Condercum
Encyclopedia
Condercum was a Roman
fort
at modern-day Benwell
, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne
, England. It was the third fort on Hadrian's Wall
, after Segedunum (Wallsend
) and Pons Aelius
(Newcastle), and was situated 2 miles (3 km) to the west of the city. Today, nothing can be seen of the fort or its adjoining wall, as the site is covered by buildings and is crossed by the A186 Newcastle to Carlisle road. The remains of a small temple dedicated to Antenociticus
, a local deity, can be seen nearby, and the original causeway over the vallum
, or ditch, can also be seen.
to the west of Newcastle. The fort measured 570 feet (173.7 m) from north to south by 400 feet (121.9 m) east to west and the defences enclosed an area of just over 5 acres (2 ha). It was a cavalry fort, and had three gates leading to the north of the wall. There were two side gates, facing east and west, through which the Roman military road, running along the south side of the wall, entered and exited. There was also a south-facing gate that led to a causeway that crossed the vallum. The causeway had a gateway, halfway across which was closed by doors. The fort contained a commandant’s house, headquarters, two granaries, workshops, barracks, stables and a hospital.
). It is believed that it was built between 122 AD and 124 AD. Soldiers from the Twentieth Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix
) were apparently responsible for some additional building or repair work at Benwell in the late-2nd century.
The fort contained two granaries, and it is known that these were built by a detachment from the British Fleet, probably because the legionnaires responsible for construction of the fort had been called away. It is likely that the detachment was sent from nearby Arbeia
, in modern-day South Shields
.
In the 2nd century Condercum was garrisoned by the Cohors I Vangionum Milliaria Equitata, which was a part-mounted unit from Upper Germany
. This had a nominal strength of one thousand men, but it is likely that only half of this number occupied the fort. It is thought that from AD 205 to AD 367, a five-hundred-strong auxiliary cavalry unit (Ala Primae Hispanorum Asturum), from the Astures tribe in northern Spain, was stationed at the fort.
, grew up around the fort, lying to the north and south of the vallum. The remains of three notable buildings were found near the fort.
A number of altar-stones have been found at the site, dedicated to various gods. Three of the altars were dedicated to Antenociticus
, who is believed to be a Celtic deity
.
A hundred yards to the east of the fort, the remains of a temple dedicated to Antenociticus
, believed to be a local Celtic deity
, can still be seen. The building, which was discovered in 1862, measures 15 feet (4.6 m) from east to west and 20 feet (6.1 m) from north to south, with an apse
extending a further six feet on the south end. It is believed that the apse contained a life-size statue of the god, as a full size head was found, together with the fragments of an arm and a leg. The head was adorned with a Celtic neck torc
. The temple also contained three altars to Antenociticus.
Three hundred yards to the southwest of the fort, a bathhouse
was discovered in 1751. The building had several rooms, which were probably the hot and cold rooms and dressing rooms normally found in such bathhouses.
Just south of the vallum causeway, a third building was found. This was a large domestic building, believed to be a mansio
, or resthouse for official travellers.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
fort
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
at modern-day Benwell
Benwell
Benwell is an area in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.-History:Benwell village was recorded in A.D. 1050 known as Bynnewalle which roughly translates as "behind the wall" or "by the wall". Referring to its position relative to Hadrian's Wall...
, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England. It was the third fort on Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
, after Segedunum (Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
) and Pons Aelius
Pons Aelius
Pons Aelius or Newcastle Roman Fort was an auxiliary castra and small Roman settlement on Hadrian's Wall in the Roman province of Britannia Inferior...
(Newcastle), and was situated 2 miles (3 km) to the west of the city. Today, nothing can be seen of the fort or its adjoining wall, as the site is covered by buildings and is crossed by the A186 Newcastle to Carlisle road. The remains of a small temple dedicated to Antenociticus
Antenociticus
In Romano-British worship, the local god Antenociticus, also recorded as "Anociticus" at the same temple site in Benwell, was possibly worshipped as source of inspiration and intercession in military affairs.-Centres of worship:...
, a local deity, can be seen nearby, and the original causeway over the vallum
Vallum
Vallum is a term applied either to the whole or a portion of the fortifications of a Roman camp. The vallum usually comprised an earthen or turf rampart with a wooden palisade on top, with a deep outer ditch...
, or ditch, can also be seen.
Description
The remains of the fort lie on Hadrian's WallHadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
to the west of Newcastle. The fort measured 570 feet (173.7 m) from north to south by 400 feet (121.9 m) east to west and the defences enclosed an area of just over 5 acres (2 ha). It was a cavalry fort, and had three gates leading to the north of the wall. There were two side gates, facing east and west, through which the Roman military road, running along the south side of the wall, entered and exited. There was also a south-facing gate that led to a causeway that crossed the vallum. The causeway had a gateway, halfway across which was closed by doors. The fort contained a commandant’s house, headquarters, two granaries, workshops, barracks, stables and a hospital.
