329 



the other in the west on the mouth of the river Deva, between 

 the estuaries of the Segeia and Belisama, on the Irish Channel, 

 and thus mark the second chief section of the Island in a 

 proportionately narrow spot between the two seas. Finally, the 

 preliminary strategic condition for Agricola's advance to the north 

 (Agric. 25), undertaken after the failure of the expedition against 

 Hibernia, which Agricola carefully disguises by clever wording 

 (Agric. 24), was the establishment of the colony of Eburacum 

 (York),* situated in the country of the Brigantes, in the natural 

 prolongation of the line of Lindum, and of the forts between 

 the mouth of the Tina and Ituna ; Tacitus, it is true, nowhere 

 mentions the name of Eburacum, and passes over the fact, 

 probably as something which needs no comment. At Eburacum, 

 undoubtedly and incontestably , were the standing quarters of the 

 Ninth Hispanic Legion and, since Hadrian, of the Sixth, which 

 took the place of the Ninth, after the annihilation of the latter. (1) 

 We need but mention the fact that the fortification by 

 Hadrian (2) of the line between the estuaries of the rivers Tina 

 and Ituna (the line Newcastle — Carlisle), the narrowest part of 

 the Island, and finally the building of the wall of Pius between 

 Clota and Bodotria (the fine Edinburgh — Glasgow), where 

 Agricola had already constructed and pvdled down again some 

 forts, (3) are only a repetition of the same strategic measures 

 by which the southern parts of the Island were gradually 

 occupied. On these two northern lines only, detachments 

 (vexillations) of the four Britain Legions were in garrison for a 

 time : the list of Cohorts and of Alae in charge of these lines, 

 is well known. 



* hi the sketch-map I have prepared to accompany this article, I have taken 

 the liberty of adding the position of Coccium f Riicliester ; J inasmuch as both 

 its command of the River Jtibble, and its extent and splendour in the Roman 

 period, when it upinars to have been occupied by an advance of the XX legion 

 fn/in Deva C Chester J, seem to shew its military importance as a parallel Station 

 to Eburacum (York J. These two places severed the North of Britain from the 

 South, even more completely than Chester and Lincoln had done. Calleva 

 fSilcltesterJ slwuld also have been shown on the sketch : it stands a short distance 

 North by East from Wincliester, The modern names are given in the map, for 

 greater clearness. J. B. 



1. C.I.L., VII, p.Cl. 2. C.I.L., VII, p. 9'J. 3. C.I.L., VII., p. 191. 



