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XXVIII. Drawings and a Dissertation respecting some Roman Antiquities, discovered on the Line of Antonine's Vallum, since the publication of General Roy's Work: By the Rev. John Skinner, A.M. F.S.A.; in a Letter to Henry Ellis, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

John Skinner
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Extract

I beg leave, through your assistance, to call the attention of the Society of Antiquaries to an interesting Roman remain which I lately noticed whilst tracing the line of Antonine's Vallum from Bowness to Old Kilpatrick.

Type
Research Article
Information
Archaeologia , Volume 21 , 1827 , pp. 455 - 468
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1827

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References

page 455 note a September 10.

page 456 note a See PI. xx.

page 457 note b It appears a Vexillatio of the sixth Legion, stiled Victrix, was quartered here.

page 457 note c Britanniam (quod maximum ejus imperii decus est) muro per transversam insulam ducto utrimque ad finem Oceani munivit: unde etiam Britannici nomen accepit. Ælius Spartianus in Severo, sect. 18.

page 457 note d Periit Eboraci in Britannia, subactis gentibus quae Britanniae videbantur infestæ, anno Imperii decimo octavo, morbo gravissimo extinctus jam senex.

page 458 note e Turbidam rempublicam ubique accepi, pacatam reliqui, etiam in Britannis relinquo senex et pedibus æger, firmum imperium Antoninis meis relinquens si boni erunt, imbecillum si mali.

page 458 note f Coins struck during the Consulate of Antoninus III. and Aureliusæsar, record the victories gained by the Lieutenant Lollius Urbicus, probably against the Caledonians, before he cut the vallum from the Forth to the Clyde, or at that period, viz. anno Dom.140.

page 458 note g Herodian writes, “Pontibus occupare paludes, ut stare in tuto milites facileque per eas discurrere possent, atque in solido praeliari.”

page 458 note h Both Camden and Horseley have noticed these records of work and labour performed by the soldiers stationed on the Vallum. The originals of some preserved at Glasgow are thus inscribed:

On a fragment of another, Leg Ii Avg Q. Lollio. Vr—Leg Avg Pre— These inscriptions not only prove how exact the Romans were in similar records, but that drafts from the II, VI, and XX legions were stationed on the Vallum at this period (140).

page 459 note i Four altars were found at Achendavy whilst they were digging the canal, and are preserved in the Museum at Glasgow, all erected by the same person.

Two iron mallets, each weighing 40 lbs. were also found here.

page 460 note k His biographer Ælius Spartianus, above quoted, describes him thus; “Ipse decorus, ipse ingens, promissâ barbâ, cano capite et crispo, vultu reverendus, canorus voce, sed aprum quoddam usque ad senectutem sonans.” Severus was born at Tripolis in Africa.

A statue of Severus in the British Museum retains this description of countenance, and all the coins which I have seen preserve it; there can be no doubt but that coins preserved actual portraits at this period.

page 462 note l On the reverse of a Coin struck in the year 209, when Severus and his sons were in Britain, is inscribed, “Concordia Augustorum.” Caracalla and Geta are here represented joining hands, and the figure of Victory behind them. On another is inscribed, L Sep. Severvs. Pivs. Avg. on the reverse, Victoriæ Britannicæ; this is accompanied by two figures of Victory supporting a shield—two captives standing near, with their hands bound behind them. On another inscribed, Severvs. Pivs Avg. Pm. Tr. Pxviii Cos Ii Pp Sc. Severus with Caracalla and Geta are shewn addressing four soldiers, three of whom bear military standards, in allusion probably to the three legions in Britain. On another, struck about the same time (that is in 209 or 210) inscribed I, Sep Severvs Pivs. Avg. the Emperor is represented standing between Caracalla and Geta addressing the soldiers, with the same letters on the exergue as on the former. Another, with the same inscription, shews three figures sacrificing at an altar, with a victim. On the reverse of a coin of Geta, struck, 208, inscribed, p Septimvs Geta. Caes. Pontifex Cos ii, Severus is represented sitting between Caracalla and Geta. On a coin of Caracalla, struck 209, inscribed, Antoninvs. Pivs. Avg. on the reverse Pontif. Tr. P xii Cos iii, two Emperors are represented standing clothed in the paludamentum, holding out their right hands as though addressing the soldiers; spears in their left hands, two captives at their feet. On another, inscribed, Antoninvs Pivs Avg Brit. Pontif Trpxiii Cos in. sc. a figure of Victory is represented inscribing something on a shield suspended from a palm-tree. On another, Antoninvs Pivs Avg Brit. reverse, Concordia Felix. Caracalla and Geta sitting, offering their hands to each other, their mother Julia between them; this was struck in 211, after the death of Severus. On one of the coins of Geta is inscribed Imp. Caes. P Sep. Geta Pivs Avg; reverse, Victoria Brit. a figure of Victory, with a branch of laurel in her right hand, in her left a palm branch. On another, Victoriae Brittannicae, two figures of Victory placing laurels on two figures in the center of the coin. On another, Pontif.Tr. P in Cosiisc; Caracalla and Geta joining hands; a figure of Victory places a crown of laurel on Geta, holding a palm branch in her right hand, whilst Hercules crowns Caracalla, holding his club in his right hand and the lion's skin over his shoulder. On another, Imp P Septimvs Geta Pivs Avg Brit; reverse, Vict Aeternae Avgg. S C. a winged Victory standing between Caracalla and Geta, and joining their hands.

