Arbeia Roman Fort: A Military and Supply Base in Roman Britain

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.arbeiaromanfort.org.uk

Country: United Kingdom

Civilization: Roman

Remains: Military

History

Arbeia Roman Fort, located in South Shields at the mouth of the River Tyne, was built by the Romans in 129 AD. It stood about four miles east of the end of Hadrian’s Wall, guarding the Wall’s vulnerable eastern flank and controlling the main sea supply route. The fort also protected a small port on the river’s south bank, serving as a logistical base for the northern frontier.

Initially, the fort was garrisoned by the Ala Primae Pannoniorum Sabiniana, a cavalry unit from Pannonia, in modern Hungary. This unit was later replaced by the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum, cavalry from northwestern Spain. By 222 AD, the garrison had changed to the Cohors V Gallorum, an infantry regiment of roughly 1,000 men. The last known occupants were the Numerus Barcariorum Tigrisiensium, boatmen originally from the Tigris River area, recorded in the late Roman document Notitia Dignitatum.

Under Emperor Antoninus Pius, the garrison was reduced as Roman forces advanced into Scotland. The fort was reoccupied early in Marcus Aurelius’s reign (161–180 AD). Around 198 AD, Arbeia underwent major changes, dividing the site into northern granary storage and southern military quarters. These alterations likely supported Emperor Septimius Severus’s campaigns in Caledonia (208–211 AD), with Arbeia possibly serving as his headquarters.

Between 220 and 235 AD, the fort expanded to accommodate the growing Cohors V Gallorum. A new headquarters building, or principia, and additional barracks were constructed, while the original principia was converted into a granary. The presence of up to 24 granaries, far more than usual, shows Arbeia’s role as the main supply base for Hadrian’s Wall, relying on imported goods rather than local resources.

After a fire around 300 AD, eight granaries were transformed into barracks, the principia was enlarged, and a large praetorium, the commanding officer’s residence, was built. This building featured Mediterranean-style elements such as an atrium and private baths. The fort remained in use until about 400 AD, when it was abandoned as Roman control in Britain ended.

Following the Roman departure, the site continued to be occupied into the early medieval period. It is recorded as the birthplace of King Oswin of Northumbria in the 7th century. Artefacts from the 6th to 9th centuries indicate ongoing use until Viking raids likely caused its final abandonment.

Arbeia was rediscovered in 1875, sparking archaeological interest. Major excavations in the 20th century, including work by Ian Richmond in 1949–50, revealed much of the fort’s layout and history. Later efforts by local archaeological societies led to partial reconstruction and the establishment of a museum to interpret the site’s past.

Remains

Arbeia’s stone fort, built around 163 AD, originally covered about 1.67 hectares. It was later expanded to 2.1 hectares by demolishing and rebuilding the south wall to create space for granaries and military quarters. The fort’s layout was divided by a large internal wall separating the northern granary area from the southern living and working spaces for soldiers.

The fort’s design followed late Roman military standards, with two main streets intersecting at right angles. Excavations uncovered two cavalry barracks, each housing about 30 men, and up to 24 granaries, an unusually high number indicating its role as a major supply depot. Two headquarters buildings, or principia, were found; the original was converted into a granary when a new one was built between 220 and 235 AD.

A large praetorium, constructed after 300 AD, served as the commanding officer’s residence. It featured Mediterranean-style architecture, including an atrium, a colonnaded courtyard with a fountain, frescoed rooms, and private thermal baths heated by a hypocaust system, which circulated warm air beneath the floors.

The fort had two gateways, including a west gate reconstructed in 1986 on its original foundations. Other features include angle towers, a tile kiln, a water settling tank, latrines, and a building of uncertain purpose. After the fire around 300 AD, some granaries were converted into barracks, and the principia was enlarged to meet changing needs.

Artefacts found at Arbeia reveal a diverse population. Lead baggage sealings linked to the Imperial household were discovered, along with gravestones commemorating individuals from various backgrounds. One gravestone honors Regina, a British woman married to an Arab merchant, while another marks Victor, a freed Moorish slave. An altar dedicated to a previously unknown god was also found, as well as a tablet bearing the name of Emperor Severus Alexander, defaced as an example of damnatio memoriae, the Roman practice of erasing a disgraced person’s memory.

Today, parts of the west gate, a barrack, and the praetorium have been partially reconstructed. Museum galleries on site display many artefacts and provide interpretation of the fort’s history and the daily lives of its occupants.