Thomas Surridge

“ I was happily free, which probably was the cause of my being able to decipher the true meaning of the Altar inscription. To criticise the translation of a gentleman admitted (though reluctantly) to be a scholar, requires scholarship in my critic, who however he may be qualified to act as a pioneer, to wield the mattock and the spade for Archæological researches, should be cautious of wielding his pen, until he can show better credentials for the office he assumes, than rank nonsense attempted to be clothed in Dog-Latin. ”

“ According to the authority of Camden, Morpeth was the Roman Corstopitum, and according to the itinerary, the distance from Bremenium to Corstopitum was twenty Roman miles, equal to a little more than eighteen English miles, or the present distance of Risingham from Morpeth exactly. Besides, the portal inscription found at Risingham shows it to have been a station of some importance, and its sheltered situation would induce the supposition that it was, in all likelihood, selected for the head quarters of the Roman Army, and the residence of the Court. ”

“ Now, let us proceed to the Rochester inscriptions brought forward in support of the Archæological Society's statement, and, should these too, as I think they will, prove adverse to their opinion, that opinion should no longer be opposed to truth for the purpose of maintaining the existence, or nonexistence, of an empty name. ”

“ They bear irrefragible evidence that, in his second invasion of Britain, Cæsar aimed at its conquest, not as an empty name, and neither did he retire, nor was he compelled to retire, from it without first securing the conquest he had made. ”

“ Translation.
Under the favour of our and our Standards' Lord the Governor Lucilianus Quæstor (or Prætor) of the Augustan Legion (or Augustan Lieutenant) built this Altar to the Universal Manes of the 4th Legion and to the Gods of the Explorators of Britain of illustrious memory—Cassius Sabinianus the Tribune superintending. ”

“ And after the dedication of the Temple, which was typical of Christ, they were instructed by Solomon's dedication to look to the Holy Temple, or rather to the indwelling Saviour. Jerusalem lay due west of Babylon, and yet to it and not to the east their worship was always directed, as we find to be most remarkably instanced by the Prophet Daniel vi. ”

“ The Spartans, in order to guard their children against drunkenness, exposed to them slaves whom they had previously deprived of reason by intoxication, we may derive a Spartan lesson from Archæological explorations. ”

“ THOMAS SURRIDGE, Clerk, LL.D.
Rectory, Thorneyburn, Oct. 14, 1852.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWCASTLE JOURNAL.
Sir,—A good deal of difference in opinion has arisen respecting the deciphering of the inscription on the Roman Altar lately found at Rochester, in this county. A Southern Member of the Archæological Institute adopts and defends the reading of the two northern antiquaries, and we think he is perfectly warranted in doing so; it must be obvious to every one conversant in those matters that their reading is the correct one. ”

“ During the reign of Verus Ælius Cæsar, the first cohort of the Lingones dedicated this to Antoninus Pius, P. P. (a wise and good man,) and caused it to be erected, Quinctus Lollius, Urbicus [errata 8] (or City Prefect,) being Augustan Lieutenant and Proprætor. ”

“ Without this precaution, Archæological explorations and antiquarian research are expended in vain. Fanciful explanations, ad captandum, can only become an ignis fatuus, or mis-direction, leading the benighted traveller far out of the right way. ”

“ Page„ 18, line„ 6, read Corstopitum instead of Costopitum.
Page„ 18, lin„ 29, a note of interrogation should stand after purpose.
Page„ 19, 3rd line of expanded inscription, for LICINIVS TRI [BVNVS] read LICINIVS VALERIANVS TRIB [VNVS] . ”

“ The learned Doctor pretends to ridicule BREM standing for Bremenium, but for our part we think nothing is more likely than that the name of the city should be found as part of the inscription at whatever station the altar was erected. When every thing is considered, we confess that we can see no reasonable grounds for the Rev. ”

“ ROCHESTER STATION, REEDWATER, NORTHUMBERLAND.
PLATE II.
Drawn by John Bell. Lamberts Zincy, Newcastle
Cite error: tags exist for a group named "errata", but no corresponding tag was found
Avaunt rash Mortals—
In our myst'ries uninitiated
Our Altars touch not.
By us alone inscriptions can be read
(As those so ven'rable)
Long ages buried with the Roman dead.
Given under our hand.—Assmer.
Southern Member of the Archæological Society.
O Bremenium! O Roman Bremenium! Where can I find you now? ”

“ If he had done so, he would have found much to confirm the version of this inscription given to us by the Newcastle Antiquaries—he would have found the first cohort of the Varduli and the "Numerus Exploratorum" of Bremenium joined as in this inscription—he would have found the same Cohort dedicating at Bremenium an altar to their Standards and their Genius, and he might have escaped from the predicament of promulgating stark nonsense.
* Quam temere in nosmet legum saneimus iniquam! How rash to establish a severe law against ourselves—Editor.* My object in addressing you has not been, as Dr. ”

“ And translated.
{{smaller block|The Romans being their Lords or Masters, the late Duplar (or double pay) Engineers having completed their Survey of Britain, determined to erect an Altar in this Camp to its presiding Deity, Caius Cæsar—Aratinus being Tribune, they most willingly pay their vow to him deserviug it, (i.e. to Cæsar.)
See Fig. 1.
Plate 3.
Figure of the Cistern or Well at High Rochester, 9 feet long by 7 feet 5 inches wide, and in depth, when it would be full of water, from four to five feet; near to this, the stone with the three naked figures was found. ”

“ Surridge.
GENIO ET SIGNIS COH [ORTIS] PRIMÆ F [AVENTIBVS] AR [AM] D [IS] V [NIVERSIS] L [OCI] C [ONDIDIT] R [OMANVS] EQ [VES] MILLE [HOMINVM] T [ITVS] LICINIVS VALERIANVS TRIB [VNVS] [errata 12] .
Translated.
Titus Licinius Valerianus, (a Roman Knight) Tribune of one thousand men, built this Altar to the Genius and all the Gods of the Place, who were favourable to the Standards of the First Cohort.
Expanded by Mr. Bruce.
GENIO ET SIGNIS COH [ORTIS] I F [IDÆ] [V*] ARDVL [ORVM] C [IVIVM] R [OMANORVM] †EQ [VITATÆ] T [ITVS] LICINIVS VALERIANVS TRIB [VNVS] .
Translated by Mr. Bruce. ”