Table Of ContentResearch Reports, New Series
THE EARLY WOODEN FORT-S
REPORTS ON THE AUXILTARIES,
THE WRITING TABLETS,
-.,---.----------------------------------------------------------------- ....(cid:9) ---.... ........ ........ ..... ......... ............. ... ... ..... .. .
A vignette of the newly built Chesterholm cottage, contributed to John
Hodgson's History of Northumberland (part III, volume III) by its owner,
Anthony Hedley, in 1834.(cid:9) The cottage was built in the Abbotsford style
favoured by Sir Walter Scott, and the chimneys and ornate barge-boards stili
survive. li has been Vindo1andas Museum since 1974.
Vindolanda Trust
1993
Published by Roman Army Museum Publications,
for the Vindolanda Trust, Bardon Miii, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 UN.
Printed by Coiden Offset
ISBN 1 873136 35 8
iii
ji
Vindolanda Research Reports New Series
CONTENTS
Volume I The Early Wooden Forts.
lntroduction and analysis
of the structures, with bibliography.
Page
Volume Il The Early Wooden Forts. Tities, maps, plans, Iists, i
Reports(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) Auxiliaries,(cid:9) the
writing(cid:9) tablets,(cid:9) inscriptions,(cid:9) brands
and graffiti. Introduetion, acknowledgements
The dating of the periods of occupation, by R. Birley I
Volume III The Early Wooden Forts.
Preliminary(cid:9) reports(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) leather, The Auxiliaries recorded, by E. Birley 4
textiles,(cid:9) environmental(cid:9) evidence(cid:9) and
dendrochronology.
Discovery of the writing tablets, by R. Bìrley 9
Volume IV The Early Wooden Forts.
The smali finds. Review of the texts, by A. R. Birley 18
Volume V The Early Wooden Forts. Inscriptions, brands, graffiti, by R. Birley 73
The samian and amphora stamps, and
the pottery.
Appendix I: Photography of the tablets, by A. Rutherford & R. Birley 103
Volume VI The Severan Fort.
Apperidix 2: Tablet catalogue, with photographic references 109
Volume VII The Third Century Vicus.
Abbreviations ami Bibliography 123
v
I1
L
Mc40
Great Chestera
tanegat (
o 5 km
I
(cid:9)
o vii
(cid:9)
List of fiures in the text List of PIates
Page I Inv. 23 and Inv. 771
11 Inv. 841
fig. i Vindolanda location plans iv
111 Inv. 950 and Inv. 567
fig. 2 Position of the excavation site v
IV Inv. 865 Inv. 839 and Inv. 940
flg.3 Sizes of stylus tablets 12 V Inv. 1108, Inv. 137 and Inv. 119
VI Inv. 748 and Inv. 168
fig. 4 Sizes of ink tablets 14
VII BT38, Inv. 160A and Inv. 32B
fig. 5 Type 5 stylus pens 17
VIII BT2I, Inv, 33 and Inv. 412
fig. 6 Inscriptions on the address side of stylus tablets 26 Ix Inv. 51, Inv, 501 and Inv. 183A
x inv. 514, Inv. 146 and Inv. 180
fig. 7 Brands on container staves 84
XI Inv. 57, Inv. 42 and Inv. 160B
fig. 8 Graffiti on bone counters 97
Xli Inv. 470
fig. 9& 10 Graffiti and inscriptions on metal 89,90 XIII Inv. 946
fig.(cid:9) l Brands and graffiti on leather 96 XIV Inv. 943(R)
XV Inv. 1022
fig. 12 Graffiti on pottery 100
XVI Inv. 944 and Inv. 1091A
XVII Inv. 622A
XVIII Inv. 616
XIX Inv. 836
XX Inv. 805, Inv. 725 and Inv. 790
XXI Inv. 974 and Inv. 561/562
XXII Inv. 689(R), Inv. 722A and Inv. 722A(R)
XXIII Inv. 786, Inv. 838 and Inv. 868
XXIV 8T113 and 113(R)
XXV The four stone altars
XXVI Brands and graffiti on container staves
XXVII Stamped Iead sheets
XXVIII Tituli Picti on amphorae
The excavations of 197376, 198589 and the current work which started in
1991, have produced an exceptionally large body of written material,
inscriptions, brands and graffiti. The main archaeological report, Volume I,
describes the environment in which the material lay, with details of the
various levels and locations of the finds.(cid:9) This Volume is devoted to a
preliminary assessment of the important evidence in the writing tablets (by
Anthony Birley), but the material from 197376 has already been published in
detail by Bowman and Thomas (BT 1983), ami their researches into the 1985-89
o
ink tablets should be published very soori, together with a re-assessment
the 1973-76 material (by British Museum Publications). The complexities of
the stylus tablets are such that further work must be undertaken before a
report can be expected.
The(cid:9) remaining(cid:9) material in(cid:9) this(cid:9) volume(cid:9) comprises(cid:9) of more(cid:9) orthodox(cid:9) inscriptions
on(cid:9) stone(cid:9) (from(cid:9) the later (cid:9) levels only),(cid:9) together with(cid:9) a(cid:9) wide(cid:9) variety(cid:9) of
graffiti(cid:9) and(cid:9) stamps(cid:9) on items(cid:9) of bone,(cid:9) iron,(cid:9) lead, bronze(cid:9) and(cid:9) pottery,(cid:9) and
brands(cid:9) and(cid:9) graffiti(cid:9) on both(cid:9) wood and(cid:9) Ieather.(cid:9) All the(cid:9) inscribed(cid:9) leather (cid:9) and
wood(cid:9) come(cid:9) from(cid:9) the waterlogged later (cid:9) stone(cid:9) fort ditches(cid:9) or(cid:9) the(cid:9) anaerobic
floors of the early wooden forts.
