The Roman Wall / A historical, topographical, and descriptive account of the barrier of the lower isthmus, extending from the Tyne to the Solway, deduced from numerous personal surveys

by J. Collingwood Bruce

PONERE IVS

SIT

ARAM QVAE

FABIO NVP

TA EST NYM

PHIS VENE

RANDIS.

The inscription is roughly cut, but quite legible, no contraction is used in it, and no ligature is admitted, even in the case of diphthongs. The construction of the sentence is peculiar, and admits of two renderings. Taking nupta est to signify dedicated, a peculiar use of the word, suggested perhaps by its etymological relationship with the one which it governs, nymphis, the inscription will read—

A soldier, warned in a dream, directed the erection of this altar, which is dedicated by Fabius to the nymphs to whom worship is due.

The other method of rendering it is the following,—