house, which had been covered with earth and had fallen into ruin, and the Headquarters Building and the bath-house, under the charge of Flavius Martinus, centurion in command.

[...] N DIOC[... ] ET
M[... ]IANO INVICTIS AVG ET
CONSTANTIO ET MAXIMIANO
N C SVB V P AVR ARPAGIO PR
PRAETOR QVOD ERAT HVMO COPERT
ET IN LABE CONL ET PRINC ET BAL REST
CVRANT FL MARTINO CENT PP C [...]

Anderson, JRS 22 (1932) 29 discusses the term praeses and dates this ‘not earlier than A.D. 297’. Birley (in Askew Coinage 82) accepts 297. The joint rule of these emperors terminated in A.D. 305.For a discussion on the division of civil and military powers in this period see Seston, Dioclétien et la Tétrarchie (1946) 313 on AE 1942-3, 81.

A building inscription recovered from the interior of the fort in 1929 records restoration work undertaken at the turn of the fourth century by an unknown unit (see RIB 1912 above). This is a very important find because it provides conclusive evidence that the praetorium or commanding officer’s house in an auxiliary fort was a separate and distinct entity from the principia or headquarters building.

On the evidence of a coin of the emperor Theodosius I (AD388-95), it would seem that the fort was in use in some form until the end of the Roman period. Even after the pull-out of the Roman army in AD410, the site continued in use, as there is evidence that one of the granaries was turned into a large hall in the early 5th Century.

Who Built Birdoswald (Banna)?

Legio Secundae Augusta – The Second Augustan Legion

The Second Legion is mentioned on only two stones from Birdoswalds, a building inscription shared with Leg VI Victrix (see  RIB 1916 below), and on an altar to Iupitter Optimus Maximus dedicated by Coh I Aelia Dacorum and a centurion of the Second (see RIB 1880 below). It is probable that centurion Marcellinus was seconded to the Birdoswalds garrison in order to provide initial training or in some other advisory capacity, but the evidence of this altarstone to Jupiter, usually placed by the commander of the regiment, suggests the possibility that Marcellinus was placed in temporary command of the fort and it’s garrison unit Cohors Primae Aelia Dacorum.

RIB 1916 - Building inscription of the Sixth Legion

The Sixth Legion Victrix Pia Fidelis built this.

LEG VI
VIC P F
F

Presumably it came from Birdoswald fort or from one of the milecastles near Birdoswald. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): Brit. 21 (1990), 289-92, points out that this belongs stylistically to a group of stones which can be associated with the rebuilding of the Turf Wall between milecastles 49 and 54. The others are RIB 1934, 1938, 1966, 1967 and 1968.

RIB 1880 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians (set this up) under the acting command of Julius Marcellinus, centurion of the Second Legion Augusta.

I O M
COH I AEL DA
COR C C A IVL
MARCELLI
NVS 𐆛 LEG II
AVG

Presumably this was an altar intentionally buried beside the parade-ground of Birdoswald fort (see Richmond, Roman Britain (1955) 202) R.P.W.For the formula c · c · a see RIB 1876.

The Sixth Legion receives mention on three stones from Birdoswalds; on a damaged altarstone to an unknown god (see RIB 1907 below), on a building inscription shared with Legio II Augusta (see RIB 1916 above), and finally, on the tombstone of a soldier (see RIB 3445 below).

RIB 1907 - Altar dedicated by a centurion of the Sixth Legion

… Lucius Vereius Fortunatus, centurion of the Sixth Legion ..

[...]
V C [...]
L VEREIVS
FORTVNA
TVS 𐆛 LEG
V[  ...]

For the date of the Anon. folio see RIB 1898.

RIB 3445 - Tombstone for Gaius Cossutius Saturninus

Sacred to the shades of the dead. Gaius Cossutius Saturninus of Hippo Regius, soldier [of the Sixth Legion Victrix] Pia Fidelis …

D M S
G COSSVTIVS
SATVRNINVS
[..]P REG M[...]
[...] P F [...]
[...]

