Ugrulentum
Attested: Ugrulentum at position 208 in the Ravenna Cosmography
Where: Probably the Roman fortress at Inchtutil, Perthshire, centered at NO12513971, which was the lynch-pin of Roman military power north of the Antonine Wall, discussed well by Montesanti (2009).
Name origin: The first element resembles ὑγρος ‘wet’ (taken into English as hygro-) or Old Norse vökr ‘moist’. The second element is Latin lentus ‘viscous, slow’, which is a good description of many rivers with names (ancient or modern) of form L-vowel-N-(T/D) with boggy margins; see Ekwall (1928) for example apart from the obvious ones beside Lincoln or Kings Lynn, ab0ut which see Lindum and Lenda for comments on the general squelchiness of L-named places.
Notes: Around Ugrulentum a series of names in the Cosmography need to be matched with a series of Roman sites, and a small change in assumptions could lead to a ripple of changes in name-to-place assignments along the Highland edge. The arguments in favour of Bograndium and Ugueste as high-status names suitable for a big fortress do not (at present) prevail. Modern Inchtutil is beside the Tay, suitable for logistic support on water (like most Roman forts in Scotland), but in Roman times the fort probably drew extra protection from bogs at the back.
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Last edited 14 January 2023 To main Menu