Category:Roman Vindolanda

From Wikipedia:

Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary fort (castrum) just south of Hadrian's Wall in northern England. Located near the modern village of Bardon Mill, it guarded the Stanegate, the Roman road from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. It is noted for the Vindolanda tablets, among the most important finds of military and private correspondence (written on wooden tablets) found anywhere in the Roman Empire.

Naming

It is surmised that the naming of the fort was taken from a local Picto/Celtic tribe, the Fionn.

Many of the families of this outpost are known from the recently translated Vindolanda tablets. The region produced many soldiers of later renown including regional governors and the ancestors of later emperors. Among the soldiers stationed here were Sarmatians, Dacians, Albanians, Africans, Syrians, and Gauls (Franco Spanish). It appears also that the reference to Vindolanda may have led to scribal errors and scholarly disagreement with regard to the national identity of many early heros and legendary kings due to the similarity between Vindolanda, Vinland, Vendland, Finnland, Fionn, and Vandal.

Years of Operation

• c. 85-92 AD, first fort constructed.
• c. 92-7 AD, fort enlargement.
• c. 97-103 AD, further fort enlargements.
• c. 104-120 AD, hiatus and re-occupation.
• c. 120-130 AD

Vindolanda

Vindolanda Tablets