18. A visit from the Emperor Hadrian 19. A campaign in Britain A.D. 208-211 mentioned in the following passage from the historian Ælius Spartianus, alluding apparently to the building of the famous wall across the island. He went to Britain, where he corrected many things, and built a wall eighty miles long to divide the Romans from the barbarians.' Affairs being settled in Britain, he crossed to Gaul, which was disturbed by the sedition of Alexandrinus. Seventy-five years later the Emperor Severus conducted a milita campaign against certain turbulent tri' esmen in 1 itain. This is described by the hisian Herodian, a contemporary of Severus. While Severus thus grieved at the dissolute life of his sons and their unbecoming attachment to public spectacles, he received letters from the prefect of Britain, relating that the barbarians there were in a state of insurrection, overrunning the country, carrying off booty, and laying everything waste; so that for defense of the island there was need of either greater force or of the presence of the Emperor himself. Severus heard this with pleasure. By nature a lover of glory, and anxious, after his victories in the East and North and his consequent titles, to obtain a trophy from the Britons, willing, moreover, to withdraw his sons from Rome that they might grow up in the sobriety and discipline of a military life far removed from the blandishments and luxuries prevalent there, he ordered an expedition against Britain, although now old and laboring under an arthritic affection, but as to his mind vigorous beyond any youth. For the most part he performed the march carried in a litter, nor did he ever continue long in one place. Having completed the journey with his sons and crossed over the sea more quickly than could be described or expected, he advanced 1 Every one should read the Roman British stories in Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill. They are of course fanciful, and must not be taken as exact history, but they probably represent very well the actual state of things at that time. against the Britons, and having drawn together the soldiers from all sides and concentrated a vast force, he prepared for the war. The Britons, much struck with the sudden arrival of the Emperor, and learning that such a mighty force was collected against them, sent ambassadors, sued for peace, and were willing to excuse their past transgressions. But Severus, purposely seeking delay that he might not return to Rome without his object, and, moreover, desirous to obtain from Britain a victory and a title, sent away their ambassadors without effecting their purpose, and prepared all things for the contest. He more especially endeavored to render the marshy places stable by means of causeways, that his soldiers treading with safety might easily pass them, and, having firm footi fight to advantage. For many parts of the British countr being constantly flooded by the tides of the ocean, become marshy. In these the natives are accustomed to swim and wade about, being immersed as high as their waists. ... When everything appeared to Severus sufficiently arranged for the war, leaving his younger son, named Geta, in that part of the island which was subjugated to the Romans for the purpose of administering justice and directing other civil matters of the government, giving him as assessors the more aged of his friends, and taking Antoninus with himself, he led the way against the barbarians. The Notitia Dignitatum, or list of officials of the Roman Empire, a document drawn up about A.D. 400, mentions among the several thousand offices which it names a considerable number which were established in Britain. The names and characters of the offices seem to have been exactly the same there as in Gaul, Spain, Italy, Africa, Greece, and other parts of the Empire, and bring out with great clearness the fact that Britain was an integral part of the wide Roman dominions. The offices named are naturally of a military character, though equipped with a great force of clerks, collectors, and 20. List of Roman officials and other civil officers and subordinates. Some passages from Under the Count of the Sacred Bounties are the accountant of the general tax of the Britons, the prefect of the storetheir subor- houses at London, the procurator of the weaving house at Winchester in Britain. dinates in Britain Duke of the four British provinces Troops along the wall The same Honorable Count has a staff as follows: a chief of staff from the office of the master of the imperial infantry, two receivers of taxes from the office above mentioned, a custodian from the office above mentioned, a chief deputy, a chief assistant, an assistant, a keeper of records; secretaries. Under the charge of the Honorable Duke of the Britains are the prefect of the sixth legion, the prefect of the Dalmatian cavalry at Presidium, the prefect of the Crispian cavalry at Doncaster, the prefect of the Catafractian cavalry at Morbium, the prefect