Hippo Regius (formerly Bône, now Annaba in Algeria) was a municipium in Africa Proconsularis, where Cossutii are well attested. The cognomen Saturninus, although universal, is notably frequent in Africa. For the presence of Africans in Legion VI Victrix, see Swan 1992.

Which Units Garrisoned Birdoswald (Banna)?

Cohors Primae Tungrorum – The First Cohort of Tungri

The identity of the cavalry regiment which garrisoned the original turf fort is not known, and likewise, the infantry regiment who first occupied the replacement stone fort, although it has been suggested that the latter may have been a detachment of the First Cohort of Tungrians, a one-thousand strong mixed-unit of cavalry and infantry who are known from building inscriptions at Camboglanna (Castlesteads, Cumbria; see RIB 1981 below). This unit is too large to be housed either at Birdoswalds or the nearby fort at Castlesteads, though it is possible that the unit was divided between these two forts during the Hadrianic period.

RIB 1981 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the Second Cohort of Tungrians, one thousand strong, part-mounted, publicly praised, under the command of Albius Severus, prefect of the Tungrians, (set this up) under the direction of Vic… Severus, princeps.

I O M
COH II TVNGR
ↀ EQ C L CVI
PRAEEST ALB
SEVERVS PR
AEF TVNG IN
STA VIC SEVERO
PRINCIPI

For princeps see Glossary. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): There was a coin of Faustina the Elder in the masonry of the pedestal: Parker in Bruce, The Roman Wall, ed. 3, (1867), 221, cited by Birley, Cumb. Westm. AAST 2nd Ser. 77 (1977), 162. For princeps, see also note to RIB 792.

The first positively dateable evidence recording the name of a Birdoswald garrison unit is a building inscription recovered from the interior of the fort (RIB 1909, dated: 205-208AD), which places Cohors Primae Thracum Civium Romanorum here at the beginning of the third century. This unit was a mixed regiment of infantry and cavalry recruited from amongst the war-like tribes of the Roman province of Thrace (modern Bulgaria). The building inscription is shared with the third-century garrison unit Cohors I Aelia Dacorum and perhaps indicated building repairs conducted immediately prior to the fort changing hands.

RIB 1909 - Dedication to Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla by the Cohors I Aelia Dacorum and Cohors I Thracum (205-208AD)

For the Emperor-Caesars Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, both Augusti, and for Publius Septimius Geta, most noble Caesar, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians and the First Cohort of Thracians, Roman citizens, built the granary under Alfenus Senecio, the consular governor, through the agency of Aurelius Julianus, the tribune.

IMP CAES L
SEPT SEVERO PIO
PERT ET M AVR A[...]O
NINO AVG ET P SEP
GETAE NOB CAES HOR
REVM FECER COH I AEL
DAC ET I TRACVM C R SVB
ALFENO SENECIONE COS
PER AVREL IVLIANVM TR
  • The emperor Septimius Severus and his sons Caracalla and Geta. The youngest son Geta was named Caesar in 205AD and became Augustus in 209.
  • The title CR Civium Romanorum would seem to indicate that the unit had been granted Roman citizenship for some unrecorded exploit sometime prior to the date of the Birdoswald inscription.
  • Lucius Alfenus Senecio was consular governor of Britain between 205/207AD and c.208/209.
  • Aurelius Julianus was a tribune Aurelius Julianus. During his time at Birdoswald Julianus lost his infant son, Aurelius Concordius, who was commemorated on a tombstone at the fort cemetery.

RIB 1905 - Altar dedicated to Silvanus

To the holy god Silvanus the hunters of Banna (set this up).

DEO SANCTO
SILVANO VE
NATORES
BANNIESS

For Banniens(es) assimilated to Banniess(es) see RIB 1700 (Vindolanda) Vindolandesses. Banna is Birdoswald, not Bewcastle, 9.7 km. north-west of Birdoswald, as once believed, (see introduction to Bewcastle).For legionary venatores, who hunted for wild animals to form a food-supply, see Domaszewski Rangordnung 46, CIL iii 7449.

