Notices by the Rev. T. Surridge ... of Roman Inscriptions Discovered at High Rochester, Risingham and Rudchester, in Northumberland/Rutchester altars
Errata
FOUR ALTERS DISCOVERED AT RUDCHESTER, NORTHUMBERLAND, AUGUST 1844.
Drawn by John Bell. Lamberts Zincy, Newcastle
RUTCHESTER ALTARS,
DICOVERED IN 1814.
Fig. 1.
MYTRAEPAEL
TMVLLVSPRÆ
V: S.LLM
Expanded.
1st.
DEO INVCTO MYTRÆ PERSICO ÆLIO TMVLLVS PRÆTOR VOTVM SOLVIT LIBENTSSIME MERITO.
2ndly.
DEO INCOLARVM VICTO, &c.
Translation.
Tmullus, the Prætor, in discharge of his vow, most willingly erected this Altar to Mytras, the Persian God Apollo, who deserved it, being invincible, or the God of the inhabitants being vanquished by him.
Note.—The letters J C M B at the top mean Julius Cæsar of illustrious memory, and shew that his death had not long preceded its erection. The Commonwealth being restored, the title of Emperor on their monuments would have been improper.
Plate 4.
Fig 2.
CASTVS
LEG. VI. D. P.
Translation.
Lucius Sentius Castus, of the Sixth Legion, erected this Altar dedicated to God[errata 1].
N.B.—It is highly probable that this Altar was erected by Greeks from Attica, as it was dedicated simply to God, or, "the unknown God."
Acts xvii. 22, 23.—"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars'[errata 2] Hill and said—"Ye Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.—For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar with this inscription, to the UNKNOWN GOD. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him I declare unto you."
Fig. 3.
The inscription is very imperfect, and was dedicated to the Rising Sun, but is valuable for the two inverted letters at the top, which are the initials of Julius Cæsar, and show that the inscription was erected during his life-time and before he became Emperor.
Fig. 4.
TBGLDECMVS
CORNELANTO
NEVS PRAEF
TEMPLRESTIT
Expanded.
DEO SOLI NVMINI VICTOR BELLO GALLICO DECIMVM VOTVM SOLVENS CORNELIVS ANTONEVS PRÆFECTVS TEMPMM RESTITVIT.
Translation.
Cornelius Antoneus, the Præfect; having been ten times victorious in the *Gallic War, in discharge of his Vow restored (or rebuilt) the Temple of the invincible APOLLO (the SUN GOD.)
* Note.—The absence of IMP at the top of the Inscription leads to the conclusion that the Altar was erected before Cæsar became Emperor, and, consequently, 48 years B.C. or rather before Cæsar's assassination on the 15th March, B.C. 44 years.
All these Rudchester altars are of eastern origin, and were probably erected by the sun worshippers, who (levied by Pompey in the east) had, after the battle of Pharsalia followed the victorious standards of Cæsar, and were probably sent by him into Britain to secure his recent conquest of that country. Indeed this is fully corroborated by the inscriptions, and my assertion in my letter to the Editor of the Newcastle Journal of the 14th of October, which stated that I considered the most legitimate and profitable use of Roman inscriptions was their application to the correction of historical errors (or supplying data for authentic history) is proved to have been supported by the result.
The High Rochester, Risingham, and Rudchester Altar Inscriptions verify this opinion. We can no longer with Tacitus, although echoed by Rapin, deprive Julius Cæsar of the glory of the conquest of Britain. Military occupation gives evidence of conquest, and these Roman remains prove military occupation even in the life-time of the first Cæsar. It is now evident that he did more than (the historian of Agricola admits) "shew the way to the future conquest of Britain," and Rapin's assertion that "for upwards of ninety years subsequent to Cæsar's 2nd invasion the Britons were free," falls to the ground.
But the correction of profane history is not all that may be obtained from these Roman remains. They may assist us, too, in church history, and account for the origin of some practices, still observed, though not authorized, in our reformed Church of England practices, which, though intrinsically of little moment, become important when familiarity and habit make them instruments for the reintroduction of others more exceptionable, and which now become the objects of mediæval restorations. Mediæval restorations are redolent of mediæval errors, and mediæval errors of ancient Roman idolatry. We must avoid the one, if we would eschew the other.
The Spartans, in order to guard their children against drunkenness, exposed to them slaves whom they had previously deprived of reason by intoxication, we may derive a Spartan lesson from Archæological explorations. The exposure of Pagan idolatry may deter us from its imitation in our own worship of the God of Truth; or its spurious adoption under the titles of Mariolatry and Saint Worship, to which the Puseyite section which has sprung up in our beloved reformed church, wishes and is strenuously endeavouring to lead the way. The worship of the Druid was displaced by the sword of Cæsar and in its stead the early idolatry of the Roman conquerors, was established in Northumberland fifty-five years before the christian era. It gave place to Mariolatry and Saint Worship, established in the year of Christ 741 by a synod of Bishops at Alnwick. What encouragement to synodical action and its restoration!
This brings me to make some remarks on an unauthorized custom which some adopt in Church of England worship, I mean the custom of especially turning to the east. It decidedly has had its origin in solar worship, which anciently was universal throughout the countries of the east; and turning to the east is a remnant of that worship, still observed in the Mahomedan and Romish churches without any assignable reason.
The Mufti watches on the highest pinnacle of the Mosque for the first ray of the morning sun, to exclaim aloud "Ali is great, and Mahomed is his Prophet;" and the Rev. S. Smith wittily describes the religion of a certain Romanising section as consisting in the restoration of mediæval bowings to the east, and curtseyings to the west, genuflexion, circumflexion, &c.
The practice of turning, especially to the east, deriving its origin from sun worshippers, is not authorized in scripture, and it is no where commanded. It is true that the worshippers of the true God were at all times to "look to Jesus," and the whole of the Jewish ceremonies and types had this for their object. As the Angel of the Covenant he preceded or went behind the Israelites as they required his guidance or protection. And after the dedication of the Temple, which was typical of Christ, they were instructed by Solomon's dedication to look to the Holy Temple, or rather to the indwelling Saviour. Jerusalem lay due west of Babylon, and yet to it and not to the east their worship was always directed, as we find to be most remarkably instanced by the Prophet Daniel vi. 10, where it is said, "When Daniel knew that the writing was signed" (by King Darius,) "he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem," (i.e. to the west) "he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks unto God as he did aforetime."
Had he turned to the east he would not have appeared to violate the customary usage in that respect. David, before the dedication of the Temple, says in the cxxi. Psalm, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills," which Augustin interprets Heaven; and again, in Psalm cxxiii. 1, "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens."
Hebrews, xii. 2—"Looking unto Jesus."
Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Printed at the Journal Office, Grey Street, by John Hernaman.