[ 40 J 
that upon its firft arrival it made no flop in the 
fouth, but marched dire&ly by the ufual rout to 
lhidf iaris vallum ; fince there are feveral infcriptions 
upon and near the wall, both in Northutnberland 
and Cumberland , wherein this legion is mentioned. 
And in the following reign of Antoninus Pius we 
find, by feveral other infcriptions, that it was in Scot- 
land, and had a fhare in building the wall there (i). 
Not long after it might very probably be Rationed at 
York, where Ptolemy places it (2), who lived under 
the next emperor Marcus Aurelius , as we learn from 
Suidas (3). The legion therefore being thus fettled, 
Marcus Minucius might then think it a proper time to 
pay his vows, formerly made to thofe deities, whom 
he addreffes in the infcription cut upon this altar. 
I thought it neceflary to give this view of the 
matter, for the fake of obviating an obje&ion, 
which poflibly may be made, as well with regard 
to the time of ere&ing the altar, as to the perfon, 
by whom it was erefted. What I more efpecially 
refer to, is the form of the letters g and l, as 
they appear upon the altar. For altho they are 
found in the like fliape in feveral Britifh infcriptions 
published by Horjley , yet none of thofe feem to be 
altogether fo antient. There is one with the g, 
which that writer is uncertain, whether to refer to 
Commodus or Caracal-la (4). And another with the l 
plainly relates to the reign of Severus , by the names 
(1) See Horjley, Scotland , iv, VIT, xvm. 
( 2 ) Horjley , peg. 359* 
(2) In voc. H roM/nflifof, o KKttvJ'lof yjnuATurei^ 
( 4 ) Lancojhire , III. 
2 