Cohors Primae Aelia Dacorum – The First Cohort of Aelian Daci

The third and fourth century garrison of Birdoswald was undoubtedly Cohors I Aelia Dacorum Milliaria, a one-thousand strong infantry regiment from Dacia, a Roman province on the north bank of the Lower Danube. Their presence is confirmed by epigraphic evidence recovered from the interior of the fort itself (See below).

RIB 1872 - Altar dedicated to Cocidius

To the god Cocidius the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, under the command of Terentius Valerianus, tribune, willingly and deservedly fulfilled its vow.

DEO COCIDIO
COH I AELIA
[...    ]
[... ]NTIVS VALERIANVS
[...    ]

No commentary.


RIB 1904 - Dedication to the Standards and to the Divinity of the Emperor

To the Standards and to the Divinities of the Emperor the First Aelian Cohort ..

SIGNIS
ET N AV[  ...  ]
AEL [...]

No commentary.


RIB 1874 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians (set this up) under the command of Ammonius Victorinus, tribune.

I O M
CO I AELIA
DACORVM
QVB PREEST
AMMONIVS
VICTORINVS
TRIB

No commentary. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): For the same tribune see RIB 1906.

RIB 1906 - Inscription

… the First Cohort … under the command of Ammonius Victorinus, the tribune.

[...]
TO [...]
COH I [...]
QV[...]B PRA[...]
EST AMM
VICTORIN
TRIB

For the date of the Anon. folio see RIB 1898. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): For the same tribune see RIB 1874.

The unit with the most epigraphic evidence at the Birdoswalds fort is Cohors Primae Aelia Dacorum, which is attested on thirty-one inscribed stones out of a total of sixty-two which have been recovered to date. These texts may be broken down as follows; there are twenty-four altars dedicated to Iupitter Optimus Maximus (RIB 1874-1894, 1896, 1929a/b), nine of which can be dated to the third century, two building inscriptions (RIB 1909, dated: 205-208AD, shared with Cohors I Thracum; 1914, dated: c.219AD), a statue base dedicated to the ‘Standards’ (RIB1904), an altar to Cocidius (RIB1872), another altar to an unknown god (RIB1906), a single centurial stone (RIB1918) and the tombstone of a soldier (RIB1921). This evidence all points to extended residence of the unit at the fort over several generations, with sons following in their father’s footsteps serving as soldiers in the First Cohort of Dacians.

RIB 1918 - Centurial stone of Decius Saxa

The century of Decius Saxa of the First Cohort of Dacians (built this).

𐆛 DECI SAX
COH I DAC

No commentary.

RIB 1921 - Funerary inscription for Septimus

To … Septimus (who) lived 40 years (and) served 18 (years) in the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians his heir had this set up.

[...]SPA SPTIMO I[...] N
XXXX I XVIII COH I AE
LIA DACORVM
H F C

No commentary.

The Birdoswald Notitia Dignitatum Entry

Tribunus cohortis primae Aeliae Dacorum, {Missing Entry Banna}
“The tribune of the First Cohort of Aelian Daci at Amboglanna
(Notitia Dignitatum xl.44; 4th/5th C.)

In this reference we see that Cohors Primae Dacorum is identified as the late-4th century garrison of  “missing entry <Banna>”.

The Martial Gods of Roman Banna (Birdoswalds)

The forty-four altars and other votive stones are mainly dedicated to the martial gods: there are twenty-four dedications to Iupitter Optimus Maximus the chief deity of the Roman pantheon (I O M; RIB 1874-1896 inclusive, and 1929a/b), many of which are dateable and are discussed below, four more altars are devoted to the Roman war god Mars (altarstones RIB 1898-1900; undefined stone 1901) and another two to the Germanic war god Cocidius (RIB 1872; 1885, shared with I O M, dated: 270-273AD). There is also a very interesting statue base dedicated to Signis or ‘The Standards’ (RIB 1904 supra), which proves that the Roman soldiers actually worshipped thier military colours.

Altarstones Dedicated to the War God Mars

RIB 1898 - Altar dedicated to Mars

To the god Mars of the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, … tribune, ..

DEO MA
RT CH
ORTIS
PRI [...]E
L DAC V
P V
CVI TRI[...]

