Arbeia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum |
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| Tyne and Wear, England, UK | |
Reconstructed gateway
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 Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum
Location in Tyne and Wear
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| Coordinates | 55°00′14″N 1°25′48″W / 55.004°N 1.430°W |
| Grid reference | NZ365679 |
Arbeia was a large Roman fort, also called a castra, located in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England. Today, it is mostly ruins, but some parts have been carefully rebuilt. This ancient site was first explored by archaeologists in the 1870s. All modern buildings were removed from the area in the 1970s to allow for more discoveries. Now, it is managed by Tyne and Wear Museums and is known as Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum.
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What Does "Arbeia" Mean?
The name "Arbeia" might have a few meanings. One idea is that it means "fort of the Arab troops." This could be because a group of boatmen from Mesopotamia, near the Tigris River, were stationed there. They were moved to Britain after Emperor Septimius Severus took control of the city of Singara in 197 AD.
Another possible meaning for "Arbeia" is "fort by a stream known for wild turnips." Both ideas give us clues about the fort's history and its surroundings.
History of Arbeia Fort
Building the Fort
Arbeia Fort was built in 129 AD. This was a few years after most of the forts along Hadrian's Wall were constructed. It was placed on a high point called the Lawe Top. From here, it overlooked the mouth of the River Tyne.
The fort was about four miles beyond the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall. Its main job was to protect the side of the wall and the important sea route that brought supplies to the wall and a small port nearby.
Changes Over Time
During the time of Emperor Antoninus Pius, when the Romans occupied Scotland, the number of soldiers at Arbeia was reduced. However, it became busy again early in the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161 to 180 AD).
Around 198 AD, the fort was greatly changed. A wall was built to divide the fort into two halves. The northern part was used to store supplies that arrived by sea. The southern part remained for the soldiers. These changes likely happened because of Emperor Septimius Severus's campaigns in Scotland (208–211 AD). Arbeia might have even been his main headquarters during these wars.
Arbeia as a Supply Base
Between 220 and 235 AD, new buildings were added to the southern part of the fort. These included a new principia, which was the headquarters building, and new barracks for soldiers. This was probably for a larger group of soldiers called the Cohors V Gallorum, which had about 1000 men.
The old headquarters building was turned into a granary, a place to store grain. Nine more granaries were built in the southern part, making a total of 24. These were the only permanent stone-built granaries found in Britain at that time. This shows that Arbeia became the main supply base for all of Hadrian’s Wall. It didn't just get supplies from the local area, but from far away by sea.
Later Years and Discovery
In the late 3rd century, people who lived in the vicus (a civilian settlement outside the fort) started moving inside the fort. This happened after some parts of the fort became empty.
Around 300 AD, after a fire, eight of the granaries were changed into barracks. The headquarters building was made bigger, and a large new praetorium, or commanding officer’s house, was built. The fort was finally left empty around 400 AD.
It is believed that King Oswin of Northumbria was born at this fort.
Arbeia Fort was unexpectedly discovered in 1875 by an amateur archaeologist. This discovery made national news because the items found were of such high quality. Archaeologists were surprised to find such treasures in the middle of an industrial town. Many people came to see the Roman remains. Even though some thought the finds were fake, more digging proved it was a truly amazing archaeological discovery.
Who Guarded Arbeia?
Different groups of soldiers were stationed at Arbeia over the years. These groups are called garrisons.
- The first garrison was the Ala Primae Pannoniorum Sabiniana. This was a cavalry (horse-riding) regiment of about 500 men from the Pannonian tribes, which is modern-day Hungary.
- Later, in the 2nd century, they moved to another fort called Onnum. Another cavalry regiment, the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum, took their place. These soldiers were from the Astures tribe in north-western Spain.
- Before 222 AD, after the Spanish cavalry moved to Benwell, they were replaced by the Cohors V Gallorum. This was a large infantry (foot soldier) regiment of about 1000 men, possibly from Fort Cramond in Scotland.
- The last group of soldiers at Arbeia was the Numerus Barcariorum Tigrisiensium. These were barge-men from the Tigris River in the Middle East. They were moved to Arbeia from Lancaster Roman Fort.
The Praetorium: Commander's House
The praetorium was the house where the commanding officer lived. The one built after 300 AD looked like fancy houses from the Mediterranean region. It had an atrium (an open entrance hall) that led to a courtyard with columns and a fountain. Most of the rooms were built around this courtyard.
Many rooms were decorated with beautiful wall paintings called frescoes. The house also had its own private bath suite. These baths had hypocausts, which were underfloor heating systems, to keep the rooms warm.
Arbeia Museum
The museum at Arbeia has some special objects that show how diverse the people at the fort were.
- One monument is for a woman named Regina. She was British, from the Catuvellauni tribe. She was first a slave, then a freedwoman, and finally the wife of Barates. Barates was an Arab merchant from Palmyra (now in Syria). He missed her very much after she died at age 30, so he put up a gravestone for her. Barates himself is buried at a nearby fort called Corbridge.
- Another monument is for Victor, who was also a former slave. He was freed by Numerianus, a soldier from the Ala I Asturum. Numerianus arranged Victor's funeral with great care when Victor died at age 20. The stone says that Victor was "of the Moorish nation," meaning he was from North Africa.
The museum also has an altarpiece dedicated to a god that was previously unknown. There is also a stone tablet with the name of Emperor Severus Alexander (who died in 235 AD) scratched off. This is an example of damnatio memoriae, which means "condemnation of memory." It was a Roman practice to erase someone's public memory after they were disgraced.
Rebuilding Arbeia
In 1986, the West Gate of the fort was rebuilt. This was done to help visitors imagine what the fort looked like in Roman times. The reconstruction was based on careful research from the archaeological digs. The rebuilt parts stand exactly where the original Roman structures once were.
A Roman gatehouse, barracks (soldiers' living quarters), and the Commanding Officer's house have all been rebuilt on their original foundations. The gatehouse now has many displays about the fort's history. From its upper levels, you can get a great view of the entire archaeological site.
Images for kids
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Reconstructed gateway
See also
In Spanish: Arbeia para niños
