Roman altar tells homecoming story

A 1750-year-old Roman altar offering a glimpse into the faith and everyday lives of soldiers in County Durham is going on public display this autumn.

The altar, discovered during Durham University-led excavations at Binchester Roman Fort in 2023, will be exhibited at the Faith Museum at Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland from September 23.

Dating from around AD 275, it was dedicated to Fortuna Redux, the Roman goddess associated with safe homecoming, by a retired military architect named Eltaominus.

He had served with the Ala Vettonum cavalry unit based at Binchester, with the altar’s inscription suggesting he considered the settlement his home and may have commissioned it after returning safely from a dangerous journey.

The altar was originally positioned in a specially designed niche in the changing room of Binchester’s bathhouse, where it would have been visible to other visitors.

Offerings including wine, spices, grain or meat may have been poured into a hollow in its top, while one side features a carving of a bull.

Its display comes as Bishop Auckland regeneration charity The Auckland Project takes over the day-to-day management of Binchester Roman Fort from Durham County Council.

Known to the Romans as Vinovia, the fort was established around AD 80 and became one of northern Britain’s largest Roman military installations.

Located on Dere Street, a major Roman road, its surviving remains include the commanding officer’s house and two bathhouses featuring intact underfloor heating systems.

Dr John Castling, archaeology curator at The Auckland Project, said: “What makes this altar so fascinating is that it gives us a rare insight into the life and beliefs of an individual who lived at Binchester around 1750 years ago. 

“We know his name, Eltaominus; we know something about his military career, and through this altar we can begin to understand what mattered to him personally.

“Dedicating an altar to Fortuna Redux was a way of giving thanks for a safe homecoming, so behind the archaeology is a very relatable human story. 

“Eltaominus had returned from what may have been a difficult or dangerous journey and wanted to express his gratitude publicly.

“His name, his gods and the world he inhabited might seem distant to us, but the emotions represented by the altar are anything but. 

“Relief at coming home safely, gratitude after a difficult journey and the desire to celebrate that return are experiences we can still understand today.

“That is what makes objects like this so powerful. 

“Archaeology may sometimes feel like it is about buildings, dates and distant events. 

“But it is ultimately about people who were not so dissimilar to us. 

“Discoveries like this allow us to get much closer to an individual and recognise that although there are many differences, there’s also much common ground between their lives and our own, even across eighteen centuries.”

The Auckland Project has introduced new educational and family spaces, expanded the site’s food and drink offer and transformed its visitor centre.

Binchester will also become part of the charity’s Learning and Skills programme, with ambitions for further archaeological excavations from 2028 to deepen understanding of the site and its history.

Find out more at www.aucklandproject.org.

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