Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/441

Rh their point of junction, the longest side lying north-cast and south-west. Of this camp considerable portions of three of the walls exist, the most perfect part being from the south-west corner, where a Roman multangular tower (Pl. I. and IV.) still remains, to the gate now called Bootham Bar. Between these two points the foundations of two towers and a small arched chamber (Pl. III.), which must have belonged to a third, have been discovered within these few years, Mr. Wellbeloved supposes that this chamber served as a place of deposit for arms or military stores. These towers are placed at regular intervals. No traces of any of the gates of the camp have been discovered, except at the modern entrance at Bootham Bar.

The structure of this wall, and of the multangular tower, has been ascertained, and is very minutely described by Mr. Wellbeloved. Both are built on piles of oak, and formed of courses of ashlar work, enclosing concrete, courses of bricks being inserted in the face of the ashlar at intervals in the usual manner of Roman masonry. The diameter of the interior of the tower is about 33 ft. 6 in. The lowest floor appears to have been of mortar; at the height of about 5 ft. are marks of a timber floor, and at the height of about 7 ft. 5 in. of another. This tower appears to have been divided in the interior into two equal portions by a wall. No other architectural remains have been brought to light within the Roman city; but in its suburbs, particularly those on the south-west and north-west sides, ruins of temples, baths, and other buildings have been discovered. Of tesselated pavements very few have been excavated, one partially preserved exists in the museum at York. Having traced the boundaries of the ancient city, Mr. Wellbeloved proceeds to give an account of the various Roman antiquities found at York. Of the inscribed monuments the most remarkable is a tablet (Pl. IX., fig. 2. p. 75.) recording the erection of a temple DEO SANCTO SERAPI by Hieronymianus, legate of the sixth legion, which Mr. Wellbeloved considers not later than the time of Severus,—a pedestal inscribed BRITTANNIÆ SANCTÆ, p. 92. which probably supported a statue of Britannia as she appears on the medallions of Antonius Pius, and a sepulchral tablet (Pl. XIII., p. 113) representing a Roman signifer or standard-bearer in bas relief standing in an arched recess, "having in his right hand a signum or standard of a cohort, in his left the vessel for holding the corn received by the Roman soldiers as pay;" this monument is inscribed with the name of L. Duccius Rufinus, signifer of the eighth legion. In the inscription on the base, we are disposed to read L(ucii) VOLT(inii) F(ilius) rather than L(ucii) VOLT(inia) (Tribu) F(ilius). The details of the standard and costume of this figure are curious but very rude.

Of the other inscriptions, the dedication by Marcianus to the Di Hospitales, p. 87, is published by Orell. Inscript. Latin. Select. Collectio, I., p. 317, No. 1675, where it is stated to be at Durham. Three explanations of the much disputed concluding letters, F.N C.D, on this monument are offered in that work; F(ecit) n(un)c D(edicavit), F(ecit) n(ummis) CCCC, and F(ecit) N(onis) D(ecembribus), N(O) being read instead of NC.

Some very interesting sepulchral remains have been preserved at York.