December | 2020 | Per Lineam Valli

Introduction

These are the inscriptions from the Hadrian’s Wall outpost fort of Birrens (Blatobulgium). The fort was excavated during the 19th and 20th centuries and is located to the north of Netherby, on the main western road north of Hadrian’s Wall. It is the only component of the Hadrian’s Wall system that lies within the modern country of Scotland.

Inventory

RIB 2091: Statuette of Brigantia set up by an architectus, found in a building outside the fort at Birrens in 1731. Brigantiae s(acrum) Amandus / arc(h)itectus ex imperio imp(eratum) (fecit) (‘Sacred for Brigantia: Amandus, engineer, by command fulfilled an order’). RIB I, p.640

RIB 2092: Altar set up by cohors II Tungrorum for the dicipline of the emperor found in the well of the fort at Birrens in 1895. Discip(linae) / Aug(usti) / coh(ors) II / Tungr(orum) / mil(liaria) eq(uitata) c(oram) l(audata) (‘For the Discipline of the Emperor, the Second Cohort of Tungrians, one thousand strong, part-mounted, publicly praised, (set this up)’). RIB I, p.641

RIB 2093: Altar set up by cohors I Nervana Germanorum for Fortuna found at Birrens before 1772. Fortunae / coh(ors) I / Nervana / Germanor(um) / (milliaria) eq(uitata) (‘For Fortune, the First Nervan Cohort of Germans, a thousand strong, part-mounted, (set this up)’). RIB I, p.641

RIB 2094: Statuette base of Fortuna found at Birrens before 1773. Now lost. Fortunae [pro] / salute P(ubli) Campa[ni] / Italici praef(ecti) coh(ortis) I[I] Tun(grorum) Celer libertus / [v(otum)] s(olvit) l(aetus) l(ibens) m(erito) (‘For Fortune for the welfare of Publius Campanius Italicus, prefect of the Second Cohort of Tungrians, his freedman Celer gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled his vow’).RIB I, p.642

RIB 2095: Altar for Fortuna found in 1886. Fortu/nae vo/tum / [ ̣ ̣ ̣] / [ ̣ ̣ ̣] (‘For Fortune as a vow …’).RIB I, p.642

RIB 2096: Altar for Harimella set up by an architectus found at Birrens before 1772. Deae / Harimel/lae sac(rum) Ga/midiahus / arc(h)it(ectus) v(otum) s(olvit) l(aetus) l(ibens) m(erito) (‘Sacred to the goddess Harimella, Gamidiahus, an engineer, gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled his vow’). RIB I, p.642

RIB 2097: Altar for Jupiter found in a wall of the Old Church at Hoddom in 1815. I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) / coh(ors) I / Nervana / Germanor(um) / (milliaria) eq(uitata) cui / praeest L(ucius) Faeni/us Felix trib(unus) (‘To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the First Nervan Cohort of Germans, a thousand strong, part-mounted, (set this up) commanded by the tribune Lucius Faenius Felix’). RIB I, p.643

RIB 2098: Altar for Jupiter found in 1814 ‘on the banks of the Kirtle’ near Springkell, 4 km E of Birrens. Now lost. [I(ovi)] O(ptimo) M(aximo) / [ ̣ ̣ ̣]iainius / [ ̣ ̣ ̣]i fecit pr(o(?)) / [ ̣ ̣ ̣] (‘To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, … made …’). RIB I, p.643

RIB 2099: Altar for Jupiter Dolichenus found at Birrens in 1895. [I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo)] / Dol[iche]/no sacr(um) / Magun/na v(otum) s(olvit) (‘Sacred to Jupiter, Best and Greatest, of Doliche: Magunna fulfilled her vow’). RIB I, p.643

RIB 2100: Altar for Mars and Victoria set up by the Raetian members of cohors II Tungrorum found at Birrens c.1812. Marti et Victo/riae Aug(usti) c(ives) Rae/ti milit(antes) in coh(orte) / II Tungr(orum) cui / praeest Silvius / Auspex praef(ectus) | v(otum) s(olverunt) l(ibentes) m(erito) (‘For Mars and the Emperor’s Victory, the Raetian tribesmen serving in the Second Cohort of Tungrians, which is commanded by the prefect Silvius Auspex, willingly and deservedly fulfilled their vow’). RIB I, p.644

RIB 2101: Altar fragment found at Birrens before 1886. Now lost. Ma[…] / sa[…] (‘?’). RIB I, p.644

RIB 2102: Statue base for Mercury found in a building outside the fort in 1731. Deo Mercu/rio Iul(ius) Cres/cens sigill(um) / collign(io) cult(orum) / eius d(e) s(uo) d(edit) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito) (‘For the god Mercury, Julius Crescens, for the use of the guild of the god’s worshippers, gave the statuette from his own resources, in willing and deserved fulfilment of his vow’). RIB I, p.644

RIB 2103: Statue base for the emperor and Mercury found in a building outside the fort in 1731. Num(ini) Aug(usti) / deo Merc(urio) / sign(um) posu/erunt cu[l]/[t]ores col/ligni eius/dem dei cur(ante) / Ing(enuio) Rufo / v(otum) s(olverunt) l(ibentes) m(erito) (‘For the Divinity of the Emperor and the god Mercury, the worshippers of the guild of the same god set up this statue and willingly and deservedly fulfilled their vow under the charge of Ingenuius Rufus’). RIB I, p.645