This folio is presumably to be dated between Camden ed. 6, 1607, and his death in 1623.4. For primae set out as a word and not as a figure see RIB 1350, 1392.


RIB 1900 - Altar dedicated to Mars Augustus

To the god Mars Augustus ..

DEO MA
RTI AV[...]
[...]

For Mars Augustus see CIL viii 895, 12425 (ILS 5074), CIL viii 2635 (ILS 3157).The collection of Roman inscriptions at Naworth was acquired by Sir Thomas Robinson, who built Rokeby Hall; in 1763 it was visited by Gough, and in 1769 passed to the Morritts. In 1746 RIB 1944 was still at Naworth, so the transfer was made and a catalogue compiled (Bodl. MS. top. Yorkshire d. 1) between 1746 and 1763, not about 1730 as Haverfield suggested (EE ix p. 600).


RIB 1901 - Dedication to Mars Pater

To Mars Pater ..

[...]TI PAT[...]

For dedications to Mars Pater see Yale Class. Stud. vii 59. For a comparable panel marti victori see RIB 1691 (Vindolanda).


RIB 1899 - Altar dedicated to Mars and to Victory

To the god Mars and to Victory Aurelius Maximus, (giving) this sacred offering at his own expense, willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow.

DEO MARTI
ET VICTOR
[...]E AVREL MAXIMV[...]
S S S V S L M

No commentary.

Iupitter Optimus Maximus

The long-standing garrison unit of Birdoswalds, Cohors Primae Aelia Dacorum, seemingly had the regimental tradition of dedicating a new altar to the god Jupiter Best and Greatest every time a new commander was appointed. The unit also declared itself loyal to the emperor of the time by adopting the emperor’s name as a regimental title. A by-product of this is that many of the Birdoswald Jupiter altarstones may be dated.

RIB 1875 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus (237AD)

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians (set this up) under the command of Aurelius Faustus, the tribune, in the consulship of Perpetuus.
While the Roman Empire was a polytheistic Iovi Optimo Maximo (I.O.M.) referred to Jupiter, the chief god of the Roman pantheo. When the Roman Empire adopted monotheism in the form of Christianity as the state religion, the phrase was used in reference to the Christian God.

I O M
[...]H I AEL DAC[... ] C PEST
[...]VRELIVS FAS
[...]VS TRIB
PERPETVO
COS

Lucius Marius Perpetuus was ordinary consul for the year 237AD (a.u.c.990), with Lucius Mummius Felix Cornelianus his junior colleague.
The name of the second consul may have been omitted by mistake.

RIB 1883 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus (260-268AD)

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, styled Postumiana, (set this up) under the command of Marcius Gallicus, tribune.

I O M
COH I AEL DAC
POSTVMI[...]
C P MARC
GALLICVS
TRIB

Tribune Marcius Gallicus is mentioned in RIB 1882.
Postumiana: The Gallic emperor Postumus. A.D. 259-68

RIB 1885 - Altar dedicated to Cocidius and Jupiter Optimus Maximus (271-274AD)

To the god Cocidius ..
To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, styled Tetrician, (set this up) under the command of Pomponius Desideratus …, the tribune ..

Deo Co[c]i[dio] I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) coh(ors) I Ael(ia) D[a]c(orum) Tetricianoru- m c(ui) p(raeest) Pomp[on-] [i]us D[eside-] rat[us ̣ ̣ ̣] t[rib(unus) ̣ ̣ ̣]

Imperator Caesar Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus Felix Invictus Augustus, was another ruler of the Gallic Empire who came to power in Spring 271AD and appointed his like-named son Caesar in Summer 273. They were both killed in battle against the true-emperor Aurelian in Spring 274.

RIB 1886 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus (260-268AD)

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, styled Postumiana, (set this up) under the command of Probius Augendus, the tribune.

I O M
COH I AEL
DACORV[...]
POSTVM[...]
ANA C P
PROB AV
GENDVS
TRIB

Postumiana: The Gallic emperor Postumus. A.D. 259-68

RIB 1892 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus (212-222AD?)

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, styled Antoniniana, (set this up) ..

