Magnis (Carvoran) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Magnis |
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_Roman_Fort_-_north_boundary,_and_Corvoran_Roman_Army_Museum_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1374187.jpg)
Carvoran (Magna) Roman Fort - north boundary; and Corvoran Roman Army Museum
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 Location in Northumberland
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| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54°59′06″N 2°31′28″W / 54.9849°N 2.5244°W |
| Place name | Carvoran |
| County | Northumberland |
| Country | England |
| Reference | |
| UK-OSNG reference | NY665656 |
Magnis, also called Magna, was an important Roman fort. It was located near Hadrian's Wall in northern England. Today, its ruins are known as Carvoran Roman Fort. You can find them near Carvoran, in Northumberland.
This fort was built on the Stanegate, an old Roman road. The Stanegate connected Coria (Corbridge) in the east to Luguvalium (Carlisle) in the west. Magnis was built even before Hadrian's Wall existed. Today, the Roman Army Museum is located at this fort site.
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What's in a Name?
The fort at Carvoran is usually called 'Magnis'. This name appears in ancient Roman documents like the Ravenna Cosmography and the Notitia Dignitatum. We also know the name from a broken stone carving found long ago. This carving mentioned "numerus Magne<c>e(n)s(ium)", which means "of the unit of Magn[...]".
The name could be Magni or Magna. Even though the fort was not very big, it is sometimes called "Magna," which means "great" or "large." One idea is that the name comes from an old Celtic word, maen. This word means "stone" or "rock."
The Roman Fort
Early Camps and Construction
Before the stone fort was built, there were several timber (wood) camps here. Pictures taken from the air show these older camps. There was also a large fenced area, about 8 acres big, below the later stone walls. The oldest things found here date back to the end of the 1st century AD.
Magnis was built around 80 AD. Its main job was to guard where the Maiden Way Roman road met the Stanegate. The Maiden Way ran north to south, and the Stanegate ran west to east. This means Magnis was an important fort even before Hadrian's Wall was built.
The Maiden Way road went south from Magnis to a place called Bravoniacum. Halfway between these two forts was Whitley Castle, also known as Epiacum.
Roman Soldiers at Magnis
Around 120 AD, a special group of 500 archers came to Magnis. They were called the Cohors Prima Hamiorum Sagittaria. These archers were from a place called Hama. They were the only group of archers known to be stationed in Britain.
Hadrian's Wall was built starting in 122 AD. It passed just a few hundred yards north of the fort. The Wall's big ditch, called the Vallum, was also dug north of the fort. This ditch separated Magnis from the Wall and the main frontier area. For some reason, the Vallum was dug much further north of the fort than it needed to be.
Rebuilding the Fort
The fort was rebuilt with stone in 136-137 AD. This happened when the Antonine Wall was being built in what is now Scotland. More rebuilding work was done around 161 AD. After the Romans left the Antonine Wall, the same soldiers who were there during Hadrian's time came back to Magnis.
The Civilian Settlement
Outside the fort, there was a large civilian settlement called a vicus. This was like a small town where families of soldiers and traders lived. Surveys show that this settlement was on at least three sides of the fort. People who visited the ruins in the 1700s also noticed it. Many carvings found here show that people worshipped a god named Vitiris.
Discoveries at the Site
Archaeologists have found many interesting things at Magnis. One discovery was a 2-foot-long iron spearhead. It was found deep inside a well. Another famous find is a bronze grain-measure called a modius. This tool was used to measure grain.
The Vindolanda Trust now takes care of the site. It has special layers of soil that help preserve old organic materials. In 2023, a five-year excavation project began here. It is supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Roman Army Museum
Magnis is home to the Roman Army Museum. The Vindolanda Trust also runs this museum. Like the museum at Vindolanda, the Roman Army Museum was updated and reopened in 2011.
The museum shows what life was like on the northern edge of the Roman Empire. You can see real Roman artifacts, like weapons and tools. There are also life-size models and a 3D film. The film shows Hadrian's Wall as it was in the past and how it looks today. A large timeline explains the history of Hadrian's Wall.
One part of the museum is all about the emperor Hadrian himself. Another big area describes daily life in the Roman army. It shows this through the eyes of eight auxiliary soldiers. There's even a film showing what they did. A rare helmet crest is one of the special items on display.
