For many centuries during the Roman occupation the area around Newcastle was the frontier between the Roman Empire and the wild lands that lay beyond. The collection of Roman artefacts at The Hancock Museum in Newcastle is drawn from local excavations and reflects the life and the variety of people who found their way to this the most northern part of the Empire.
Altar to the ‘Genius of the Emperor’ set up by 1st cohort of Vardulli (scouts) who came from Northern Spain
Relief of a Syrian Archer
Tombstone of Aurelia Aia, a Christian from Salonae in Croatia – the wife of a soldier
Tombstone of the baby son of Aurelius Julianus, Tribune 1st Aelian Cohort (from Roumania) and 1st Thracian Cohort (from Bulgaria /Turkey)
Tombstone of Aureilia Aureliana. Late 3rd century AD
A pair of altars found near the bridge at Newcastle. They probably come from a harbour shrine as one is dedicated to the river god Neptune (Trident) and the other to the Sea god Oceanus (Anchor). They were set up by the 6th Legion, who played a major part in the building of Hadrian’s wall