I O M
COH I AELI[...]
DAC ANTO
[...]

Antoninus is a common short version of the name of both emperor Caracalla, whose sole rule began in December 212AD and lasted until his death in April 217, also his successor Elagabalus, who ruled from May 218 until March 222.

RIB 1893 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians, styled Gordiana, under the command of ..

I O [...]
COH I AEL
DAC GORDI
ANA [.] C PEST
[...]

No commentary.

RIB 1896 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus of Doliche

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, of Doliche, the First Aelian Cohort of Dacians (set this up) under the command of Flavius Maximianus, tribune, formerly evocatus of the First Praetorian Cohort, styled Maximiniana.

I O M [...]
COH I A[...]
C P FLAVI[...]
XIMIA[...]
TRIB EX [...   ]
I PR MA[...]

The evocati were former veteran soldiers who were recalled to service (from Latin evoco ‘to call-out, summon’). Alternately, Maximianus may have been a former recruitment officer, an evocator. The reason for his recall was evidently his loyalty to the emperor, of whom he may have been a client or former freedman, hence the name Maximianus ‘of Maximinus’.

Imperator Caesar Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus, nicknamed Thrax (‘the Thracian’), ruled the Roman empire from February/March 235AD until his murder by his own troops at Aquileia in April 238.

Other Deities Attested at Birdoswald (Banna)

RIB 1873 - Altar dedicated to Fortune

To the goddess Fortune.

DEAE
FORTV
NAE

The die has been heavily scored by ploughing.

RIB 1897 - Altar dedicated to Latis

To the goddess Latis.

DIE
LAT[...]

For this goddess see RIB 2043.

RIB 1902 - Altar dedicated to the Mothers

To the Mothers … willingly and deservedly [fulfilled his vow].

MATR[...]
VS
PRNV [...]
VVSCO [   ]
L M

No commentary.

RIB 1903 - Altar dedicated to Ratis

To the goddess Ratis a vow in perpetuity.

DAE
RATI VOTV
M IN
PERP
ETVO

For dea Rat(is) see RIB 1454 (Chesters).

1929d - Altar to the God Neptune

To the god Neptune, Reginius Justinus the tribune willingly and deservedly fulfilled a vow.

DEO NEPTVNO REGINIVS IVSTINVS TRIBVNVS V L S M

Buff sandstone altar with rectangular focus found at Birdoswald sometime between 1729 and 1741 and taken to Scaleby Castle.

The Epigraphy of Banna

There are sixty-two inscribed stones recorded in the RIB for Birdoswald, comprising: forty-four altars and other votive stones, ten building inscriptions, cohort and centurial stones, four tombstones and four other indesignated texts. These include fifteen inscriptions all dateable to the third century.

Numismatic Evidence from Birdoswald (Banna)

Of the 58 coins recovered from Birdoswald, the majority (51) were recorded during excavations in 1929, the rest (7) are casual finds recorded either in 1860, 1931 or 1934. The coins range from 5 coppers of Trajan (inc. R.I.C. 489) to 3 copper coins dating post-375. The most notable are; 6 of Antoninus Pius (inc. a single R.I.C. 417 silver issue), 3 coppers of Constantinian and 3 of Constantius II also 3 ‘Fel Temp Reparatio‘. Other coins were recovered during excavations 1987-1990 but details are not known.

The Vicus or Civil Settlement at Birdoswald (Banna)

A large civil settlement has long been known to exist in the area to the immediate south-west of the fort. The burial ground at Birdoswald has also been identified in the area to the south-east of the fort, close to the edge of the Irthing escarpment. The reason why the burial ground lay so far away from the vicus had been a complete mystery for quite some time, until in 1999, the site was visited by a group of archaeologists operating under the electronic eyes of Channel-4’s The Time Team, a British commercial TV channel’s award-winning history program.

RIB 1919 - Funerary inscription for Aurelius Concordius

To the spirits of the departed (and) of Aurelius Concordius: he lived 1 year, 5 days, son of Aurelius Julianus, the tribune.