The recovery of such a quantity of written or inscribed material vastly
illuminated the archaeological record at Vindolanda, and it should also
transform our understanding of frontier studies in Britain before the
construction of Hadrian's Wall.(cid:9) The environmental conditions in Vindolanda's
early levels are ideal for the preservation of ink-leaf tablets, and many more
should emerge in coming years.(cid:9) But Vindolanda is not unique. Other Roman
sites have similar anaerobic pockets, and when archaeologists are able to
expiore them, a host of new texts, perhaps of more significance than these
Vindolanda Auxiliary records, should emerge.(cid:9) Anthony Birley's survey of the
evidence, in advance of the full publication of all the texts, demonstrates
their value, but the photographs here, inevitably of, lesser quality than the
originals, show that it is not always easy to extract meaningful readings.
The description of the excavation techniques used to recover the tablets
(p.11-13), the methods of conservation (p.15-16) and the skilled photographic
work by Alison Rutherford, (see Appendix I p.103-106) should provide adequate
assistance to others fortunate enough to excavate in potential tablet areas.
Thanks are due to many individuals and organisations for their assistance witi.
aspects of the researches described in this volume.(cid:9) The late Richard Wright,
at Durham University, provided immediate advice and assistance when the first
tablets vere found; Dr, Atan Bowman, then at Manchester University and now at
••(cid:9) ..F.(cid:9) • (cid:9) •
.(cid:9) .(cid:9)
2 3
Oxford(cid:9) University,(cid:9) was(cid:9) the(cid:9) first(cid:9) to(cid:9) produce(cid:9) intelligible(cid:9) readings,(cid:9) soon(cid:9) joined
by Dr.(cid:9) David Thomas, at Durham University.(cid:9) Under the direction of Dr. A. E.
•
A. Werner, Mr. W. A. Addy and Mrs. S. Blackshaw developed a safe and reliable
conservation(cid:9) process(cid:9) for (cid:9) the(cid:9) tablets,(cid:9) at(cid:9) the(cid:9) British(cid:9) Museum(cid:9) Research
Laboratory.(cid:9) Throughout(cid:9) the(cid:9) period(cid:9) from(cid:9) 1973(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) present,(cid:9) Miss(cid:9) Alison Thedating,of, the perì oodfs occunation
Rutherford,(cid:9) first(cid:9) at(cid:9) the(cid:9) Department(cid:9) of (cid:9) Photography,(cid:9) at(cid:9) the(cid:9) University(cid:9) of
Newcastle's Medica! School and now at Chesterholm Museum, used every possible
The(cid:9) dating(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) occupation(cid:9) periods at(cid:9) Vindolanda(cid:9) is(cid:9) discussed(cid:9) in(cid:9) detail(cid:9) in
technique to(cid:9) produce an unsurpassed photographic record(cid:9) which has always been Volume(cid:9) I(cid:9) of this(cid:9) series,(cid:9) but (cid:9) as(cid:9) an(cid:9) aid(cid:9) to(cid:9) those(cid:9) who(cid:9) read(cid:9) this(cid:9) volume(cid:9) on(cid:9) its
the(cid:9) crucial(cid:9) stage(cid:9) before(cid:9) serious(cid:9) research(cid:9) could(cid:9) commence.(cid:9) Dr.(cid:9) Christopher own,(cid:9) the(cid:9) approximate(cid:9) dates(cid:9) and sizes of the(cid:9) forts,(cid:9) and(cid:9) the(cid:9) composition(cid:9) of (cid:9) the
Brooke(cid:9) conducted(cid:9) useful(cid:9) experiments(cid:9) with(cid:9) laser (cid:9) photography(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) stylus(cid:9) • garrisons are shown below,
tablets,(cid:9) but (cid:9) the(cid:9) real(cid:9) break(cid:9) through(cid:9) with(cid:9) these(cid:9) difficult(cid:9) texts(cid:9) has(cid:9) yet (cid:9) to
emerge.(cid:9) Professor (cid:9) Anthony(cid:9) Birley,(cid:9) first (cid:9) at(cid:9) Manchester (cid:9) University(cid:9) and(cid:9) now(cid:9) at Occupation Size of Fort(cid:9) Garrison
the(cid:9) University(cid:9) of (cid:9) Dusseldorf,(cid:9) has(cid:9) been(cid:9) a(cid:9) constant(cid:9) source(cid:9) of (cid:9) assistance(cid:9) and
Aaddvaimces(cid:9) , awt iMth(cid:9) antchhee(cid:9) sttearb Uient (cid:9)iveterxsittsy(cid:9) . and(cid:9) with(cid:9) all(cid:9) other(cid:9) records,(cid:9) as(cid:9) has(cid:9) Dr.(cid:9) J.(cid:9) N Period I(cid:9) c. AD 85 - c. 92 max 4 acres(cid:9) Coh. I Tungrorum ?
: Period 11(cid:9) c. AD 92(cid:9) c. 97 max 7 acres(cid:9) Coh,V!1IJ Batavorum
fTinhae(cid:9)n cViailn(cid:9) dosluapnpdoa(cid:9) rt,T(cid:9) ruinst(cid:9) (cid:9) ips(cid:9) argtircautelafru (cid:9)l(cid:9) tthoe(cid:9) (cid:9) a(cid:9) Bnriutimshb(cid:9) er (cid:9)Acoafd (cid:9)eixnnsyt,i(cid:9) tuttihoen(cid:9) s(cid:9) Hanadv(cid:9) ercfihealdri(cid:9) tieTs(cid:9) rufsotr, (cid:9) • Coh. I Tungrorum ?
the Sir James Knott Trust, the Skaggs Foundation(cid:9) of California, and the Cumber Period III(cid:9) c. AD 97(cid:9) 102/103 nax 7 acres(cid:9) Coh. Villi Batavorum
Family(cid:9) Trust.(cid:9) The(cid:9) author(cid:9) Hunter (cid:9) Davies(cid:9) made(cid:9) a(cid:9) substantial(cid:9) contribution,(cid:9) . Coh III Batavorum
through(cid:9) the(cid:9) generous(cid:9) donation(cid:9) of all(cid:9) roya!ties(cid:9) from(cid:9) his(cid:9) 'Waik(cid:9) Along(cid:9) the(cid:9) Wall'.