RIB 2104: Altar found to the W of Birrens in 1811. Deae / Minervae / coh(ors) II Tun/grorum / mil(liaria) eq(uitata) c(oram) l(audata) / cui praeest G(aius) Silv(ius) / Auspex praef(ectus) (‘For the goddess Minerva, the Second Cohort of Tungrians, a thousand strong, part-mounted, publicly praised, (set this up) under the command of the prefect Gaius Silvius Auspex’). RIB I, p.645

RIB 2105: Fragment of an altar for Neptune found on site XXII West, in the fort of Birrens, in 1937. D(eo) Nept/[un]o Cl(audius) / [ ̣ ̣ ̣] (‘For the god Neptune, Claudius […’). RIB I, p.646

RIB 2106: Slab with a horned god naming Priapus probably found at Birrens before 1811. [P]ṛiapi m(entula) (‘Phallus of Priapus’). RIB I, p.646

RIB 2107: Altar for Ricagambeda found at Birrens around 1812. Deae Ricagam/bedae pagus / Vellaus milit(ans) / coh(orte) II Tung(rorum) / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito) (‘For the goddess Ricagambeda, (the men of) the Vellavian canton serving in the Second Cohort of Tungrians willingly and deservedly fulfilled a vow’). RIB I, p.646

RIB 2108: Altar for Viradecthis found at Birrens before 1772. Deae Viradec/thi pa[g]us Con/drustis milit(ans) / in coh(orte) II Tungror(um) sub Silvi/o Auspice praef(ecto) (‘For the goddess Viradecthis, (the men of) the Condrusian canton serving in the Second Cohort of Tungrians under the prefect Silvius Auspex (set this up)’). RIB I, p.646

RIB 2109: Altar for the gods and goddesses found at Birrens c.1812. Dib(us) De/ab(us)q(ue) / omnib(us) / Frument/ius mil(es) coh(ortis) II / Tungr(orum) (‘For all the gods and goddesses, Frumentius, a soldier of the Second Cohort of Tungrians, (set this up)’). RIB I, p.647

RIB 2110: Dedication slab for Antoninus Pius found in the HQ building at Birrens in 1895. Imp(eratori) Caes(ari) T(ito) A[el(io)] Hadr(iano) / An[to]nino Aug(usto) [Pio po]nt(ifici) / max(imo) [tr]ib(unicia) pot(estate) XXI co(n)s(uli) IIII / coh(ors) II [Tung]r(orum) m[i]l(liaria) eq(uitata) c(oram) l(audata) / sub Iu[lio Vero] leg(ato) Aug(usti) pr(o) pr(aetore) (‘For the Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, pontifex maximus, in the twenty-first year of tribunician power, four times consul, the Second Cohort of Tungrians, a thousand strong, part-mounted, (?)publicly praised, (set this up) under Julius Verus, emperor’s propraetorian legate’). RIB I, p.647

RIB 2111: Fragment of a dedication slab for Antoninus Pius found at Birrens in 1895. [I]m[p(eratori) C(aesari)] / [T(ito) Ael(io) Hadriano] / An[tonino Aug(usto)] / [Pio p(atri) p(atriae) pont(ifici) max(imo)] / […] (‘For the emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, father of his country, Chief Priest,…’). RIB I, p.648

RIB 2112: Building stone of the Sixth Legion Victrix found at Birrens in 1895. leg(io) VI Vi[c(trix)] (‘The Sixth Legion Victrix (built this)’). RIB I, p.648

RIB 2113: Building stone of the Sixth Legion Victrix found in the old church at Hoddom in 1915. leg(io) VI Vic(trix) (‘The Sixth Legion Victrix (built this)’). RIB I, p.648

RIB 2114: Building stone of the Twentieth Legion (Valeria) Victrix found before 1772 at Birrens. Now lost. legio XX Vict(rix) (‘The Twentieth Legion (Valeria) Victrix (built this)’). RIB I, p.649

RIB 2115: Tombstone found at Birrens before 1772. D(is) M(anibus) / Afutiano / Bassi (filio) or/dinato / coh(ortis) II Tung(rorum) / Flavia Baeti/ca coniunx / fac(iendum) curavit (‘For the spirits of the departed (and) for Afutianus, son of Bassus, centurion of the Second Cohort of Tungrians, Flavia Baetica, his wife, had this set up’). RIB I, p.649

RIB 2116: Fragment found at Birrens before 1772. Now lost. […]AXAN[…] / […]CONIS[…] (‘?’). RIB I p.649

Discussion

Two double-strength, part-mounted cohorts are attested here, as would be expected for an outpost fort. The one most commonly attributed – cohors II Tungrorum – contained a substantial Raetian component after being posted to that province during the 2nd century AD and recruiting locally. Whether all or just part of the unit went there is disputed, arguments focusing on the substitution of a praefectus for the more usual tribunus as commander (with its implied status difference: a tribunus would be normal for a double-strength unit). This resulted in men from two different cantons (Condrusia and Vellavia) retaining a distinct identity within the unit, to judge from their inscriptions. The journey back from Raetia, with its inevitable sea voyage, may account for an altar for Neptune. The unusual deities Herimella, Ricagambeda, and Viradecthis all presumably originate in this distant province, as did the architectus (engineer) Gamidiahus. Another engineer, Amandus, is also recorded as a trainee engineer (discens architectus) at Iversheim in Germany, where there was a battery of lime kilns, reminding us that there was a large deposit of limestone near Birrens and that the reconstruction of Hadrian’s Wall under Septimius Severus produced a concomitant demand for large quantities of lime mortar. Amandus set up a conveniently ambiguous statuette to Brigantia, who was possibly a local deity in both northern Britain and Raetia (the Roman name of the fort at Bregenz in Austria was Brigantia). Building activity by both legiones VI Victrix and XX Valeria Victrix is attested.