The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-09-25

fetal of immense power). Many auxil-
larry troops served on the wall.
1t was the Roman policy not to
make slaves of conquered nation
but civilize them, and, when proficient
in the art of war, to draft them tc
take part in conquests abroad. The
young British soldiers excited much
surprise when trained to fight with
the Roman army abroad. Tacitus de
scribes them as being of great stature,
with large limbs and muscles, and
having easy management of powerful
weapons. He also remarks: They
are half a foot taller than the Gauls
and the Gauls are bulky race COM
pared to the Italians"
AS the young trained Britons were
carried abroad, so other conquered
tribes were brought to Britain. Span
ish cavalry, Balearic singers, Par
THAN bowmen and swarthy Numidians.
all probably helped the Roman and
Latin infantry in manning the wall.
Every four miles on the south side of
the great barrier was big station or
camp, covering several acres, with
guardrooms, barracks, stables, gov
ernors house, etc, and four gates
north, sourth east and west, the roads
from them crossing in the middle of
the station. There were % such sta
lions. There were also castles, joined
to the wall-these were known as
mile castles" being in almost every
case a Roman mile (seven-eighths of
other. A mile castle, however, always
protected any specially weak place.
On the wall, Also every fourth part
of a mile, turret, or watch-tower,
was placed about ten feet square;
thus, on a given alarm the whole wall
could be in arms from one end to the
other. The military way" wonder
full road south of the wall Ca protected
passage from station to station and
castle), ran the whole length Of the
wall, insuring quick journey for
troops, horses and provisions; part of
this road is still in use and in excel
lent preservation. 1t was originally
IS feet wide and raised some IL inches
towards the middle. The foundations
can be seen after heavy rain, the
stones placed edgeways.
On the same side of North Tyne as
the bridge, but some three-quarters of
a mile distant, further west, is a fine
piece of the wall at Brunton, where
the owner of the property kindly gives
permission to pass through his gar
den and inspect it. The wall is eight
feet high here, mortar still binds it to-
gether and trees are growing on the
wide top. The fosse, which may be
plainly traced in early summer, is
beautiful with its variety of wild flow.
ers and tangle of bramble and fern.
A turret is seen on the south side in
fine preservation, the wall CT it eight
feet high. Crossing the river we come
to the remains of the other abutment
of the bridge and the wonderful ex-
cavations of the station of Cilurnum.
This is considered to have been one of
the forts Of Agricola, an important
point commanding the North Tyne.
The four gateways can all be traced
the eastern gate being especially inter-
estihg. 1t was. as usual. double,
arched over the top, and the gates
shutting on the big stones in the cen
ter. On either side were guardrooms,
with doorway passing through to the
gates In one of the Cilurnum guard
room was found a diploma of Roman
citizenship in bronze, such ''tabulae"
as St. Paul would have possessed. Big
stabiing and barracks run near the
guardrooms. In the center of the sta
tion may be seen the remains of the
Forum, and the bases of the pillars
can be traced which once supported
the roof. under which the grain and
perishable goods were exposed for
sale The gutter below shows where
the water from the rooted shed was
carried off.
Passing from the citation towards
the river here. and ttill further south
Of the wall, a madvelous range OF
buildings has been unearthed. said to
have been the villa OF the officer com.
mandlng the garrison composed main
ly at Cilurnum) Of Asturian cavalry