Locations around Vindolanda

There is also a text only version of the guide to place names mentioned in the Vindolanda texts.

Roll the mouse over the place names identified as mentioned in the Vindolanda Tablets to reveal more information.

Most of the locations referred to in the tablets are military sites, lying on the main routes running through northern England, often at river crossings. As well as their military role as garrisons, some of the sites became centres of local administration.

There is also a reference to London (Londinium) (154). By the early second century London was the centre of provincial administration in Britain, as well as an important port town, monumentalised by public buildings including the largest forum in Britain. Both the governor and the procurator (the chief financial official) were based in London. One Vindolanda tablet (310) is a letter to the governor's groom in London from his 'old messmate' (contubernalis antiquus). A detachment of 46 soldiers from Vindolanda also contributed to the governor's bodyguard. This was perhaps stationed in London but probably also accompanied the governor on tours of the province (154).

There are also references to Gaul (255) and Rome (283) as well as references to places not yet located. Briga was the home of a correspondent of Cerialis, Aelius Brocchus, probably also a prefect and his wife Claudia Severa. Cordonovi (or Cordonovae / Cordonovia) is only mentioned in the ablative case (299) so we do not know its nominative form. It was the source of oysters sent to a soldier as a gift (299) so might be a coastal town. The location of Ulucium, where a soldier asks if he might spend his leave (174), is also unknown.

Bremetennacum (Ribchester)

An auxiliary fort on the on the river Ribble and the road between Carlisle and Manchester, at its junction with a Transpennine route from York. The earliest fort was built in timber in AD 72/73 and after a renovation in the late first century AD was rebuilt in stone in the early second century. There was a fort on the site until the fourth century AD.

Cataractonium (Catterick)

A fort was established in the later first century at Catterick, perhaps under Agricola, where Dere Street crossed the river Swale. It was abandoned by the early second century, although a small town occupied the site from the mid second to the fourth century. The writer of one tablet (343), perhaps a trader supplying the army, is concerned for the delivery of a batch of hides at Catterick. As well as this letter, the large deposit of tannery waste found in the annexe of the early fort suggests that Catterick produced leather for much of the army of the northern frontier.

Coria (Corbridge)

The earliest Roman military installation at Corbridge, a possible supply base, lies west of the Roman town and was built during Agricola's campaigns into Scotland. The first fort on the site which later became the town was built c. AD 90 and a sequence of forts followed till the mid second century AD. Corbridge may also have served as a local tribal centre, but a military presence remained throughout the Roman period. The Vindolanda tablets supplied conclusive evidence for the Roman name of Corbridge, Coria, which was previously known only in a garbled form. It is the most frequently occurring place-name in the tablets after Vindolanda itself. Elements of the units garrisoned at Vindolanda were stationed at Corbridge (154), c. 17 miles from Vindolanda, and one soldier wished to take his leave there.

Eburacum (York)

A legionary fortress, base for the legion IX hispana from c. AD 70, replaced by Legio VI Victrix c. AD 120. The fortress remained at York until the end of the Roman period. In the early third century the civilian settlement which had grown up south of the Ouse was granted the title of colony. York was connected with several important later events, including the death of the emperor Septimius Severus in 211, while on campaign in Britain, and the proclamation of Constantine (the first Christian emperor) as emperor by his soldiers in 306.

Isurium (Aldborough)

The early history of Isurium is poorly understood. There were two Flavian forts a mile north-west of the town at Boroughbridge, where Dere Street crossed the river Ure There is some evidence of late first century occupation at Aldborough itself but it is not certain that it is military. The site later became the capital of the Brigantes, the main tribal grouping in northern Britain.

Luguvalium (Carlisle)

A timber fort was built at Carlisle in c. AD 72/73. After demolition in c. AD c103/105, a second timber fort was built, which in turn was replaced by a stone fort around AD 165. The earliest levels of the timber fortress have produced the largest number of ink writing tablets after Vindolanda. These suggest that the garrison could have been a cavalry unit, the ala Sebosiana. The centurio regionarius, a legionary centurion who was perhaps responsible for local administration, was stationed at Carlisle (250). Carlisle may also later have acted as a centre for a local tribal grouping, the Carvetii.

Vinovia (Binchester)

A Flavian fort on the river Wear controlled the bridge that carried Dere Street over the river. It has two timber phases before being rebuilt in stone perhaps in the early second century. The garrison contemporary with Vindolanda is not known, although later garrisons are recorded.