Mediobogdum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mediobogdum (or Hardknott Roman Fort) was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Its remains are located on the western side of the Hardknott Pass in the English county of Cumbria (formerly part of Cumberland).
It was built on a rocky spur giving a superb view (originally from a military point perspective, but equally true for the casual visitor nowadays) over the River Esk. The fort has been commonly known in recent times as Hardknott Castle, but identified from the Ravenna Cosmography as the Mediobogdo fort (or more correctly Mediobogdum[1]), situated along the road between the forts of Galava (Ambleside) and Glannoventa (Ravenglass). The Roman garrison here was a detachment of 500 cavalry from the Dalmatian coast.
Built between about AD 120 and 138, the low walls of the fort were "restored" some years ago, the slate course showing the height of the walls before their rebuilding. Outside the square of the fort is the remains of the bath house (which has a rare circular sudatorium), and the levelled parade ground, which is considered to be the finest surviving example.
The fort is square with rounded corners, 114 metres long externally, or 105 metres internally, the rampart wall being about 1.7 metres thick with ditches adding to the total width of the rampart.
The fort is on land owned by the National Trust, part of the Trust's Wasdale, Eskdale and Duddon property, and maintained by English Heritage.
[edit] References
- ^ Rivet, A L F; Smith, Colin (1979). The Place-Names of Roman Britain. London: B T Batsford.
[edit] External links