The(cid:9) Trust(cid:9) is(cid:9) also(cid:9) conscious(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) debt(cid:9) that(cid:9) it(cid:9) owes(cid:9) to(cid:9) its(cid:9) own(cid:9) laboratory Period IV(cid:9) c AD 104(cid:9) C. 120 max 7 acres(cid:9) Coh. I Tungrorum
staff,(cid:9) in(cid:9) particular (cid:9) Patricia(cid:9) Birley,(cid:9) who(cid:9) has(cid:9) been(cid:9) responsible(cid:9) throughout (cid:9) for detachments from C+o h.
fthraeg(cid:9) ilcitlye.a(cid:9) ningS(cid:9) hea(cid:9) ndh(cid:9) as!(cid:9) abaolrsaot(cid:9) ordyr(cid:9) awtrne(cid:9) atmtheen(cid:9) t(cid:9) rnoafj (cid:9)orsioty(cid:9) (cid:9) moaf (cid:9)nyt(cid:9) hei(cid:9) temfigs(cid:9) uroesf, (cid:9)(cid:9) aalmndo(cid:9) st(cid:9) as(cid:9)f riMghutesneuinmg (cid:9) . dI eVtaacrdhumlleonrtusm & legionary
i (cid:9) Curator,(cid:9) has(cid:9) been(cid:9) responsible(cid:9) throughout(cid:9) for (cid:9) the(cid:9) care(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) collection.(cid:9) I
alock, nowledge(cid:9) the(cid:9) work(cid:9) of staff in(cid:9) the(cid:9) Heritage(cid:9) Drawing(cid:9) office(cid:9) for (cid:9) figs.(cid:9) 9(cid:9) and(cid:9) • Period V(cid:9) c. AD 120(cid:9) c. 130 max 7 acres(cid:9) unknown
Period VI(cid:9) c. AD 160 c. 180 max 4 acres(cid:9) Coh III Nerviorum
As(cid:9) Vindoland&s(cid:9) Director,(cid:9) and(cid:9) co-author (cid:9) of (cid:9) this(cid:9) Volume,(cid:9) I(cid:9) am(cid:9) grateful to -
Professor (cid:9) S.(cid:9) S.(cid:9) Frere(cid:9) for (cid:9) his(cid:9) cornments(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) first(cid:9) draft(cid:9) of this(cid:9) Report (cid:9) (when(cid:9) :S Period VIA(cid:9) c. AD 180(cid:9) e. 200 max 7 acres(cid:9) unknown
it was but a part of a(cid:9) larger Volume, due(cid:9) to(cid:9) be published(cid:9) by Eng!ish(cid:9) Heritage
Pub1ications)(cid:9) and(cid:9) to(cid:9) my(cid:9) two(cid:9) Trustee(cid:9) Editors,(cid:9) Professors(cid:9) J.(cid:9) J.(cid:9) Wilkes(cid:9) and(cid:9) i Period VIB(cid:9) c. AD 205(cid:9) c. 213 max 4 acres(cid:9) unknown
Anthony Birley.(cid:9) My secretary,(cid:9) Rosemary Cotton,(cid:9) has(cid:9) prepared the text, camera
ready,(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) Trust's(cid:9) Canon(cid:9) word(cid:9) processor (cid:9) with(cid:9) laser (cid:9) printer,(cid:9) coping(cid:9) with(cid:9) the Period VII(cid:9) e. AD 213 onwards 3 1/2 acres(cid:9) Coh. III! Galiorum
necessary(cid:9) innumerable(cid:9) a!terations(cid:9) without(cid:9) complaint(cid:9) and(cid:9) with(cid:9) great(cid:9) skill.
Errors(cid:9) remaining(cid:9) in(cid:9) this(cid:9) Volume(cid:9) are(cid:9) my(cid:9) responsibi!ity(cid:9) alone,(cid:9) the(cid:9) more(cid:9) so(cid:9)
•
because I have also acted as Publisher.
Finaily,(cid:9) I(cid:9) must (cid:9) record(cid:9) my(cid:9) thanks(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) Trusts(cid:9) Chairman,(cid:9) my(cid:9) father (cid:9) Eric
Birley,(cid:9) both(cid:9) for (cid:9) his(cid:9) contribution(cid:9) to(cid:9) this(cid:9) Volume(cid:9) and(cid:9) for (cid:9) his(cid:9) constant
encouragement(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) Research(cid:9) at(cid:9) Vindolanda.(cid:9) It(cid:9) is(cid:9) something(cid:9) of (cid:9) a(cid:9) happy
accident(cid:9) that(cid:9) this(cid:9) Volume(cid:9) contains(cid:9) the(cid:9) reports(cid:9) of (cid:9) a(cid:9) father (cid:9) and(cid:9) his(cid:9) two(cid:9) sons,
and(cid:9) both(cid:9) the(cid:9) latter (cid:9) are(cid:9) conscious(cid:9) of the(cid:9) great(cid:9) debt(cid:9) they(cid:9) owe(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) Professor
i (cid:9) Emeritus.
