Tynemouth Priory, Roman altar

HER Number:
120

District:
N Tyneside

Site Name:
Tynemouth Priory, Roman altar

Place:
Tynemouth

Map Sheet:
NZ36NE

Class:
Religion or Ritual

Site Type: Broad:
Religious Structural Object

Site Type: Specific:
Altar

General Period:
Roman

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
Part of an altar, measuring 18 inches x 38 inches, was found, in 1783, in foundations on the north side of Tynemouth Priory. The decoration includes a figure, probably Hercules, with two snakes; and the inscription, I(oui) O(ptime) M(aximo)/Ael(ius) Rufus/praef(ectus) coh(ortis)/IIII Lingo/ num - "To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, Aelius Rufus, prefect of the Fourth Cohort of Lingonians (set this up)". It is assumed from the content of the inscription that this stone came from Wallsend. It is now at the Society of Antiquaries, London.

Easting:
373

Northing:
694

Grid Reference:
NZ373694

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 120 >> R.P. Collingwood & R.P. Wright, 1965, The Roman Inscriptions of Britain 1300 Illustration, Gent. Mag. Eugenio, 1786, LVI, 825, pl. II, 2-4 John Brand, 1787, Explanation of the Inscriptions on a Roman Altar...found 1783, Archaeologia VIII, pp. 326-8, pl. XXI, 1-3 Illustration, John Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle, II, p. 65 note i, pl. opp. p. 47, 11. Thomas Hodgson, 1822, observations on the Altar...found at Tynemouth in...1781, Archaeologia Aeliana, 1, I, pp. 231-7 A. Way, 1847, Catalogue of antiquities...of the Society of Antiquaries of London 7 Aemilius Huebner, 1873, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum VII, 493 J.C. Bruce, 1875, Lapidarium Septentrionale 1, pp. 9-10 H.H.E. Craster, ed. 1907, Tynemouth Priory, Northumberland County History, VIII, 36-7 and fig. 1