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Victoria County History of Kent Vol. 3  1932  Romano-British Kent - Military History Page 58

suggested that IV might be TV and part of NEPTVNO; Fortunae is quite as possible. One L. Aufidius Pantera commanded an ala of Lancers on the Danube frontier in A.D. 133, and might be the same as this Pantera, or at least a relative. In that case the altar dates from the first half or middle of the second century. The style of the lettering unfortunately gives no decisive clue, but it would well agree with some such date.
   The altar was found in 1850 among the foundations of the east gate. It had obviously belonged to some earlier shrine, and, like many other stones in this foundation, had been used up again when the gate was constructed. An interval must have elapsed between its first and its second use. For, when found, it was partly covered with barnacles, like a stone mentioned above, and had evidently lain in salt water before it was taken for the foundations of the gate. Thus it illustrates in a significant way the history of the Roman occupation of the spot.92
   The other inscriptions found in Stutfall Castle are variously formed stamps of the classis Britannica (cf. P1. IX). They also were found in 1850, used up as building material. ‘In no instance’ (writes Mr. Roach Smith) ‘was a stamped tile found perfect, neither was one tile of the numerous perfect ones found in the ruins of the houses or on the line of the wall of the castrum, stamped.’ He draws the natural conclusion that the stamped tiles came from older buildings and had been used up again, like so much else, when the fort was established. He also mentions a tile stamped P.N. . . ., broken at the end.93
   Other small objects are few and unimportant. A handful of bronze trifles—2 fibulae, a bracelet, the ‘cusp’ of a spear, a spoon and a ring—an intaglio of a seated figure cut on an amethyst, some window and other glass, two iron chisels and various nails, complete the recorded examples. Mr. Roach Smith may well say that on no Roman site ‘has there ever been such a paucity of minor objects discovered as at Lympne.94  Even coins are scarce. Before 1850 nothing was recorded save one gold Valentinian. In the excavations 153 decipherable specimens came to light, all but 2 of these Third Brass :—

     1 Pius (First Brass)
   39 Gallienus to Probus
   36 Carausius and Allectus

   10 Diocletian, Maximian, Chlorus.
  63 Constantinian (incl. 1 Licinius).
     1 Magnentius, 1 Valens and 1 Gratian (denarius).

In addition 108 illegible coins were found, many of which (says Mr. Smith) probably belong to the Constantines, Valens and Gratian.95   The coins found in 1894 consist of 3 Tetricus, 3 Carausius, 2 Allectus, 2 Maximin Daza (not Maximin I), 2 Maximian, 3 Constantine I, 1 Crispus, 1 Constantine II,
   92  C. R. Smith, Report, p. 25 and plate vii; hence Wright, Wanderings of an Antiquary, p. 131, Lewin, Arch. xl, 380, wrongly reading Pantera(nus) and others; Corpus Inscr. Lat. vii, no. 18; Eph. Ep. ix, p. 514. The stone is now in the British Museum. Unfortunately its value as an historic document has been much damaged by an unintelligent application of paint to the lettering. in consequence Mr. Roach Smith’s plate is reproduced here.
   93   C. R. Smith, Report, plate vi and p. 34; hence Corpus Inscr. Lat. V11, 1226, 1249, and other writers. Four of the tiles are in the British Museum.
   94  The excavations of 1894 yielded much coarse pottery and one tiny waterworn fragment of an embossed Samian bowl, possibly of the late second or the third century (found near the surface of the mound), some iron ~tools, a bronze ring and a jet bead.
   95  C. R. Smith, Richborough, etc., p. 260; Report, pp. 31, 32

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