(cid:9)
Il
E
wonder (cid:9) whether (cid:9) it(cid:9) was(cid:9) under (cid:9) Hadrian(cid:9) himself (cid:9) that(cid:9) both(cid:9) tities(cid:9) were(cid:9) awarded,
.
after(cid:9) successful(cid:9) operations(cid:9) under (cid:9) the(cid:9) governor(cid:9) Pornpeius(cid:9) Falco,(cid:9) if (cid:9) not(cid:9) in(cid:9) the
THE AUXILIARIES1 closing(cid:9) years(cid:9) of (cid:9) Trajan,(cid:9) when(cid:9) it(cid:9) is(cid:9) well(cid:9) known(cid:9) that(cid:9) there(cid:9) was(cid:9) trouble(cid:9) in
Britain.(cid:9) TrouNe(cid:9) before(cid:9) A.D.(cid:9) 100(cid:9) should(cid:9) perhaps(cid:9) be(cid:9) inferred(cid:9) as(cid:9) the(cid:9) occasion
i (cid:9) by Eric Biriey for the Voconti being moved to Britain.
I(cid:9) will(cid:9) deal(cid:9) first(cid:9) with(cid:9) the(cid:9) two(cid:9) units(cid:9) represented(cid:9) at(cid:9) Vindolanda(cid:9) by(cid:9) detachments, The(cid:9) appearance(cid:9) of (cid:9) equites(cid:9) Vardulli(cid:9) on(cid:9) Inv.(cid:9) 944,(cid:9) of (cid:9) period (cid:9) IV,(cid:9) seems(cid:9) to(cid:9) link
for (cid:9) in(cid:9) both(cid:9) cases(cid:9) there(cid:9) are(cid:9) some(cid:9) pòints(cid:9) of (cid:9) general(cid:9) interest(cid:9) to(cid:9) register. with(cid:9) the(cid:9) presence(cid:9) of (cid:9) legionary(cid:9) soldiers(cid:9) at(cid:9) Vindolanda,(cid:9) at(cid:9) about(cid:9) the(cid:9) time(cid:9) that
First,(cid:9) the(cid:9) Vocontii(cid:9) (InvA83,(cid:9) period(cid:9) III).(cid:9) Two(cid:9) Vocontian(cid:9) alae(cid:9) are(cid:9) known:(cid:9) one : (cid:9) Hadrians(cid:9) Wall(cid:9) was(cid:9) being(cid:9) built.(cid:9) There(cid:9) is(cid:9) nothing(cid:9) surprising(cid:9) about(cid:9) that,(cid:9) for
of (cid:9) them(cid:9) was(cid:9) in(cid:9) Egypt,(cid:9) where(cid:9) it(cid:9) is(cid:9) attested(cid:9) by(cid:9) several(cid:9) inscriptions(cid:9) and(cid:9) papyri, •. (cid:9) coh(cid:9) I fida(cid:9) Vardullorum(cid:9) e.(cid:9) R. was already in(cid:9) Britain(cid:9) by A.D. 98(cid:9) (XVI(cid:9) 43),(cid:9) and
over(cid:9) the(cid:9) period(cid:9) 113-165;(cid:9) the(cid:9) other(cid:9) is(cid:9) the(cid:9) unit (cid:9) in(cid:9) the(cid:9) army(cid:9) of (cid:9) Britain.(cid:9) Before • it(cid:9) figures(cid:9) on(cid:9) six(cid:9) more(cid:9) dipiomas(cid:9) for(cid:9) the(cid:9) army(cid:9) of (cid:9) Britain,(cid:9) while(cid:9) several
the(cid:9) discovery(cid:9) of the(cid:9) diploma(cid:9) far(cid:9) 17(cid:9) July(cid:9) 122(cid:9) (XVI(cid:9) 69),(cid:9) the(cid:9) only(cid:9) evidence(cid:9) in .. (cid:9) inscriptiofls(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) second(cid:9) and(cid:9) third(cid:9) centuries(cid:9) specify(cid:9) that(cid:9) it(cid:9) was(cid:9) equitata
Britain(cid:9) itself (cid:9) was(cid:9) a(cid:9) dedication(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) Campestres(cid:9) by(cid:9) Ael(ius)(cid:9) Marcus, i:(cid:9) that(cid:9) is(cid:9) to(cid:9) say with(cid:9) a(cid:9) quarter(cid:9) of its(cid:9) men(cid:9) equites.(cid:9) But (cid:9) bere(cid:9) too(cid:9) there(cid:9) are(cid:9) two
dec(urio)(cid:9) alae(cid:9) Aug(uscae)(cid:9) Vocontio(rum)(cid:9) from(cid:9) Newstead(cid:9) (RIB(cid:9) 2121),(cid:9) evidently i (cid:9) questions(cid:9) to(cid:9) address:(cid:9) when(cid:9) did(cid:9) it(cid:9) acquire(cid:9) the(cid:9) titie(cid:9) fida(cid:9) loyal,(cid:9) and(cid:9) the
not (cid:9) earlier(cid:9) than(cid:9) the(cid:9) time(cid:9) of Antoninus(cid:9) Pius;(cid:9) but (cid:9) there(cid:9) was(cid:9) an(cid:9) inscription(cid:9) from grant(cid:9) e.(cid:9) R.(cid:9) (Holder(cid:9) 1982(cid:9) p.(cid:9) 124,(cid:9) suggesting(cid:9) upossibly(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) Rhine(cid:9) during(cid:9) the
Hemmen,(cid:9) that(cid:9) is(cid:9) to(cid:9) say(cid:9) in(cid:9) Lower (cid:9) Germany,(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) Batavian(cid:9) goddess revolt (cid:9) of (cid:9) Civilist),(cid:9) and(cid:9) when(cid:9) did(cid:9) it(cid:9) become(cid:9) milliaria?(cid:9) It(cid:9) first(cid:9) appears(cid:9) as
Vagdavercustis,(cid:9) by(cid:9) a(cid:9) dec.(cid:9) alae(cid:9) Vocontior.(cid:9) exercituus(cid:9) Britannici(cid:9) (XIII(cid:9) 8805(cid:9) = . (cid:9) such(cid:9) on(cid:9) XVI(cid:9) 69(cid:9) of (cid:9) A.D.(cid:9) 122,(cid:9) and(cid:9) Holder(cid:9) observed(cid:9) that(cid:9) it(cid:9) must(cid:9) have(cid:9) been