page 463 note m Hie tam exiguis vestibus usus est ut vix tunica ejus aliquid purpurae haberet, et cum hirta Chlamyde humeros velaret. Lampridius in Alexandro dicit, “Chlamides hirtas Severi et tunicas asemas.” Ælius Spartianus, before quoted, says, speaking of Caracalla, “Ipse nomen Caracallse accepit a vestimento quod populo dederat dimisso usque ad talos, quod non ante fuerat, unde hodieque Antoninianae dicuntur Caracallæ hujusmodi in usu maximè Romanæ plebis frequentatæ.” Others affirm this new mode of dress invented by this worthy Emperor had a hood to it like the cucullus of a monk; be this as it may, such an invention would better have become a tailor than a monarch, Geta was very splendid in his dress, so as to give displeasure to his father on that account. “Vestibus nitidissimus ita ut pater doleret,” says Æms Spartianus. The rivalry and hatred existing between the two brothers might have originated from such a foolish source as this; for no one can account for the whims of Princes, especially when acted upon by the interested and designing.

page 463 note n Tabula sequens observatu dignissima est: hie conspiciuntur a Trajano ad usque Constantinum vestes militares Imperatorum Tribunorumque. Trajani vestis militaris saepe in Columnâ Trajani visitur, sat similis iis qui præceperunt, hoc uno discrimine quod loco fasciarum in loricarum præcedentium imâ parte pannus sit, qui in medio limbo quodam, aut fimhriæ undique exornatur, qui illi adstant, seu Prætores seu Tribuni, eâdem vestis formâ nullo discrimine ornantur. Præter hanc militarem vestem alium in Columnâ non semel conspicimus, ubi Trajanus vestimentum habet longe dissimile, quae vestis duplicata hiberno tempore destinata videtur, eo vestis genere, non Trajani modo sed Tribuni atque militis induuntur, ut ab hieme acrisque injuria sese meantur.

page 465 note o In tabula sequenti Marcus Aurelius ex Museæo nostro eductus observatu dignus est, ex modo quo paludamentum complicatur, quo facilius oculis percipiatur quàm descrip-tione qualibet, ideoque anticam et posticam (i. e. a front and back view) imaginis obtu-litnus explorandum.

page 465 note p Vide Montfaucon, vol. v. book ii, p. 48. “Scutum militare Romanorum concavum erat, laterilis canalis sive imbricis forma (hollow tile), ad militum staturam comparatum duos cum dimidio circiter pedes habuisse. Latitudo ejus, cum totâ curviturâ sumta, unius et dimidii pedis fuisse putatur. Haec scuta lignea olim erant, inquit Plutarchus in vitâ Furii Camilii, at hie Romanorum Dux laminis ilia ferreis contegi curavit, ut ferro resistere possent. Scutum autem non in prælio tantum usum deputabatur ut militem tegeret, sed ad alia etiam usurpabatur opera, ad testudinem videlicet, in obsidionibus adornandum, cùm oppidi aut arcis moenia oppugnabantur; itemque ad modicam suppellectilem militis gestandum, quando ipse nudus flumen trajiciebat; hie militis figuram damus, qui, dum flumen nudus pedesque trajecit, vestes ceterasque res in scuto concavo sublimes gestat; nee scuta semper excercere aliqua figurâ ornabantur; aliqua ex iis quae infra conspiciuntur fulmen habent depictum, quod erat ut putatur signum legionis fulminatricis. Militum maxima pars Trajani tempore hujusmodi scutum gestabant, ut in columna Trajanâ, inque aliis ejusdem ævi monumentis, observatur.

page 466 note q The Patricians wore half moons or crescents cut out of ivory above the instep to distinguish them from the common people; these were called “calcei lunati,” that is, the shoes retaining that ornament. Plutarch, in his Roman Questions, gives abundance of reasons why they used the half moon rather than any other figure, but none of his fancies have met the approbation of the learned. Patrician youths, before they sat in the Senate, had the privilege of using the half moon on their shoes. Thus Statius, Sylvæ, v. 27.

Sic te, clare puer, genitum sibi Curia sensit,

Primaque Patricias claruit vestigia Curæ.”

page 466 note r Vide Herodian's description of the consecration of Severus.

page 467 note s See pl. XXI. fig. 2.

page 468 note t Vide Tacitus, Ann. lib. xii. c. 31. “Ille gnarus primis eventibus metum aut fiduciam gigni citas cohortes rapit, et cæsis qui resisterant disjectos consectatus, ne conglobarèntur, infensaque et infida pax non duci non militi requiem permitteret detrahere armis, suspectis cinctosque castris Avonam et Sabrinam fluvios cohibere parat.”