128 Inscribed Roman Stones of Dumfriesshire. 



to Luguvalliuni (Carlisle), by way of Viroconium (Wroxeter, near 

 Shrewsbury) and Ebitracum (York). From Luguvallium it is con- 

 tinued for 12 miles to Casira Exploratorum (usually identified 

 with Netherby), and for other 12 to Blatinn Bulgium (appar- 

 ently Birrens), where it stops. Another Iter, the First, also reaches 

 the north on the other side of the island, and strikes the line of 

 the Wall at Corstopitum (Corbridge, on the Tyne), whence it pro- 

 ceeds to Bremenium (High Rochester), a distance of 20 miles. It 

 deserves, however, to be noted that there is no mention of the 

 Southern Wall or the stations on it, or of Habitanciufii (Rising- 

 ham), a station nearly midway between Corstopitum and Bte- 

 meniiim. 



We are on firmer ground when we pass on to inquire how 

 early Birrens was a Roman station. A date is fixed for us by the 

 tablet found in the prsetorian buildings, which was set up there in 

 the year a.d. 158, the twenty-first of the reign of Antoninus Pius. 

 It does not, of course, follow that this was the year in which the 

 station was either founded or completed. It may be so ; but all 

 that can be affirmed for certain is that it was then held in 

 force by Roman auxiliary troops. The Disciplina altar certainly 

 points back to the preceding emperor, Hadrian, whose regulations 

 for all ranks in his army were exceedingly strict, and several of 

 whose coini; bear in consequence the legend, Disciplina Augusti. 

 It is true that the same legend is found on some of the coins, 

 probably early ones, of Pius. But this may be accounted for by 

 the supposition that the severity which marked the discipline of 

 Hadrian was continued by the heads of the army for years after 

 his presence no longer inspired it. It is not so likely, however, 

 that this severity Avould be singled out as an attribute of the mild 

 Pius, specially worthy of adoration ; althougli this is jJossible. We 

 may thus confidently place the erection of the altar l^etween A.D. 

 117 and A.D. 158. 



Whatever was the case in later times, Birrens appears to have 

 been at first an advanced position, intended to guard the approach 

 to the Southern or Lower Isthmus against the Caledonian foe. 

 Its proximity to the line which Hadrian made the northern 

 Lijiies of the Roman province of Britain, its resemblance in plan 

 to Cilurnum (Chesters) and other stations on that boundary line, 

 and its early date, all lead to this conclusion. Along with Castra 

 Exploratarmn it served the same purpose on the west as Habit- 