ILS 2536. where Dessau did not understand the name of the deity); and Cheesman . (cid:9) enlarged(cid:9) between(cid:9) 105(cid:9) (XVI(cid:9) 51),(cid:9) when(cid:9) it(cid:9) lacks(cid:9) the(cid:9) milliary(cid:9) symbol,(cid:9) and(cid:9) 122
noted,(cid:9) pA75,(cid:9) that(cid:9) the(cid:9) unit (cid:9) had(cid:9) come(cid:9) to(cid:9) Britain(cid:9) from(cid:9) Germania(cid:9) Inferior.(cid:9) The That(cid:9) would(cid:9) not (cid:9) be(cid:9) surprising,(cid:9) far(cid:9) there(cid:9) Is(cid:9) other(cid:9) evidence(cid:9) to(cid:9) show(cid:9) that
•:(cid:9)
evidence(cid:9) has(cid:9) been(cid:9) collected(cid:9) and(cid:9) discussed(cid:9) by(cid:9) AIfi1dy(cid:9) 1968,(cid:9) 42(cid:9) ff.(cid:9) and(cid:9) 190(cid:9) ff., quingenary(cid:9) units(cid:9) were(cid:9) being(cid:9) doubled(cid:9) to(cid:9) milliary(cid:9) size(cid:9) in(cid:9) the(cid:9) period(cid:9) from
i (cid:9) who(cid:9) concludes(cid:9) that(cid:9) its(cid:9) first(cid:9) known(cid:9) station(cid:9) was(cid:9) in(cid:9) Gallia(cid:9) Belgica;(cid:9) from(cid:9) there Vespasian(cid:9) well(cid:9) into(cid:9) the(cid:9) reign(cid:9) of (cid:9) Trajan;(cid:9) see(cid:9) under (cid:9) coh.(cid:9) i(cid:9) Tungrorum,(cid:9) below.
it moved to(cid:9) Lower Germany - in his view, not before A.D.89; and he supposed As(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) titie fida,(cid:9) I(cid:9) know(cid:9) of (cid:9) only(cid:9) one(cid:9) other(cid:9) example:(cid:9) a(cid:9) decurion(cid:9) of (cid:9) the
that(cid:9) it(cid:9) was(cid:9) not (cid:9) sent(cid:9) to(cid:9) Britain(cid:9) until(cid:9) shortly(cid:9) before(cid:9) 122,(cid:9) the(cid:9) diploma(cid:9) of (cid:9) that • otherwise unknown ala fida Vindex commemorated bis wife on a sarcophagus found
:(cid:9) year showing(cid:9) it(cid:9) as(cid:9) Augusta(cid:9) Vocontiorum(cid:9) c.(cid:9) R,; far(cid:9) the(cid:9) record,(cid:9) it may be noted •. (cid:9) ifl(cid:9) Calogne(cid:9) (XIII(cid:9) 8307),(cid:9) manifestly(cid:9) not (cid:9) earlier(cid:9) than(cid:9) the(cid:9) third(cid:9) century;(cid:9) it
that a lead(cid:9) seal(cid:9) from(cid:9) Leicester,(cid:9) reading(cid:9) A(cid:9) VOC (Britannia 9,(cid:9) 1978, 479) may be mUSt (cid:9) be(cid:9) a(cid:9) matter (cid:9) for(cid:9) speculation,(cid:9) for(cid:9) what(cid:9) signal(cid:9) service(cid:9) such(cid:9) a(cid:9) rare(cid:9) titie
i (cid:9) taken(cid:9) to(cid:9) imply(cid:9) that(cid:9) the(cid:9) ala(cid:9) Vocontiorum(cid:9) was(cid:9) stilI(cid:9) in(cid:9) Britain,(cid:9) perhaps(cid:9) as(cid:9) late was(cid:9) conferred(cid:9) on(cid:9) this(cid:9) cohort(cid:9) (very(cid:9) many(cid:9) mare(cid:9) units(cid:9) could(cid:9) boast (cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) titie
as(cid:9) the(cid:9) third(cid:9) century,(cid:9) to(cid:9) which(cid:9) the(cid:9) majority(cid:9) of (cid:9) such(cid:9) seals(cid:9) seem(cid:9) best civium(cid:9) Romanorum,(cid:9) cL(cid:9) Maxfield,(cid:9) 218(cid:9) ff.;(cid:9) incidentally,(cid:9) Dr.(cid:9) Maxfield(cid:9) suggests,
assignable. . (cid:9) p.226,(cid:9) that(cid:9) it(cid:9) was(cid:9) in(cid:9) Britain,(cid:9) during(cid:9) the(cid:9) period(cid:9) between(cid:9) 103(cid:9) and(cid:9) 117,(cid:9) that(cid:9) the
cohors I Cugernorum became(cid:9) Ulpia(cid:9) Traiana(cid:9) and(cid:9) c.(cid:9) R;(cid:9) by contrast,(cid:9) Holder(cid:9) 1982
Two(cid:9) questians(cid:9) anse:(cid:9) first(cid:9) when(cid:9) did(cid:9) it(cid:9) receive(cid:9) the(cid:9) titie(cid:9) Augusta(cid:9) and(cid:9) the assumed(cid:9) that(cid:9) the(cid:9) Cugerni(cid:9) were(cid:9) awarded(cid:9) the(cid:9) titles(cid:9) far(cid:9) gailant(cid:9) services(cid:9) in
biock grant(cid:9) of Roman(cid:9) citizenship(cid:9) represented(cid:9) by(cid:9) c(ivium)(cid:9) R(omanorum),(cid:9) neither Trajans(cid:9) Second(cid:9) Dacian(cid:9) War (cid:9) (p.115),(cid:9) in(cid:9) accordance(cid:9) with(cid:9) what(cid:9) seems(cid:9) to(cid:9) have
:(cid:9) of them(cid:9) shown(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) inscriptians(cid:9) on(cid:9) the(cid:9) mainland;(cid:9) second,(cid:9) at what(cid:9) stage(cid:9) did been(cid:9) bis(cid:9) belief (cid:9) that(cid:9) no(cid:9) units(cid:9) decarations(cid:9) could(cid:9) have(cid:9) been(cid:9) won(cid:9) far(cid:9) services(cid:9) in
it move from(cid:9) Lower Germany to(cid:9) Britain?(cid:9) As to that,(cid:9) mv.(cid:9) 183 shows that the i (cid:9) Britain itself).
