Geta. The latter was murdered by his brother Caracalla, who was himself assassinated at Edessa, by Macrinus, A.D. 217. Heliogabalus, after an infamous reign of three years, was put to death by his soldiers, A.D. 222; so that, to whichever of these Emperors this inscription is referred, we have only a difference of eleven years; and the date of the burials is no doubt some years posterior to either of these periods.

The word which has given most trouble in interpreting the reading of the slab, appears to be rightly explained by Dr. Bruce to be PRINCIPIA. The difficulty has arisen from the stone being damaged in this part. Dr. Bruce observes "we are necessarily driven to conjecture, in order to supply the vacuity between the N and the I at the end of the fourth line," where there is the faint mark of a curved letter, most probably part of a C. The inscription speaks of the restoration of something which had become ruinous. The other words of the inscription are perfectly intelligible, and this is the only word doubtful, yet upon it rests the determination of the object to which the building was dedicated. In the station at Lanchester a slab has been found (Horsley, Durham No. xii.) containing on its third and fourth lines the following words:

PRINCIPIA ET ARMEN

TARIA CONLAPSA RESTITVIT

Here, as Dr. Bruce observes, "we have evidence that there was a class of buildings, called Principia, which, like other buildings would fall into ruin and require restoration. The only letters which are difficult to trace are, the first I in the word, which seems to have been attached to the top of the left limb of the N; and the C," the curved portion of which can most certainly be traced.

orum;

The word Principia has been thus explained; see Facciolati in verb. Principium:-" Principia Locus in castris, ubi erat Prætorium, et tabernacula legatorum et tribunorum militum, et signa legionum; et ubi conciones militares et concilia habebantur, jus dicebatur, sacra fiebant. 'Apxaîa. ita dictus vel quod ibi Principes ac duces exercitus tenderent (had their tents pitched), vel quod in castris metandis principio designaretur, postea reliqua castra."

Any who are desirous of further information on this point, I would refer to Lipsius de militia Romana, lib. quintus. See edition printed at Antwerp, 1598, pp. 230, 231.

Dr. Bruce observes that the word may probably here be translated Officers' Barracks.

We ought next to try to determine the spot from whence the slab was taken; it certainly seems to show that there was a military station near. By the assistance of the Somersetshire Archæological and Natural History Society, I have been enabled to make some excavations on the site of a building near at hand, which, from the remains, appears certainly to have been Roman; Roman coins having been dug up, as well as roofing-tiles and nails. The remains of a glass unguentory, and coarse baked pottery. This appears to have been an oblong building, placed north and south, the total length of which is 81 feet by 18 feet, and is composed of two compartments, one smaller than the other, and separated by a partition wall. At some distance below this is a fine spring of water, where an arched bath seems to have been constructed; there is, however, no appearance of a fortified camp that I can detect, and it may be doubted if the inscription belonged to this building, the purpose of which I am unable to decide.

It has been a subject of doubt if Bath was in Roman times a military station. The finding this slab leads to the supposition, that, in the near neighbourhood of Bath, if not in the city itself, was a station.

I find that in April, 1822, stone coffins were discovered also at Coombe Down, near the site of these last, and that they lie in the same position as those already mentioned. The remains of a Roman station, near the spot, are also said to have been examined by the Rev. R. Warner, who traced the walls:-"The two places laid open appeared to be parts of distinct structures, at a distance of 30 or 40 yards asunder. That of the highest and most considerable, if we may judge from the ridges in the turf which appeared to mark out the continuance of it, formed the outline, in the shape of a parallelogram, the usual form of campi explorativi, but from its diminutive size, about 40 paces long by 25 broad, it would seem to be the foundation of a building, perhaps a prætorium or temple."Extract from the Bath and Cheltenham Gazette, April, 1822. Time and further excavations in this very interesting spot, may reveal more that is of historical value. It is however, not a little gratifying to the writer of this notice on Stone Coffins, that the investigation of these curious remains should have led to the discovery of an inscription of such deep interest. Had former discoveries been accurately examined, no doubt other inscriptions might have been preserved from destruction, which would have thrown light upon the history of our native country, and the manners and habits of the times.

Many curious facts have come to his knowledge since he commenced this enquiry, but if they were recorded, the length of this communication would be unduly extended; he will hope, therefore, to produce them on some 1854, PART II.

T

future occasion, and content himself with a simple enumeration.

In 1819, in the parish of Bathwick, where the stone coffin before mentioned was found, there were discovered 20 human skeletons lying together-some on one side, and others on their faces-and in one of the skulls a large iron nail was found driven quite through the crown. Near one of the skeletons, a copper box, nearly in the form of an inkstand, and opening with a spring, was discovered; it contained eight small Roman coins, all of the lower empire. A large fibula of fine brass was likewise dug up, the top of which was shaped like a cross, composed of three balls. Three coins were likewise dug up, one of which was of the city of Constantinople. About 40 yards distant was found, at the same time, a leaden coffin, with the head lying towards the east, containing a perfect human male skeleton.* The box discovered was of copper, about 2 inches high, divided into two by the upper part (1 inch high) drawing off. The fibula was of brass, gilt, of a handsome but common form, and supposed to be Roman.

In 1823, on Bathwick Hill, where Mr. Wallinger's house now stands, at a small depth from the surface, a stone coffin was also discovered, lying north and south, rudely finished; the cover formed of various stones, which appeared to have been disturbed, and the skull of the person interred taken out, and thrown on the outside, near the feet. The remaining bones were found in the coffin, and with them several fragments of earthen cups, and a larger one of Samian ware, used for libations, and fallen in two. A Roman coin, of small brass, was found near the coffin; also a glass bead, the size of a marble, perforated; and a

A stone coffin lined with lead has lately been found at Caerwent. See Archæological Journal, No. 45, p. 76.

small brass hook, apparently part of a larger article, calculated to confine some part of the dress. A few yards from the coffin was picked up a small silver coin, which was supposed to be British or Gaulish. The coin was about the size of the Roman denarius, disked; on the obverse a rude head, on the reverse a poise.

In 1815, a stone coffin and lid of another were found at Walcot, near Messrs. Sainsbury's brewery; and with them an urn, of lemon-colored tint; two fragments of Samian pottery; also coins of Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Domitian, Carausius, and Constantine. Either the Claudius or Vespasian was found inside the coffin, but which coin is now uncertain.

It will be remembered that Dr. Musgrave, in his Belgium Britannicum, devotes a portion of his work to these curious remains, and makes mention where they had been found in his time; and endeavours to trace their origin, giving also a drawing of one. He does not, however, attempt to determine their date. They appear to have been used very early, as Plutarch relates that Numa was buried in a stone coffin, and his laws in another. He says, "They did not. burn the body, because he forbade it; but they made two stone coffins, and buried him under the janiculum; the one containing his body, and the other the sacred books which he had written."-Plutarch, Vita Nume. Thus we find them very early in use.

We find them also in use after the time of Marcus Aurelius Antonius, and resting upon the remains of Roman buildings, and also covered with the remains of a Roman edifice, as at Coombe Down; yet quite distinct fro.n Christian usage, in their position and accompaniments. We may, therefore, probably regard them of very different dates; but I am inclined to think these found at Coombe