Blatobulgium was a Romanfort, located at the modern-day site known as Birrens, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. It protected the main western road to Scotland.
A map of Roman sites in northern Britain c. 84, including Blatobulgium (marked as 'Birrens').Roman forts and roads in the north of England around AD 130Plan of BlatobulgiumWestern edge of the fortBirrens Lidar image
It was one of the "outpost forts" outside the Roman Empire when the frontier was on Hadrian's Wall and was located about 11 miles from the Castra Exploratorum fort (Netherby, Cumbria).
Blatobulgium is recorded in the Antonine Itinerary. The name derives from the Brittonic roots *blāto- 'bloom, blossom' or *blāto- (from earlier *mlāto-), 'flour' and *bolgo-, 'bag, bulge'. The name may mean 'flowery hillock' or 'flowery hollow'. However, as there are granaries at the fort, Blatobulgium may be a nickname meaning 'Flour Sacks'.[1]
Historyedit
There are several camps near Birrens[2] at least one of which was first occupied in the Flavian period from 79 AD onwards probably during the Agricolan campaigns, when its internal buildings were presumably of timber.[3] Under Hadrian when the frontier was established on Hadrian's Wall soon after 122, a new fort was constructed as an outpost fort on the site of a late 1st century fortlet with central timber buildings and a large western annexe.[4] The visible fort and its internal buildings date from the Antonine period around 142 after the reconquest of the Scottish Lowlands when the earlier fort was rebuilt and enlarged to protect the western road to the Antonine Wall and to accommodate a nominally 1,000-strong milliaria equitata garrison of the 1st Cohort Nerviana Germanorum,[5] a mixed unit of cavalry and infantry of the auxiliary army. It was destroyed perhaps by enemy action around 155 and the replacement stone buildings, although of much poorer quality, in the second Antonine period dating to 159 onwards were for the new garrison of the 2nd Cohort of Tungrians, likewise milliaria equitata. From about 163 it was again an outpost of Hadrian's Wall and was finally abandoned by about 184.
The later fort formed the northern terminus of the Roman-era Watling Street (using an extended definition of this road), or more simply Route 2 of the Antonine Itinerary. It was located in the territory of the Selgovae.
Findsedit
There have been more inscribed and sculptured stones found at Birrens than anywhere else in Scotland.[6] An altar stone dedicated to the Celtic goddess Ricagambeda was found at Birrens.[7]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blatobulgium.
Referencesedit
^Rivet, A. L. F.; Smith, Colin (1981) [1979]. The Place-Names of Roman Britain. London: Book Club Associates. pp. 268–269.
See also Rivet, A. L. F.; Jackson, Kenneth (1970). "The British Section of the Antonine Itinerary". Britannia. 1: 69. JSTOR 525833.
The interpretations of the name are summarised by James, Alan G. (2014). (PDF). Vol. 2: Guide to the Elements. pp. 39, 42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2014.
^Keppie, Lawrence (1994). (PDF). Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society. 69: 35–51. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
^Hunter, Fraser; Carruthers, Martin. (PDF). Scottish Heritage Hub. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
blatobulgium, roman, fort, located, modern, site, known, birrens, dumfriesshire, scotland, protected, main, western, road, scotland, roman, sites, northern, britain, including, marked, birrens, roman, forts, roads, north, england, around, 130plan, western, edg. Blatobulgium was a Roman fort located at the modern day site known as Birrens in Dumfriesshire Scotland It protected the main western road to Scotland A map of Roman sites in northern Britain c 84 including Blatobulgium marked as Birrens Roman forts and roads in the north of England around AD 130Plan of BlatobulgiumWestern edge of the fortBirrens Lidar imageIt was one of the outpost forts outside the Roman Empire when the frontier was on Hadrian s Wall and was located about 11 miles from the Castra Exploratorum fort Netherby Cumbria Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Finds 4 ReferencesName editBlatobulgium is recorded in the Antonine Itinerary The name derives from the Brittonic roots blato bloom blossom or blato from earlier mlato flour and bolgo bag bulge The name may mean flowery hillock or flowery hollow However as there are granaries at the fort Blatobulgium may be a nickname meaning Flour Sacks 1 History editThere are several camps near Birrens 2 at least one of which was first occupied in the Flavian period from 79 AD onwards probably during the Agricolan campaigns when its internal buildings were presumably of timber 3 Under Hadrian when the frontier was established on Hadrian s Wall soon after 122 a new fort was constructed as an outpost fort on the site of a late 1st century fortlet with central timber buildings and a large western annexe 4 The visible fort and its internal buildings date from the Antonine period around 142 after the reconquest of the Scottish Lowlands when the earlier fort was rebuilt and enlarged to protect the western road to the Antonine Wall and to accommodate a nominally 1 000 strong milliaria equitata garrison of the 1st Cohort Nerviana Germanorum 5 a mixed unit of cavalry and infantry of the auxiliary army It was destroyed perhaps by enemy action around 155 and the replacement stone buildings although of much poorer quality in the second Antonine period dating to 159 onwards were for the new garrison of the 2nd Cohort of Tungrians likewise milliaria equitata From about 163 it was again an outpost of Hadrian s Wall and was finally abandoned by about 184 The later fort formed the northern terminus of the Roman era Watling Street using an extended definition of this road or more simply Route 2 of the Antonine Itinerary It was located in the territory of the Selgovae Finds editThere have been more inscribed and sculptured stones found at Birrens than anywhere else in Scotland 6 An altar stone dedicated to the Celtic goddess Ricagambeda was found at Birrens 7 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blatobulgium References edit Rivet A L F Smith Colin 1981 1979 The Place Names of Roman Britain London Book Club Associates pp 268 269 See also Rivet A L F Jackson Kenneth 1970 The British Section of the Antonine Itinerary Britannia 1 69 JSTOR 525833 The interpretations of the name are summarised by James Alan G 2014 The Brittonic Language in the Old North A Guide to the Place Name Evidence PDF Vol 2 Guide to the Elements pp 39 42 Archived from the original PDF on 11 September 2014 Birrens Blatobulgium Roman Fort https www roman britain co uk places blatobulgium Birrens https canmore org uk site 67099 birrens Birrens https canmore org uk site 67099 birrens Cohors Primae Nervana Germanorum milliaria equitata https www roman britain co uk regiments coh1ger Keppie Lawrence 1994 ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS AND SCULPTURE FROM BIRRENS A REVIEW PDF Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 69 35 51 Archived from the original PDF on 10 July 2018 Retrieved 9 July 2018 Hunter Fraser Carruthers Martin ScARF Summary Roman Presence Report PDF Scottish Heritage Hub Archived from the original PDF on 22 April 2016 Retrieved 28 April 2018 55 03 54 N 3 13 28 W 55 0651 N 3 2244 W 55 0651 3 2244 nbsp This Ancient Rome related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Scotland related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blatobulgium amp oldid 1202312513, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