Vocontii(cid:9) were(cid:9) at(cid:9) work(cid:9) in(cid:9) Britain(cid:9) within(cid:9) two(cid:9) or(cid:9) three(cid:9) years(cid:9) of A.D.(cid:9) 100,(cid:9) in
view(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) dating(cid:9) assignable(cid:9) to(cid:9) Vindolanda(cid:9) period(cid:9) ILL(cid:9) For (cid:9) the(cid:9) grant(cid:9) of Befare(cid:9) I(cid:9) discuss(cid:9) coh.(cid:9) I (cid:9) Tungrorum,(cid:9) it(cid:9) will(cid:9) be(cid:9) well(cid:9) to(cid:9) mentian(cid:9) two(cid:9) generai
i (cid:9) tities(cid:9) there(cid:9) is(cid:9) room(cid:9) far(cid:9) speculation.(cid:9) Holder(cid:9) 1982,(cid:9) 112(cid:9) clajms(cid:9) that(cid:9) the(cid:9) awards studies(cid:9) of (cid:9) Tungrian(cid:9) units.(cid:9) The(cid:9) paper (cid:9) by(cid:9) Smeesters(cid:9) surveys(cid:9) the(cid:9) evidence
were(cid:9) made(cid:9) by(cid:9) Domitian,(cid:9) Augusta being substituted(cid:9) far Flavia after the(cid:9) da,nnatio available(cid:9) to(cid:9) him(cid:9) up(cid:9) to(cid:9) 1974;(cid:9) it(cid:9) was(cid:9) communicated(cid:9) to(cid:9) the(cid:9) Tenth(cid:9) International
memoriae(cid:9) of that(cid:9) ruler,(cid:9) but (cid:9) the(cid:9) assumption(cid:9) has(cid:9) no(cid:9) validity(cid:9) (it(cid:9) seems(cid:9) based(cid:9) on • Congress of Roman(cid:9) Frantier Studies,(cid:9) and was published(cid:9) in(cid:9) the(cid:9) 1977 volume.(cid:9) It
i (cid:9) the(cid:9) authors(cid:9) discussion(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) ala(cid:9) Petriana,(cid:9) p. 108(cid:9) f.);(cid:9) Cheesman(cid:9) p.(cid:9) 46(cid:9) f. gives(cid:9) a(cid:9) convenient(cid:9) conspectus(cid:9) of (cid:9) almost(cid:9) all(cid:9) the(cid:9) literary(cid:9) and(cid:9) epigraphic
i (cid:9) observed(cid:9) that(cid:9) the(cid:9) titie(cid:9) Augusta(cid:9) seems(cid:9) to(cid:9) have(cid:9) been(cid:9) granted(cid:9) at(cid:9) all(cid:9) periods, . (cid:9) evidence,(cid:9) but (cid:9) in(cid:9) various(cid:9) aspects(cid:9) it(cid:9) iS(cid:9) less(cid:9) than(cid:9) satisfactory.(cid:9) There(cid:9) is(cid:9) much
honoris causa,(cid:9) noting(cid:9) that it is borne(cid:9) by regiments(cid:9) of Dacians(cid:9) and(cid:9) Britons who an(cid:9) the(cid:9) Tungrian(cid:9) cohorts(cid:9) to(cid:9) be(cid:9) found(cid:9) in(cid:9) Strobel,(cid:9) which(cid:9) is(cid:9) mainly(cid:9) concerned
cannot have(cid:9) acquired(cid:9) it during(cid:9) the(cid:9) reign(cid:9) of Augustus.(cid:9) As to(cid:9) the(cid:9) award(cid:9) c.(cid:9) R., hawever (cid:9) with(cid:9) the(cid:9) Batavians,(cid:9) and(cid:9) I(cid:9) shall(cid:9) be(cid:9) discussing(cid:9) that(cid:9) lengthy(cid:9) paper (cid:9) when
Holder's(cid:9) view(cid:9) seems(cid:9) to(cid:9) be(cid:9) that(cid:9) it(cid:9) cannot(cid:9) have(cid:9) been(cid:9) made(cid:9) far(cid:9) service(cid:9) in . (cid:9) I turn to the Batavian cohorts at Vindolanda, below.
