Horsley is naturally surprised that Habitancum is not named in the Antonine Itinerary. One conjecture in which he indulges, in order to account for this is, ‘that the station might be neglected before the reign of Caracalla,’ which is proved to be unfounded by the slab already referred to, and by the discovery last year of some large fragments of inscriptions, mentioning that emperor by his title Adiabenicus. A second supposition which he entertains may be the correct one. He says—
Possibly Risingham might be looked on as too near to
Rochester, to make it another mansion in this route. And
though two places are sometimes set down in the same iter,
which are at no greater distance, yet other circumstances
might render this proper at one place, and not so at another.
It is not improbable that the two stations may have been under one command. The exposed situation of Bremenium would render it highly desirable that the exploratores, after having battled for a season with the elements and the Caledonians, should be allowed a period of comparative relief in some more sheltered spot, such as Habitancum.
CORSTOPITUM.
CORSTOPITUM is the next place that occurs in this ‘iter,’ in which it is set down as being twenty miles from Bremenium. At the distance of about twenty-three English miles from the camp of High Rochester, and on the line of Watling-street, are now to be found the remains of the station of Corchester.
CORCHESTER.