Lanchester (Longovicium) Fort

Auxiliary Fort and Milestone

The Roman name for the fort at Lanchester is known from two classical sources; in the Notitia Dignitatum the name appears Longouico between the entries for Burrow Walls (Magis) Roman Fort and Malton (Derventio) Roman Fort, while in the Ravenna Cosmology (R&C;#133) it is listed as Lineoiugla – probably corrupt – between the Chesterholm (Vindolanda) and Binchester (Vinovia) Fort entries.

The name Longovicium is a compound word derived from the Celtic longo- ‘ship’ and Latin vicium ‘street-settlement’, which seems to imply that the Roman inhabitants of the place perhaps had some connection with the Classis Brittannica (the British fleet), or had seen praiseworthy action against a sea-borne attack on a previous posting; a possible translation might be ‘the place of the ship-fighters’. The modern name is first recorded on a document dating to 1196, where it appears Langecestr ‘the long Roman fort or stronghold’, from Old English lang+ceaster, however, the first element may be a contraction of the original Roman name for the fort.

The Longovicium Fort

RIB 1093 - Building inscription of the Twentieth Legion

The Twentieth Legion Valeria Victrix built this.

LEG
XX V V
FEC

No commentary.

The inscription above probably identifies the original builders of the fort at Lanchester, but unfortunately, as is often the case, provides no concrete evidence of the date of construction. There is evidence that the fort was occupied by the latter half of the second century (1083 infra), and we also know from building inscriptions dating to the first half of the third century (1091 infra) that by this time, the stone buildings in the interior of the fort were in some state of disrepair.

Aside from the building inscription identifying the Twentieth Legion (vide supra) three other legionary building stones have been found at Lanchester, none of which are dated (vide infra); COH I “the First Cohort” (RIB 1094), and > N. “the century of N[onius]?” (RIB 1096).

RIB 1095 - Centurial stone of Oppius Proculus

From the eighth cohort the century of Oppius Proculus (built this).

[...]H VIII
𐆛 OPPI PROCVLI

No commentary.

The Garrison Units

Cohors Primae Fida Vardullorum civium Romanorum equitata milliaria

The  Cohors Primae Fida Vardullorum civium Romanorum equitata milliaria is attested on two stones from Lanchester, a dedicatory inscription dated c.AD175-8 (RIB 1083), and an undated altar to Jupiter (RIB 1076). The Vardulli or Varduli inhabited Hispania Terraconensis, Guipuscoa, northern Spain. The First Cohort of Vardulli is attested at several forts in the north of Britain; at Castlecary (Central; RIB 2149; AD138-61) on the Antonine Wall, here at LONGOVICIVM (Lanchester, Durham; RIB 1083; c.AD175-8) and at High Rochester (Bremenium) Roman Fort (RIB 1279; AD216). There are also undated inscriptions atCorbridge (Corstopitum) (RIB 1128) on the Stanegate, at milecastle 19 on Hadrian’s Wall (RIB 1421) nearby, and at Cappuck Roman Fort (Borders; RIB 2118) on Dere Street.

RIB 1083 - Altar dedicated to the Divinity of the Emperor and the Genius of the Cohort

To the Divinity of the Emperor and the Genius of the First Loyal Cohort of Vardullians, Roman citizens, part-mounted, one thousand strong, under Antistius Adventus, emperor’s propraetorian legate, Flavius Titianus, tribune, gave this from his own resources.

NVM AVG ET
GEN COH I F
VARDVLLORVM
C R EQ ↀ SVB AN
TISTIO ADVEN
TO LEG AVG PR P[...]
F TITIANVS TRIB
D S Ḍ

For this expansion of N. Aug. in the singular see note to RIB 152.For Flavius Titianus see RIB 1072. Q. Antistius Adventus governed Britain about 175-about 178 (Birley in Askew Coinage 81); this text cannot be later than 27 Nov. 176, when Commodus became Augustus with Marcus Aurelius R.P.W.

RIB 1076 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the centurions of the First Loyal Cohort of Vardullians, Roman citizens, part-mounted, one thousand strong, gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled their vow.

[...] O M
[...]INATI COH
[   ] VARD[...]LOR
C R EQ ↀ
V S L L M

No commentary.

RIB 1075 - Dedication to the Genius of the praetorium

To the Genius of the commandant’s house Claudius Epaphroditus Claudianus, tribune of the First Cohort of Lingonians, willingly and deservedly set up this offering.

GENIO PRAETORI
CL EPAPHRODITVS
CLAVDIANVS
TRIBVNVS CHO
I LING V L P M

The commandant of coh. I Ling. was normally a prefect (see RIB 1091, 1092).For a prefect with tribune’s rank see RIB 1791 (Carvoran), militans tribunus in praefecto dono principis R.P.W. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): For another altar of this cohort at Lanchester see RIB 3262.

First Cohort of Lingones

The Cohors Primae Lingonum – The First Cohort of Lingones is known from inscriptions at High Rochester (Bremenium) Roman Fort (RIB 1276; AD139-43), LONGOVICIVM (Lanchester, Durham; RIB 1091/1092; AD238-44), and possibly also at Corbridge (Corstopitum) (RIB 1186; undated) which, unfortunately, is missing the unit number.

RIB 1091 - Building dedication to Emperor Gordian III

The Emperor Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus erected from ground-level this bath-building with basilica through the agency of Egnatius Lucilianus, emperor’s propraetorian legate, under the charge of Marcus Aurelius Quirinus, prefect of the First Cohort of Lingonians, styled Gordiana.