Britain,(cid:9) but (cid:9) he(cid:9) has(cid:9) nowhere(cid:9) stated(cid:9) a(cid:9) case(cid:9) for(cid:9) that(cid:9) assumption;(cid:9) one(cid:9) might
.. (cid:9) At(cid:9) least(cid:9) four (cid:9) Tungrian(cid:9) cohorts(cid:9) were(cid:9) raised(cid:9) during(cid:9) the(cid:9) Principate,(cid:9) for(cid:9) an
L(cid:9) Volumes(cid:9) of (cid:9) CIL(cid:9) are(cid:9) cited(cid:9) in(cid:9) this(cid:9) chapter (cid:9) without (cid:9) this(cid:9) prefix.(cid:9) For ii•:(cid:9) iflSCriptiOfl(cid:9) found(cid:9) at(cid:9) Virunum(cid:9) in(cid:9) Noricum,(cid:9) rnissed(cid:9) by(cid:9) Smeesters(cid:9) and(cid:9) by(cid:9) the
abbreviations see p.122-125 below. ..i(cid:9) compilers(cid:9) of (cid:9) the(cid:9) Année(cid:9) Epigraphique(cid:9) -(cid:9) (Carinthia(cid:9) 151,(cid:9) 1961,(cid:9) 469(cid:9) ff.)
(cid:9)
6 VI
Commemorats a peregrine soldier of coh. liii Tungrorum, who died after 33 forward is that, like coh. XX Paimyrenorum at Dura on the Euphrates in the
years' service: the dating of the stone is disputed, but it is difficult to third century, Co/i. i Tungrorum in the Fiavian period had an abnormal
. (cid:9) think of auxiliaries at Virunum after the time of Claudius, and the fact that establishment (= U.S. table of organisation); but without more evidence, it
i (cid:9) the man had served for 33 years but was stili not a Roman citizen may be taken seems to me that such an explanation is most uniìkely.(cid:9) I conclude that the
as supporting a relatively early date. cohort was indeed undergoing conversion from quingenary . strength, in the
latter part of Domitian's reign, approximately at the time when the fort was
Tacitus records (Histories 2. 14 f. ami 1) how in A.D. . 69 two Tungrian being enlarged to a size more suitable for a milliary garrison.
cohorts formed . part of a Vitellian task-force in Narbonensis, operating
against Otho's naval expedition, and in a fierce battie their prefects were I turn now to the two Batavian cohorts attested by writing-tablets at
killed; and. another Tungrian cohort went over to the insurgent Juiius Civilis Vindolanda.(cid:9) The exploits of the eight Batavian cohorts which had served in
on the Rhine in A.D. 70 (Histories 4. 16). But they riext appear on the record Britain with legio XIV Gemma, and took a prominent part in the events of A.D.
in Agricoia's army at the battie of Mons Graupius, brigaded with four Batavian 69 in Italy, are well known from the accounts which Tacitus devoted to them in
cohorts (Agric. 36); Tacitus observes that the force was vetustate inilitiae the Histories, from 1. . 59 and 64 and 2. 27 f. etc; they were sent back to the
exercitatu,n, so that we may be justified in deducing that Batavians and Rhine (2. 69 and 4. 15), and soon sided with Civilis against the Roman forces,
Tungrians alike represented units continuing the high traditions recorded in again demonstrating their high fighting quality.(cid:9) It has been a generai
the. Histories, rather than new ones formed . after. the ending of the rebellion assumption, accepted by Cheesman in bis Appendix il, p. 171 f., that the eight
on the . Rhine.(cid:9) It has been the generai assumption which I share, that cohorts cohorts were presumably disbanded - though he regarded coh. IX Batavorum too
I and I! Tungrorum, .. represented by many inscriptions of the second and . thlrd as a pre-Fiavian unit, not disbanded, whereas the quingenary coh. I Batavorum
centuries in Britain, . are the . units which had fought under Agricola, and it of the army of Britain is Iisted as having been raised after A.D. 70.(cid:9) But the
may weli be that they were the same as the two Tungrian cohorts which had standard assumption has now been questioned, at great length, in a paper in
fought for Vitellius in A.D. 69. German, bere cited as Strobel, which may be registered as "Observations on the
Batavian cohorts in the early principate.'(cid:9) Dr. Strobel's discussion is dose-
But there . is a problem, recently brought into the open by Karl Strobel (which knit, and it takes into account much of the evidence from Yindoianda: a
I shall be examining in some detail when i come to the Batavian cohorts), detailed analysis would be out of piace here, but Ms main points may be
namely, when were the Tungrian cohorts doubled in strength, from quingenary to summarised as foilows. When Civilis made bis peace with the Flavian cause, at
milliary?(cid:9) There is now generai agreement that milliary cohorts were a Flavian the meeting with Petillius Cerialis at which Histories 5. 26 breaks off, he
iflnovation, with existing quingenary units doubled in size, and new milliary assumes that the Batavian units, and the Batavian nobies . who regulariy
units formed, in some cases as late as in Trajan's reign; but Dr. Strobel commanded them, were retained in the Roman service under the same conditions
assumes that the Tungrians as weli as the Batavians at Mons Graupius had as before(cid:9) He assumes that they were re-organised into four milliary cohorts,
become . milliary by A.D. 71, and that, aliowing for lower strength for one numbered 1-111 and IX, by amaigamating the eight original quingenary cohorts;
reason or another, there . were 1500 Tungrians in the action at Mons Graupius. the Batavian civitas, he argues, could not have . provided four thousand fresh
That view must be abandoned, if we take into account Inv. 841, from period I, recruits at one stroke, so that a strong nucleus of the existing men must have
which can hardly . be much, if at ali, iater than A.D. 90: for it seems to show been used in the new units, which he takes to have been transferred to Britain
coh I Tungrorum in a state of transition, from quingenary to milliary.(cid:9) It has with Cerialis in A.D. 71.(cid:9) For the battie of Mons Graupius, he therefore
the six centurions who were standard for quingenary cohorts, but a totai assumes that the four Batavian cohorts and the two Tungrians together
strength of 752 men: if (as some scholars suppose) a milliary cohors peditata accounted for more than haif of Agricoia's main line of battie.(cid:9) Further
was only 800 strong, that would mean that the Tungrians were such a cohort, points made by Dr. Strobel will be considered under individuai cohorts, below.
