Petriana
Encyclopedia
Petriana was a Roman
fort
. It was the largest fort on Hadrian's Wall
, and is now buried beneath the village of Stanwix
, Cumbria
, England
.
, but on the Ravenna Cosmography
it is called Uxellodamo, whilst on the Rudge Cup
and the Amiens Skillet
it is called Uxelodum and Uxelodunum, respectively. The name Petrianis comes from the cohort that was stationed there. Uxelodunum, which appears to be a latinisation of a Celtic toponym
, is thought to mean High Fort.
) and five and a half miles east of Burgh by Sands
(Aballava
). It stands on a natural platform above the River Eden
. The fort measures about 580 foot north to south by 700 foot east to west, covering approximately 9.32 acres (3.77 ha), much larger than the other wall forts. The fort is adjacent to the Wall, which passes along its north side. Apparently the fort was intended to guard the Eden bridgehead and watch the important western route to and from Scotland.
The fort is now covered with buildings in the modern village of Stanwix.
In 1934 various objects were found which appeared to have been washed down into the river from the fort. These included brooches, mountings for cavalrymen’s uniforms and harness.
The Vallum has been traced to a point just short of the south-east angle of the fort.
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...
. It was the largest 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...
, and is now buried beneath the village of Stanwix
Stanwix
Stanwix is a district of Carlisle, Cumbria in North West England. It is located on the north side of River Eden, across from Carlisle city centre. Although long counted as a suburb it did not officially become part of the city until 1912 when part of the civil parish of Stanwix became part of the...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Roman name
The fort was called Petrianis in the Notitia DignitatumNotitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
, but on the Ravenna Cosmography
Ravenna Cosmography
The Ravenna Cosmography was compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around AD 700. It consists of a list of place-names covering the world from India to Ireland. Textual evidence indicates that the author frequently used maps as his source....
it is called Uxellodamo, whilst on the Rudge Cup
Rudge Cup
The Rudge Cup is a small enamelled bronze cup found in 1725 at Rudge, in Wiltshire. The cup was found down a well on the site of a Roman villa. It is important in that it lists five of the forts on the western section of Hadrian's Wall, thus aiding scholars in identifying the forts correctly...
and the Amiens Skillet
Rudge Cup
The Rudge Cup is a small enamelled bronze cup found in 1725 at Rudge, in Wiltshire. The cup was found down a well on the site of a Roman villa. It is important in that it lists five of the forts on the western section of Hadrian's Wall, thus aiding scholars in identifying the forts correctly...
it is called Uxelodum and Uxelodunum, respectively. The name Petrianis comes from the cohort that was stationed there. Uxelodunum, which appears to be a latinisation of a Celtic toponym
Celtic toponymy
Celtic toponymy is the study of place names wholly or partially of Celtic origin. These names are found throughout continental Europe, the British Isles, Asia Minor and latterly through various other parts of the globe not originally occupied by Celts....
, is thought to mean High Fort.
Description
The fort is about eight miles west of the fort of Castlesteads (CamboglannaCamboglanna
Camboglanna was a Roman fort. It was the twelfth fort on Hadrian's Wall counting from the east, between Banna to the east and Uxelodunum to the west. It was almost west of Birdoswald, on a high bluff commanding the Cambeck Valley...
) and five and a half miles east of Burgh by Sands
Burgh by Sands
Burgh by Sands is a village and civil parish in the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England, situated near the Solway Firth. The parish includes the village of Burgh by Sands along with Longburgh, Dykesfield, Boustead Hill, Moorhouse and Thurstonfield....
(Aballava
Aballava
Aballava or Aballaba was a Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall, between Petriana to the east and Coggabata to the west...
). It stands on a natural platform above the River Eden
River Eden, Cumbria
The River Eden is a river that flows through Cumbria, England on its way to the Solway Firth.-Course of river:The Eden rises in Black Fell Moss, Mallerstang, on the high ground between High Seat, Yorkshire Dales and Hugh Seat. Here it forms the boundary between the counties of Cumbria and North...
. The fort measures about 580 foot north to south by 700 foot east to west, covering approximately 9.32 acres (3.77 ha), much larger than the other wall forts. The fort is adjacent to the Wall, which passes along its north side. Apparently the fort was intended to guard the Eden bridgehead and watch the important western route to and from Scotland.
The fort is now covered with buildings in the modern village of Stanwix.
Garrison
Because of the large size of the fort, it is thought to have housed a cavalry regiment, one thousand strong. This was almost certainly the Ala Petriana, the sole regiment of this size on the Wall. This was a distinguished auxiliary regiment, whose soldiers had been made Roman citizens for valour on the field of battle. It seems that the fort was given the name of its garrison, thus supplanting the earlier name of Uxelodunum.Excavations
Excavations were made in 1932-4, and the ditch for the south rampart was traced, as well as the Wall, which formed the north face of the fort. Barrack-like buildings were also found within the outline of the fort. In 1939 a large granary, lying east to west, was found in extending the local school-yard. In 1940 the south-west angle tower was found as well as the south and east walls.In 1934 various objects were found which appeared to have been washed down into the river from the fort. These included brooches, mountings for cavalrymen’s uniforms and harness.
The Vallum has been traced to a point just short of the south-east angle of the fort.