IMP CAES M ANT GORDIA
NVS P F AVG BALNEVM CVM
BASILICA A SOLO INSTRVXIT
PER EGN LVCILIANVM LEG AVG
PR PR CVRANTE M AVR
QVIRINO PREF COH I L GOR

For other dedications by this prefect see RIB 1042 and 1092.

RIB 1092 - Building dedication to Gordian III

The Emperor Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus restored the Headquarters Building and arms stores, which had fallen in, through the agency of Maecilius Fuscus, emperor’s propraetorian legate, under the charge of Marcus Aurelius Quirinus, prefect of the First Cohort of Lingonians, styled Gordiana.

IMP CAESAR M ANTONIVS
GORDIANVS P F AVG
PRINCIPIA ET ARMAMEN
TARIA CONLAPSA RESTITV
IT PER MAECILIVM FVSCVM LEG
AVG PR PR CVRANTE M AVR
QVIRINO PR COH I L GOR

For other dedications by this prefect see RIB 1042, and 1091. Addenda from RIB+add. (1995): The meaning of armamentaria and their archaeological identification are discussed by Bishop and Coulston, Roman Military Equipment (1993), 199-201.

The Gods of Roman Lanchester

A profusion of altars dedicated to the gods, both classical and Germano-Celtic, have been unearthed at the Lanchester site; five or six dedicated to the Roman war god Mars, two to the supreme Roman god Jupiter, two to the Germanic god Vitirus, a double altar to Æsculapius, and sole altars to Fortune, Silvanus, Victory, Regina/Juno, the Germanic goddess Garmangabi, the Genius of the Praetorium and the Spirit of the Emperor.

RIB 1085 - Dedication to Silvanus

To the god Silvanus Marcus Didius Provincialis, beneficiarius of the governor, gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled his vow.

DEO
SILVANO
MARC DIDIVS
PROVINCIALIS
BF COS
V S L L M

A beneficiarius was a soldier, usually a legionary, seconded for special duties by favour (beneficium) of a specific senior officer; in particular the beneficiarius consularis, an officer on the governor’s staff, who might be out-posted.

RIB 1078 - Altar dedicated to Mars

To the god Mars, Ascernus set up this altar (and) fulfilled his vow.

DEO M
ARTI ASCẸR
NVS POSV
IT ARAM [...]
V S

The name Ascernus seems to be unmatched, though the stem -erno- is found in Celtic, see Holder s.v. Arvernus, Lauterna.

RIB 1084 - Altar dedicated to the Queen-Goddess

To the Queen-Goddess, Misio willingly fulfilled his vow.

REGINAE
VOTVM
MIṢIO V L S

Cumont and Vermaseren, following Huebner’s earlier but erroneous reading, wrongly say that it seems to be Mithraic.

RIB 1086 - Altar dedicated to Victory

To the goddess Victory Ulpius set this up after undertaking his vow.

D
VICTORIE
VOT
S VLPIV
S PO

R. Waugh to J. Hodgson, 17 May 1806 (quoted by Raine) said that this altar was ‘at Mr. Tho(mas) Wilkinson’s, Hollin Hall, 1788’. Hollin Hall is presumably to be identified with Hollinside Hall, 1.2 km. south-west of Lanchester fort. Professor E. Birley kindly provided this reference.

RIB 1088 - Altar dedicated to Vitiris

To the god Vitiris …, princeps, set (this) up for himself and his own.

DEO
VITIR[...]
VNTHAV[.]
PR POS
[...]RO SE E[...] SVI[...]

For princeps see Glossary.

RIB 1076 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the centurions of the First Loyal Cohort of Vardullians, Roman citizens, part-mounted, one thousand strong, gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled their vow.

[...] O M
[...]INATI COH
[   ] VARD[...]LOR
C R EQ ↀ
V S L L M

No commentary.

Other Roman Sites in the Neighbourhood

The essential OS Historical Map and Guide to Roman Britain shows two aqueducts to the west of the Longovicium fort, though a close inspection of the Landranger map of the same area (#88) reveals no traces. It would appear that the fort was supplied from the headwaters of the Backgill Burn (NZ1047) 3 miles to the west-north-west, and from the Rippon Burn (NZ1146) 2½ miles due west. These aqueducts were probably no more than shallow troughs, which originally followed the contours of the land, and are now lost for the most part to the plough.

Roman Milestone from Greenwell Ford

A Roman milestone was discovered to the south-south-west at Greenwell Ford along the course of the Roman road to Binchester, only about half a mile from the fort (NZ1646). The stone is dedicated to the emperor Gordian III, who was recognised as Caesar in March AD238, and was declared Augustus by the Praetorian Guard at Rome in May 238 when only 13 years of age. He was murdered near Circesium in Mesopotamia during February 244, apparently by his own soldiers who had declared for the opportunist Philip the Arab.

RIB 2295 - Milestone of Gordian III

For our Lord the Emperor Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus.

[...] N
IMP M ANT
GORDIANO
PIO FELICI
AVG

Huebner wrongly thought Surtees meant the village of Ford, near Sunderland, and quoted Surtees’s reading as if it referred to a different inscription.Gordian III, A.D. 238-44. See also RIB 2289, 2294.

Sites near Lanchester (Longovicium) Fort