of the band of Tigrisian Barcars at Arbeia, the prefect of the band of the Dictensian Nervii at Dictis, the prefect of the guards at Concangis, the prefect of the band of scouts at Lavatræ, the prefect of the band of guides at Verteræ, the prefect of the band of defenders at Brougham, the prefect of the band of Solensii at Maglonæ, the prefect of the band of Pacensians at Magis, the prefect of the band of Longovicarii at Longovicis, the prefect of the Petrurian band of supervisors at Derventio. Likewise, along the line of the wall are the tribune of the fourth cohort of the Lingones at Segedunum, the tribune of the first cohort of the Cornovii at Pons Ælii, the prefect of the first wing of the Asturians at Condercum, the tribune of the first cohort of the Frisians at Vindobala, the prefect of the Savinian wing at Hunnum, the prefect of the second wing of the Asturians at Cilurnum, the tribune of the first cohort of the Batavians at Procolitia, the tribune of the first cohort of the Tungrians at Borcovicus, the tribune of the fourth cohort of the Gauls at Vindolanum, the tribune of the first cohort of the Asturians at Esica, the tribune of the second cohort of the Dalmatians at Magnæ, the tribune of the first Ælian cohort of the Dacians at Ambloglanna. Under the charge of the Honorable Vicar of the Britains are Tax officers the consulars of Maxima Cæsariensis, of Valentia, of Britan- of the four nia Secunda, of Flavia Cæsariensis. The Honorable Vicar of the Britains has a staff as follows: a chief of staff from the body of confidential agents of the first class, a chief deputy, two receivers of taxes, a chief clerk. Of the many hundred Roman inscriptions on stone tablets, tiles, altars, and metal plates, the following have been chosen to represent the most familiar classes: those found along the line of the wall and recording the progress of its construction, those found on dedicatory altars, those recording the performance of some vow, and those placed on funeral monuments. They are naturally most often of a religious or memorial character; the more ordinary affairs of life unfortunately left no such record. British provinces In honor of the Emperor Cæsar Titus Ælius Hadrianus 21. Typical Antoninus Augustus Pius, the father of his country. A com- inscriptions pany of the Twentieth Legion, the Valiant-Victorious, exe cuted 4411 paces. To Jupiter best and greatest, and to the gods and goddesses On a housewho preside over the household, and to the penates, for the hold altar preservation of the health of himself and his family, Publius Ælius Marcianus, prefect of a cohort, dedicated and consecrated this altar. To the god best and greatest, the unconquerable Mithras, An altar to lord of ages, Publius Proculinus, centurion, for himself and his Mithras son Proculus, performs his vow willingly and dutifully, in the consulship of our lords Gallus and Volusianus. To the gods of the shades. For Julia Veneria, aged thirty- On a tombthree years, Alexander, her most attached husband, and Julius stone Belicianus, her son, caused this monument to be made. A glimpse of Christianity in Roman Britain is to be found in the list of the signers of the canons adopted at the Council of Arles, in Gaul, held in A.D. 314; alongside of the bishops of certain cities of Gaul are to be found the following representatives of the Christian church in Britain. Eborius, bishop of the city of York in the province of Britain. Restitutus, bishop of the city of London, in the province above mentioned. Adelfius, bishop of the city of Carleon-on-Usk. Sacerdos, priest. Arminius, deacon. 23. Gildas' the decay and invasions of III. LATER ROMAN BRITAIN The decay of the province of Britain through the fourth and fifth centuries has left almost no traces in written records. The somewhat fanciful descriptions of Gildas, who lived in Britain, and wrote about A.D. 550, and a few scattered references in continental chronicles, are the nearest we have to contemporary history. After this, Britain is left deprived of all her soldiery and description of armed bands, of her cruel governors, and of the flower of her youth, who went with Maximus, but never again returned; and utterly ignorant as she was of the art of war, she groaned in amazement for many years under the cruelty of two foreign nations the Scots from the northwest, and the Picts from the north. the province The Britons, rendered desperate by the assaults of the Scots and Picts, their hostilities and dreadful oppressions, send ambassadors to Rome with letters, entreating in piteous terms the assistance of an armed band to protect them, and offering loyal and ready submission to the authority of Rome, if they only would expel their invading foes. A legion is immediately sent, forgetting their past rebellion, and provided sufficiently with arms. When they had crossed over the sea and landed, they came at once to close conflict with their cruel enemies, and slew great numbers of them. All of them were driven beyond the |
