144 Hadrians Wall. [Sess. 



its military strength for more pressing needs on the Conti- 

 nent, and the garrison of the wall was correspondingly 

 reduced. In the face of more persistent attacks from the 

 Caledonians and the Saxons, every opening that could be 

 dispensed with had to be built up. 



Now let us leave the gateways and look at some of the 

 buildings in the interior of the station. The most important 

 of these is the structure known by the names of Forum or 

 Prretorium, which is an oblong enclosure having three en- 

 trances. It consists of two courts, the larger surrounded by 

 a colonnade of pillars. The colonnade, if not the entire 

 court, was roofed over, for in the Forum at Cilurnum there is 

 still in position the kerb-stone, with gutter-stones to carry off 

 the rain-water from the roof. The court was paved, and had 

 gates at either end, and in some cases a well. Its exact use 

 is not known. It may have been the market-place of the 

 station. The smaller court consisted of a broad open space, 

 and on the farther side of this a series of rooms, used for the 

 business of the regiment. In the centre was the sacellum or 

 official shrine of the regiment, where the military standards 

 were kept and the regimental treasure-chest. The latter was 

 usually accommodated in a vaulted chamber, partially under- 

 ground, and entered from the sacellum. It was known as 

 the Aerarium ( = treasury). There is evidence that a com- 

 pulsory savings bank was also lodged here, into which the 

 soldiers had to deposit a certain portion of their pay. 



In the Prsetorium at Borcovicus you can see the remains 

 of the colonnade of pillars which ran round the larger court, 

 the gutter-stones, and one of the entrances to the court. The 

 sacellum and orderly rooms I have alluded to were on the 

 right of this open space. This station is set on a hill, and 

 has an extensive view to the south. The hill between the 

 station and the public road is known as the Chapel Hill, for 

 near it was discovered one of the underground shrines used in 

 the worship of Mithras. 



In the Cilurnum Prsetorium are the remains of the pillars, 

 which are square and not circular as at Borcovicus. One can 

 see the vaulted treasury I spoke of extend from the sacellum. 

 The steps, by which the Forum was entered from the west, 

 still show the wearing by the Eoman feet, but that is better 