merely slightly under its paper strength.(cid:9) But six centurions would not be
sufficient for such a. cohort.(cid:9) A more probable explanation would be . that a . (cid:9) In(cid:9) the(cid:9) light(cid:9) of what(cid:9) has(cid:9) been(cid:9) said(cid:9) about(cid:9) coh.(cid:9) I (cid:9) Tungrorum being(cid:9) raised to
large number of new recruits had been taken in by the cohort, in the process milliary(cid:9) strength, we(cid:9) may(cid:9) take(cid:9) it(cid:9) that(cid:9) at(cid:9) least(cid:9) by(cid:9) the closing(cid:9) years of
of it undergoing conversjon to millìary strength, and before it had received Domitian the(cid:9) Batavian cohorts had indeed become(cid:9) mi11iary(cid:9). In the case of coh.(cid:9)
the extra . four centurions which that strength would require.(cid:9) The explanation :.; III (cid:9) Batavorum,(cid:9) it is(cid:9) not (cid:9) clear (cid:9) from(cid:9) Inv.(cid:9) 100/108(cid:9) where(cid:9) the(cid:9) unit (cid:9) was(cid:9) stationed,
may perhaps be supported by the fact that over 300 of the men, under a singie i (cid:9) though(cid:9) at(cid:9) ieast elements(cid:9) of it(cid:9) seem(cid:9) to(cid:9) have(cid:9) been(cid:9) present (cid:9) at Vindolanda; Dr.(cid:9)
centurion, were away from Vindolanda, Coris (apparently at Corbridge): that .i Strobel(cid:9) is(cid:9) confident that(cid:9) its(cid:9) station(cid:9) was(cid:9) somewhere(cid:9) else.(cid:9) The(cid:9) milliary coh.
looks to be explicabie by the assumption that these men were new recruits, .ii (cid:9) 111(cid:9) Batavorum(cid:9) is attested(cid:9) by dipiomas for the(cid:9) army of Raetia in(cid:9) 107(cid:9) (XVI 55)
undergoing the intensive training which would be required, to fit them for and(cid:9) thereafter (cid:9) in Lower (cid:9) Pannonia(cid:9) (XVI(cid:9) 179(cid:9) and(cid:9) 180(cid:9) of (cid:9) 148 are(cid:9) the(cid:9) eariiest),
service in the elite cohort.(cid:9) The only other explanation .whjch might be put
8(cid:9) 9
which has also severai inscriptions to show; it may well be that it, like coh,(cid:9) army of Sardinia.(cid:9) In genera!, one does not expect to find Flavii in such
IX Batavorum, left Britain to take part in the Dacian wars, before itS(cid:9) posts before the time of Trajan, or Ulpii before that of Hadrian.(cid:9) There is
transfer to Raetia,(cid:9) also Fiavius Genialis, who may well belong to the same Batavian noble stock.
There are at ieast eleven references, among the period III levels, to coh.
villi Batavorum (as it is usually styled. though C IX B also occurs); the
period seems assignable to approximate!y A.D. 97103.(cid:9) It had evident!y
replaced coh. I Tungrorum as the garrison of Vindolanda, but it remains to be
discovered at what stage it arrived, and when it left; as to that, Dr. Strobel
suggests that it had been transferred to the Danube to take part in Trajan's
first Dacian war, beginning in A.D. 101: he refers to ti!es of the cohort,
assignable to the period between the two Dacian wars, within the area assigned
to the Lower Moesian command (p.275), That may Iead to the question: how
long our cohort could have remained at Vindolanda?
If the letter which mentions the governor Neratius Marcel!us (BT 37) is of the
period when coh. IX Batavorum was in garrison at Vindolanda, there is the
problem what stage in bis governorship was in question.(cid:9) The only dating
evidence for bis presence in Britain is XVI 48, of 19 January 103; Sir Ronaid
Syme suggested that bis tenure was from 101-104 (Syme 1988, 310): if so, the
earliest date for the letter would be A.D. 101, the very year in which the
first Dacian war broke out; but wc cannot be certain if the letter belongs to
the archives of coh. IX Batavorum, however likely that may seem.(cid:9) If it does,
the chance of the cohort having reached the Danube as ear!y as the beginning
of the first Dacian war might seem remote; it might well be that the transfer
of troops from Britain took piace after the outbreak of the war, rather than
in preparation for it.(cid:9) in any case, it is clear that coh, I Tungroruin
returned to Vindolanda, after IX Batavorum had left.
Strobel discusses, from p.287 onwards, the command structure of the Batavian
and Tungrian cohorts.(cid:9) He points out that it is not until the third century
that we find them commanded by tribunes, even though it was the generai rule
that tribunes comrnanded mii!iary cohorts.(cid:9) He explains the phenomenon by the
original conditions under which, as Tacitus telis us, the Batavians had
provided troops for the Roman army; and in this connection he draws attention
to the fact that on a couple of its inscriptions from Castiesteads, prefects
of coh. II Tungrorurn each carry the additional titie praef. Tung. (RIB 1981
and, as restored by Mr. R.P. Wright, 1982). As long as Batavian notabies were
availabie, Dr. Strobel concludes, the old system applied in the case of these
two groups of cohorts.
That view finds strong support as far as coh. IX Batavorum at Vindolanda is
concerned.(cid:9) Fiavius Ceria!is is evidently named after Petiliius Cerialis, and
enjoys Roman citizenship through the good offices of that governor.(cid:9) There is
oniy one equestrian officer, commanding a cohort, who has the name Flavìus on
record at an eariier date, nameiy the T. Flavius Magnus attested as prefect of
coh. li gemma Ligurum et Corsorum on the diploma of 10 October 96 for the
