Axelodunum

Attested:  Tribunus cohortis primae Hispanorum, Axeloduno in the Notitia Dignitatum

Where:  Near the west end of Hadrian's wall.  Most likely (1) the Roman fort lost under 15th-century Netherby Hall around NY39657162, which is usually identified with Castra Exploratorum, ahead of (2) the Bowness-on-Solway Roman fort (and stores depot) at NY225628, or (3) some unrecognised site south of Hadrian's Wall, perhaps Blennerhasset Roman fort.

Name origin:  ‘Armpit fort’.  Latin axilla ‘armpit’ is poorly attested, but is the presumed origin of Italian ascella, French aiselle, etc with vowel E.  The latest thinking seems to be that this was the parent, not a successor, of Latin ala ‘shoulder, wing’.  De Vaan (2008:66-67) drew attention to the huge number of cognates surrounding axle.  Plus of course dunum ‘fort’.  Note also the English word ashlar ‘finely dressed masonry’, which probably came via French from a diminutive of Latin assis or axis, meaning something like ‘board, plank’, and was presumably a technical, builders' term.

Notes:  Four inscriptions show that the first cohort of Hispanorum were at Netherby in the AD 200s.  That would have been a much more logical place to base 1000 men and 300 horses than on the coast, at Bowness, or south of the Wall, in firmly Roman territory.  Amending Axeloduno to Uxeloduno cannot be entirely ruled out, but the Notitia assigns another large unit there (at Stanwix fort).  The argument by Rivet & Smith that Axelo- is not “a good Celtic form” is irrelevant.  Remains of a Roman fort, city, and river port at Netherby were mentioned by early writers (see here), but have since been obliterated.  The course of the Esk there is strange and must surely have been altered deliberately in the past.  Selkirk (1995:229) suggested that what is now a mere ditch from Netherby Hall to Scaurbank downstream on the Esk may have been a Roman canal.  This site is in Arthuret, possibly to be linked with post-Roman fighting.

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Last edited 23 January 2023     To main Menu