32 Thk lloMAN Namf. for Birrkns. 



3. The Roman Name for Birrens. 



By Ur Chinnock. 



At the 011(1 of my paper on the Roman Roads in Britain I 

 asked if anyone conM exphiin tlie meaning of tlie Roman name 

 for Birrens — Blatiun Bolyium. After long search I hnd that the 

 hite Dr Edwin Guest (Origines Celticae) has suggested that it 

 means the "Field or District of the Belgians." In the second 

 Road given in the Antonine Itinerary, the tliree last stations 

 are called Luguballia, Castra Exploratornra, and Blatum Bolgium. 

 Camilen, the first of British Antiquaries, identified Luguballia 

 with Carlisle, and no one has since disputed the correctness of 

 his decision. Castra Exploratorum, or the t^couts' Camp, was 

 first identified with Netlierby by Horsley, and this is now 

 recognised to be correct. Since his time an inscription lias been 

 found at Netherliy which speaks of a riding school for cavalry 

 {Equpstris E.cercitatoria), an establishment peculiarly suitable 

 for the Scouts' Camp. All competent authorities, British and 

 foreign, now identify the last Station, Blatum, Bolgium, with 

 Middlebie or Birrens. About two miles from the site of the 

 Roman Station is that of the strong British fortress called 

 Birrenswark or Brunswark. Bryu is the Welsh for a liill. At 

 Birrens several altars have been dug up dedicated by soldiers of 

 the second coliort of the legion of the Tungri. This shows that 

 the Roman Emperor stationed that legion at Birrens. The Tuiigri 

 were a tribe of the Belgae, a nation which inlialjited tlie country 

 now known as the north of France and the kingdom of Belgium, 

 from the Seine to the Rhine. The modern town of 'J'oiigres in 

 Belgium derives its name from the Tungri. The Belgae were 

 also sometimes called tolgae or Bulgae. The name Blatum 

 Bolgium was evidently derived from some native or British 

 appellation which was adopted by the Romans. Now there are 

 four dialects still extant of the old British or Celtic language — 

 the Gaelic, the Irish, the Manx, and the Welsh. I consulted 

 the Gaelic, the Welsh, and the Manx dictionaries at Dr 

 Williams' library in Gordon Square, and at the library of 

 University College, but there is no such word to be found with 

 the appropriate meaning. In Gaelic there is the word blat, 

 meaning Ajlov^er, but this will not answer our purjiose. I went 

 to the Briti.sh Museum and consulted O'Reilly's Irish Dictionary, 

 and there I fouml what I wanted. Bla means " a town, village. 



