Antenociticus Antenociticus or Antocidicus was a Celtic God of the Temple of Antenociticus, a half domed temple is situated about 100 yards outside the south eastern defences of the Condercum Fort on Hadrian's Wall Fort and Settlement, Benwell, Tyne & Wear, and is perfectly aligned north-south. The small, rectangular building measuring 15ft east west by 20ft north -south, with an apse semi circular apse extending a further six feet to the south, inside was a life sized statue of Antenociticus. Thought to have been built in the second century, the original northern doorway was blocked sometime in the third century and replaced by a door inserted in the east wall. The number of altar stones and dedicatory inscriptions have been unearthed at Benwell honouring Condercum. The most prolific of the Celtic-Germanic Gods Antenociticus had a temple and three altars dedicated to him, along with two each to Mars and Vheterus, a single alter stone to Minerva, and Jupiter, also to the Mother Goddess of the Parade Ground. There is also an inscription to the Victory of the Emperor Lamia, and two alter stones dedicated to unknown Gods. The alter stone RIB 1328 inscription ‘To the holy God Antenociticus, the First Cohort of Vangiones, under the command of the prefect Gaius Cassianus, willingly and deservedly fulfil their vow.'Alter stone Rib 1329 dated 172-5 AD inscription ‘For THE God Antenociticus. By the decrees of the best and greatest of all the emperors, under the administration of the consular Ulpius Marcellus, while serving as prefect of cavalry, Tineius Longus was adorned with the broad stripe of a senator and appointed to the post of Quaestor.' The Museum of Antiquities at the University of Newcastle contains much of the best material recovered from the eastern part of the wall, including; a full sized reconstruction of a Temple of Mithras, a scale model of the wall showing many of its features, and a display about the Roman army in general, plus many other exhibits, plans, reconstruction and photographs. The remains of the original milecastle and a full sized reconstruction lies behind the Newcastle Arts Centre ,just off the A186 Westgate Road. Whilst there was a substantial Roman presence at Newcastle for nearly three centuries, whatever evidence was left behind now lies buried beneath the modern city streets, and nothing much now remains to be seen. Since the Wall was made a World Heritage site, there has been a surge of visible milecastle at Westgate Road. The Roman Bridge; was built of timber with ten masonry piers and two abutments, and lay on the same line as that of the present swing bridge to Gateshead, built in 1872. The Auxiliary fort; has only recently been discovered, the remains of the praetorium and principis were uncovered beside the castle keep, and the rest of the fort lies buried beneath the castle. It would appear from dimensions of the recovered remains that the fort was quite small. The wall itself; passed just to the north of the Roman Catholic Cathedral, built in 1841, in the centre of the city, roughly followed the line of the modern A187 eastwards, and is buried beneath the A6115 to the west, The Vallum; is first apparent at Arthur's Hill, about a mile west of the town centre.
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