Grouyp 18a: the Wall proper
|
Serduno |
Wallsend |
10724 |
|
Condecor |
Benwell |
10724 |
|
Vindouala |
Rudchester |
10725 |
|
Onno |
Haltonchesters |
10725 |
|
Celumno |
Chesters |
10726 |
|
Brocoliti |
Carrawburgh |
10726 |
|
Velurticon |
Housesteads |
10727 |
|
Esica |
Greatchesters |
10727 |
|
Banna |
Birdoswald |
10728 |
|
Vxellodamo |
Stanwix |
10728 |
|
Aualaua |
Burgh-by-Sands |
10729 |
|
Maia |
Bowness-on-Solway |
10729 = 1075 |
The Cosmographer tells us that he is going to list a number of civitates joined in a straight line: this is clearly Hadrian’s Wall. The list complements that given in the Notitia Dignitatum (Occ. xl) and, at the western end, the partial lists given by the Rudge Cup and Amiens Patera. The list is therefore straightforward and relatively unambiguous. The Cosmographer omits Magnis, Carvoran, as this is slightly to the south of the Wall proper, and he has already named this at 10711. He also omits Camboglanna, Castlesteads, for similar reasons (it occurred at 10711 but will recur at 10736).
This list begins at Segeduno, Wallsend, where the Notitia begins the list per lineam ualli (‘along the line of the Wall’). The Cosmographer then continues in a westerly direction, omitting Ponte Aelii, Newcastle upon Tyne (Notitia Dignitatum occ. xl.34), although why he should do so is not clear. Next come Conderco, Benwell, Vindobala, Rudchester, Onno, Haltonchesters, Cilurno, Chesters, and Brocolitia, Carrawburgh. Vercouicium is proven epigraphically at Housesteads (RIB 1594), Aesica is Greatchesters and Banna, Birdoswald, also proven epigraphically (RIB 1905; Hassall 1976, 113 was the first to make this connection). Castlesteads is omitted as it has already been named, although the Cosmographer names it a second time while enumerating sites in the Scottish lowlands (10736). This name may have been written north of the Wall so that it could have been read earlier as the termination of a road and later as somewhere else to the north of the Wall. Aballaua is Burgh-by-Sands, *Concauata, Drumburgh (Notitia Dignitatum occ. xl.48), being omitted, perhaps in error, and Maia, which had already been listed amongst the forts of the Cumbrian coast (1075) is repeated.
Group 18b: an outpost of the Wall
|
Fanococidi |
Bewcastle? |
10730 |
With this name we leave the line of the Wall as it occurs in neither the Notitia Dignitatum nor the Rudge Cup and Amiens Patera. However, the Cosmographer does not inform us of this change. The cult of Cocidius, whose shrine (Latin fanum) is commemorated in the name, seems to have been centred near Bewcastle (Jones & Mattingly 1990, 275), which is the reason for identifying the site of *Fanococidii with this fort. The identification appears to have been accepted by most modern writers, but it must be emphasised that it is conjectural.