Arbeia was a Roman auxiliary fort at the mouth of the Tyne, founded c. AD 160 and occupied into the late 4th century. From the early 3rd century, under Septimius Severus, it was substantially rebuilt as a major supply base for the northern frontier campaigns, with around 22 granaries packed inside the walls — an unusual conversion that gave it a logistical rather than purely garrison role. Its later garrison included the Numerus Barcariorum Tigrisiensium, Tigris bargemen recorded in the Notitia Dignitatum, reflecting its riverine character.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
Arbeia functioned as the maritime supply hub for Hadrian's Wall, receiving grain and matériel by sea and forwarding them upriver and overland to the Wall forts. It is also notable for its cosmopolitan epigraphic record, including the tombstones of Regina (a Catuvellaunian freedwoman and wife of the Palmyrene Barates) and Victor, a freed Moor — vivid evidence of the diversity of frontier society.
Extensively excavated since the 19th century and continuously since the 1970s, the site has revealed the granary complex, headquarters building, commanding officer's house, and barracks, along with rich assemblages of inscriptions, sculpture, and small finds. Full-scale reconstructions of the west gate, a barrack block, and the praetorium now stand on the site, based
Arbeia was a Roman auxiliary fort at the mouth of the Tyne, founded c. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.
Arbeia is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Tynemouth Iron Age and Romano-British settlements, monasteries, site of lighthouse, cross, motte, enclosure and artillery castles and later coastal defences (1.7 km), Segedunum (6.7 km), Turret 0A (6.8 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
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