be found relating to it should have excited interest long ago. The chief bases in Gaul were Gessoriacum (Boulogne) and Quentavicus (Etaples), and Iccius (Wissant); and in Britain, Rutupia (Richborough), with Dubris (Dover) and Lemanis (Lymne). Evidences are found by inscriptions. At Boulogne there is one in honour of a trierarch, or captain of a trireme, who was a known contemporary of Claudius, and thus helps to confirm the view that the fleet originated with that Emperor. The fleet is mentioned by Tacitus; and in A.D. 83 it contributed much to the success of Agricola making the circuit of Britain, and thus first determining it to be an island. What a story an account of that voyage would be to-day, with its trials and explorations, its losses and burials in strange places along the coast! Yet so meagre are these narratives that even the starting-point is not given. At Boulogne, also, several bricks have been found, bearing the stamp CL. BR. At Dover and Lymne have been found tiles bearing this stamp; and at Lymne has been found a record of a prefect, one Caius Aufidius Pantera. At Boulogne, again, inscriptions on stones found there mention three trierarchs and two soldiers, and a ship named the “Radians," all of the British fleet. One inscription is to Quintus Arenius. Verecundus, a trierarch; another to Valerius Maximus, a trierarch; and one to Seius Saturninus, an archigubernator-chief pilot or sailing-master.2 A round stamp, an unusual shape, bearing CL. BR., has been found at Boulogne.3 The name of an oculist to the fleet, one Axius, has also been preserved, and at Amiens is a stone inscribed to one Secundus. An interesting inscription to Beladius, son of Telanus, tells that he was aged fortyfive and in his thirty-first year of service, so that he began when about fourteen. Curiously enough, far away at Arles, there is an inscription to one Saturninus, which 5 1 Desjardins, Geog. de la Gaule Romain, i, 368. 2 Panceroli, Notitia, etc., p. 178. 3 Vaillant, Revue Archéologique, 3rd Ser., vol. xii. + Daremberg, Dict. of Antiquities. 5 Vaillant, Classis, etc. shows the British fleet existing about A.D. 245. It reads :1 This has been read as: "Sentius Saturninus Exactus Classis Britannica Philippianæ natione Afer Bizocensus oriundus municipio Septimia Libera Thyodritanus te .. 2 Besides any interest in the general movements of this squadron, one duty it had to perform was the protection of commerce against the many "pirates" in the northern sea, who not only hindered navigation but were a menace to those on shore. Especially was it a duty to watch the coast towards the Rhine and the Saxon shore. The established Roman forts and castles were all eastward of our Portsmouth. In the year 287, one Carausius, being Admiral of the Fleet, having this duty, seems to have allowed the pirates their chance, connived at their work, and enriched himself by annexing their spoil. His wealth and success produced the usual jealousy, promising his death; but in anticipation he so managed his business that, being himself a skilled seaman, and having the full confidence of his men, he presently revolted, took away the fleet protecting Gaul, became master of the sea, and, aided by the "pirates" from the Rhine district,5 seized Boulogne, the chief naval base. Then with his fleet he sailed for Britain, which at the time was thought safe, and so was not strongly guarded. Here he was so well supported that, being able to keep command of the sea, he made himself Emperor about A.D. 287-8.6 3 Preparations were at once made for a re-conquest. The Emperor Maximian marched with an army to the Rhine, but wanting both naval power and seamen, and finding tempestuous weather, he was obliged to abandon his 1 Ferero, Inscrizione, etc. 2 Eutropius, i, 9. Hist, of Carausius. An naval plan, and marched directly for Boulogne. encounter took place there, of which the only particular to be gathered is that Carausius was beaten and pursued to the sea, where he took ship and escaped. The siege continuing, one Constantius, who had been appointed the Roman Admiral, closed the mouth of the harbour with wood, fascines, and large stones,3 so that succour could not be received by that way. Being thus unable to continue a defence, the place surrendered. But Carausius, determined to try again, made an irruption into Gaul, to succour or secure his own, and now was always victorious. All the attempts to beat him were unsuccessful; so that after several failures, Maximian decided to conclude a peace which left Carausius in possession of Boulogne and of Britain. It has been suggested that it was Constantius who effected a descent in Britain, and being beaten by Carausius was obliged to make a peace, but the conclusion must be that the peace was made with Maximian. Dr. Stukeley, with his determined way of assertion, gives a circumstantial account of a fight which produced this treaty as occurring under the Isle of Wight, off Carisbrook. He gives, too, the date as the 5th of September, A.D. 289, but he gives no references to any authority.* Nothing, says the Doctor, "could be more furious than the conflict, a second fight at Actium, but now much more glorious, as the Roman marine was much improved since that time, and Carausius had a peculiar genius therein. Carausius totally overthrew Maximianus' fleet, which he commanded in person." To this he adds: "The Roman writers are dumb on this affair of Maximianus' defeat, by accusing the inclemency of the ocean, and the like." The writers may well be dumb, as there seems to be no evidence of any such event. The Doctor gives also the full text of the treaty "by which Carausius retained Boulogne, and was acknowledged Sovereign of Britain." Carausius, during his reign, gave constant attention to 1 Camden. 2 Mamertin. 3 Eumen., c. 6. 4 Medallic Hist. of Carausius, vol. i, pp. 90, 170. 5 P. 86. 6 P. 89. |