The fourth century name of Segedunum possibly derives from an earlier Segodunum which means “Strong Fort” or Victory Fort”. The modern name of Wallsend of course derives from the fact that this is the place where the Hadrian’s Wall terminates in the east.

Hadrian’s Wall was already under construction when, in a change of plan, forts were added to the wall itself, instead of the garrison being supplied from forts on the Stanegate. The earlier forts were built with 3 gateways extending beyond the wall, this was later amended to the north gate only. Segedunum then, with its 3 projecting gateways, probably belongs to the first period of fort construction, possibly as early as AD 124. Before the fort was built land in the area and on the fort site itself had been cultivated and this may have been to provide food for the wall building troops stationed nearby. As part of the new plan for the fort a 3-mile extension on the narrow 8ft gauge was built to Segedunum from Newcastle (It must be remembered that the fort of Pons Aelius was not in existence, though there may have been a fort at nearby Gateshead).

Period 1 (124 –c160)

The Hadrianic fort, the first on the site, had stone workshops, granaries, and Principia (Headquarters Building), and wooden barracks and hospital. The fort was built to house a Cohors Quingenaria Equitata or cavalry troop of 480 men, although the first garrison may have numbered 480 (6 centuries of 80 men) infantry together with 4 centuries of 30 men giving a total of 600. A quingenarian cohort having a unit strength greater than 480 is not unheard of. The size of the 1st cohort of Tungrians at Vindolanda 40 years earlier was 762 men according to a strength report (although only 256 were actually on duty in the fort itself). The name of the cohort based at Segedunum during the first period is unknown as is the name of the unit that built it, although a building inscription of Legio II Augusta was found at the fort. Near the end of period 1 an infantry unit, the IInd Cohort of Nervians, was stationed at Segedunum.

Period 2 (160’s/70’s – late 2nd Century)

In the 160’ to 170’s, probably following the withdrawal of troops from the Antonine Wall, the wooden barracks were replaced by ones of stone. This did not happen, as it did in so many other forts, as part of a single building program, but was rather a bit by bit process. Later on many buildings were replaced with the arrival of a new unit, cohors IIII Lingonum, and the hospital (valitudinarium) appears to have been constructed to a high standard. The Principia was now provided with a large forehall on its northern side and there may have been a small vicus outside the fort on its western side alongside the military way. The Lingones stayed at Segedunum for the rest of the Roman occupation and are listed as being there in the Notitia Dignitatum.

Period 3 (Late 2nd – Early 3rd Century)

Just outside the period 3 fort a rampart and 3 defensive ditches were built to provide defences for an annexe which contained the growing vicus which had expanded on the fort’s southern and western sides. (I should point out here that the fort had systems of defensive ditches built around it throughout its existence.)

The eastern side of the hospital was demolished to allow greater access into the fort for wagons entering by the minor west gate as were part of some granaries.

Period 4 (225/35 – end 4th century)

Some time around the end of the 220’s the fort of Segedunum underwent a period of rebuilding. The eastern barracks were rebuilt and housed cavalry units. They contained five 2-roomed conternubia of 6 men and horses each (the horses had the front rooms, the men the rear). The northern barrack blocks housed the infantry centuries, though the size of these centuries was reduced to 30 to 40 men. The full complement of the forts garrison was now 6 centuries of 30-40 infantry and 4 turmae of cavalry (4 x 30). This meant that the total unit strength had reduced from 600 to only 360, or even as low as 300.

It was around this time that the hospital was finally demolished and a new block, possibly of barracks, was built above it. Where the medical facilities were now based is unknown but it is worth pointing out that during the mid 3rd century the Praetorium (commanding officer’s house) was enlarged. Buildings that had been constructed in the ramparts were cleared out and the ramparts were rebuilt. The south gate of the fort was now closed off (and may have been so since period 3) but the vicus outside the fort was at its largest.

That state of affairs did not last for long. During the late 3rd/early 4th century the vicus was completely abandoned and a number of barrack blocks were demolished. A section of the west wall collapsed and had to be rebuilt as was the minor west gate and the road through that gate was re-laid.

Evidence for the last years of the Roman occupation has been largely destroyed by later farming, stone robbing, and construction on the site of the fort. Numismatic evidence from those areas which did survive seems to point to the final issue of coins taking place around 375/80. Nothing at all is known about sub-Roman occupation of the site although Anglo-Saxon finds suggest that Anglian settlers lived in the area in the sixth century.

Units based at Segedunum:

Officers and Units at the fort:

RIB 1299 Coh IIII Lingonum under the command of a centurion from Legio II Augusta called Julius Honoratus

RIB 1300 Coh IIII Lingonum under command of prefect Aelius Rufus

RIB 1301 Coh IIII Lingonum under command of prefect Cornelius Celer

RIB 1302 a unit commanded by the prefect Didius Severus (from his name I would suggest 3rd century so Coh IIII Lingonum)

RIB 1303 Coh II Nerviorum

RIB 1305 Centurion Gaius Julius Maximinus

RIB 1308 Building inscription of Leg II Augusta (maybe fort builders?)

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