Official Website of Hadrian's Wall Country

2,000 years of guard duty at the eastern end of Hadrian’s vision have left their mark here. Arbeia literally means ‘Place of the Arabs’ which is, we have to admit, somewhat unusual in South Shields. However, the Tigris Bargemen stationed at the Fort (maybe they lived in the pretty cramped Barrack block with eight to a two room apartment) came from present-day Iraq, hence the name. The tentacles of the Roman Empire were long and the Imperial masters did not hesitate to move their minions around, so being far from home was not unusual back then. Some of those who died on a foreign shore are celebrated in the Death and Burial Gallery  - tombstones and inscribed altars commemorate people from France, Spain and Syria.

Originally built to house a garrison, Arbeia later became the central supermarket of the day, supplying the 17 forts along the Wall with their military needs. A sort of Weapons’R Us, in fact. You can tell that Arbeia was key by the esteem that the Commanding Officer was obviously held in  - it’s the reconstruction of the 4^th century home with summer dining room, porters lodge and splendid frescoes that really gives it away.

A step down from here is the newly opened Centurion’s House. The reconstruction has painted walls; they are better than the bare walls of the Barracks but not as luxurious as the artwork of the Commanding Officer’s house. Clearly, a Centurion knew his place from the state of his walls: a step up from the 80 soldiers under his command but still firmly in the middle of the hierarchy. The fact that his loo is in the corner of the kitchen was just for ease - at least he had a loo!

It’s kind of hard to imagine what life must have been like for the average legionaire. A look at Arbeia’s The Life of a Roman Soldier gives you some idea: personal effects, everyday objects, weapons and armour – it’s amazing what has been unearthed. Do a bit of excavation of your own at the hands-on Time Quest: piece pottery together or get writing Roman-style. The question is would they understand as much about you as you are beginning to understand about them?