Construction and garrison
It is known from several building inscriptions that the defences of the fort at Benwell were built by soldiers from the Second Augustan Legion (Legio II AugustaLegio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
). It is believed that it was built between 122 AD and 124 AD. Soldiers from the Twentieth Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix
Legio XX Valeria Victrix
Legio vigesima Valeria Victrix was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus some time after 31 BC. It served in Hispania, Illyricum, and Germania before participating in the invasion of Britannia in 43 AD, where it remained and was active until at least the beginning of the 4th century...
) were apparently responsible for some additional building or repair work at Benwell in the late-2nd century.
The fort contained two granaries, and it is known that these were built by a detachment from the British Fleet, probably because the legionnaires responsible for construction of the fort had been called away. It is likely that the detachment was sent from nearby Arbeia
Arbeia
Arbeia was a large Roman fort in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England, now ruined, and which has been partially reconstructed. It was first excavated in the 1870s and all modern building on the site were cleared in the 1970s. It is managed by Tyne and Wear Museums as Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum.-...
, in modern-day South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
.
In the 2nd century Condercum was garrisoned by the Cohors I Vangionum Milliaria Equitata, which was a part-mounted unit from Upper Germany
Germania Superior
Germania Superior , so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a province of the Roman Empire. It comprised an area of western Switzerland, the French Jura and Alsace regions, and southwestern Germany...
. This had a nominal strength of one thousand men, but it is likely that only half of this number occupied the fort. It is thought that from AD 205 to AD 367, a five-hundred-strong auxiliary cavalry unit (Ala Primae Hispanorum Asturum), from the Astures tribe in northern Spain, was stationed at the fort.
Other buildings
There is evidence that a village, or vicusVicus (Rome)
In ancient Rome, the vicus was a neighborhood. During the Republican era, the four regiones of the city of Rome were subdivided into vici. In the 1st century BC, Augustus reorganized the city for administrative purposes into 14 regions, comprising 265 vici. Each vicus had its own board of...
, grew up around the fort, lying to the north and south of the vallum. The remains of three notable buildings were found near the fort.
A number of altar-stones have been found at the site, dedicated to various gods. Three of the altars were dedicated to Antenociticus
Antenociticus
In Romano-British worship, the local god Antenociticus, also recorded as "Anociticus" at the same temple site in Benwell, was possibly worshipped as source of inspiration and intercession in military affairs.-Centres of worship:...
, who is believed to be a Celtic deity
Celtic polytheism
Celtic polytheism, commonly known as Celtic paganism, refers to the religious beliefs and practices adhered to by the Iron Age peoples of Western Europe now known as the Celts, roughly between 500 BCE and 500 CE, spanning the La Tène period and the Roman era, and in the case of the Insular Celts...
.
A hundred yards to the east of the fort, the remains of a temple dedicated to Antenociticus
Antenociticus
In Romano-British worship, the local god Antenociticus, also recorded as "Anociticus" at the same temple site in Benwell, was possibly worshipped as source of inspiration and intercession in military affairs.-Centres of worship:...
, believed to be a local Celtic deity
Celtic polytheism
Celtic polytheism, commonly known as Celtic paganism, refers to the religious beliefs and practices adhered to by the Iron Age peoples of Western Europe now known as the Celts, roughly between 500 BCE and 500 CE, spanning the La Tène period and the Roman era, and in the case of the Insular Celts...
, can still be seen. The building, which was discovered in 1862, measures 15 feet (4.6 m) from east to west and 20 feet (6.1 m) from north to south, with an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
extending a further six feet on the south end. It is believed that the apse contained a life-size statue of the god, as a full size head was found, together with the fragments of an arm and a leg. The head was adorned with a Celtic neck torc
Torc
A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large, usually rigid, neck ring typically made from strands of metal twisted together. The great majority are open-ended at the front, although many seem designed for near-permanent wear and would have been difficult to remove. Smaller torcs worn around...
. The temple also contained three altars to Antenociticus.
Three hundred yards to the southwest of the fort, a bathhouse
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
was discovered in 1751. The building had several rooms, which were probably the hot and cold rooms and dressing rooms normally found in such bathhouses.
Just south of the vallum causeway, a third building was found. This was a large domestic building, believed to be a mansio
Mansio
In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.-Background:The roads which traversed the Ancient World, were later surveyed,...
, or resthouse for official travellers.