D M
AVRELI
CONCOR
DI VIXIT
ANN VN
VM D V
FIL AVREL
IVLIANI
TRIB

Baines loc. cit. (quoted by Huebner CIL vii 289 with the reading ivlivs probvs) describes it as ‘a plain square monument … which seems to record the death of a son or daughter of Julian Probus’. Haverfield (EE ix p. 601) identified it with this Birdoswald inscription.For Aurelius Julianus see RIB 1909.For the cognomen Concordius see CIL xi 6222 (ILS 9204).

RIB 1920 - Funerary inscription for Decibalus and Blaesus

To the spirits of the departed (and) Decibalus (who) lived … days and Blaesus (who) lived 10 years … their brother [set this up].

D [...]
DECIBA[  ...]
DIEB[...]
ET BLAE[  ...]
S[...]T A X ET[...]
VS FRAT[...]

Since Swinhow’s record in l. 6 associates a nominative suffix with frat[… it seems probable that a brother set up this tombstone. His name beginning with Et … is not recoverable, and it cannot be decided whether the names of his deceased brothers were in the genitive or dative case. The general sense of the text is, however, clear R.P.W. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): For another instance of the Dacian name Decibalus see RIB 2501.156.

A geophysical survey utilizing a number of geophysical techniques was carried out between May and October 1997. A preliminary Earthwork Survey of the entire site was followed by a Close-Contour Topographical Survey conducted within the fort’s defences using a Wild TC1010 Total Station.

The advantage of close-contour survey is that certain elements of micro-topography, not readily visible from the earthwork survey and often concealed by vegetation, become apparent (Biggins & Taylor, p.95).

A Resistivity Survey using a GeoScan RM15 resistivity meter was conducted only within the confines of the fort due to both cost and time considerations. This survey revealed details of the Roman drainage system and also located a number of kilns. Finally, a Magnetometer Survey using a GeoScan FM36 fluxgate gradiometer was conducted both within the fort and outside the defences for a distance of 80m to the west and 120m to the east. Evidence of an extensive civil settlement was seen along the line of the Roman Military Way to the east and the west of the fort usin this technique.

Other Military Sites near to Birdoswald (Banna)

A Roman watch-tower or signal station lies just south of the Birdoswald fort at Mains Rigg on the Stanegate.

Birdoswald (Banna) Today

The defences of this fort though incomplete still stand to an impressive height sporting large double gateways but no buildings remain in the interior. The nearby lengths of Hadrian’s Wall are very impressive, that to the west running arrow straight to the foreshortened horizon, its last visible stretch running hidden beneath the modern road, that to the east running somewhat less than straight across the fields to the Willowford Roman bridge. The site is under continual excavation, and the old farm buildings originally constructed using material from the fort have been converted into a visitor centre. The views across the Irthing valley from the southern edge of the site are superb.

References for Birdoswald (Banna)

  • Britannia xxxii (2001) pp.332/3 & fig.11 p.334; A Survey of the Roman Fort and Settlement at Birdoswald, Cumbria by J.A. Biggins & D.J.A. Taylor in Britannia xxx (1999) pp.91-110;
  • Roman Coins from North-West England by David Shotter (Lancaster, 1990) pp.50-52;
  • Hadrian’s Wall Map and Guide by the Ordnance Survey (Southampton, 1989);
  • Hadrian’s Wall in the Days of the Romans by Ronald Embleton and Frank Graham (Newcastle, 1984) pp.234-242;
  • Hadrian’s Wall History Trails Guidebook II by Les Turnbull (Newcastle, 1974);
  • The Roman Inscriptions of Britain by R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright (Oxford, 1965).

Roman Roads near Banna

Hadrian’s Wall: E (4.25) to Banks East Maiden Way: NNW (6.5) to Bewcastle (Bewcastle, Cumbria) Wall: E (3.25) to Magnis Carvetiorvm (Carvoran, Northumberland) Wall: W (7.5) to Camboglanna (Castlesteads, Cumbria) Hadrian’s Wall: E (5) to Leahill Maiden Way: NNW (4) to Robin Hoods Bvtts

Sites near Hadrian's Wall - Fort - Birdoswald (Banna)