06-26-2008, 08:59 PM
I can not accept this idea that the fort at the Pons Aelius was built at a later date, I don't know who came up with this kind of thinking for we are clearly informed that the bridge was built by Hadrian and there would have been a fort to support it's defence. There are four major Roman river crossing points over the river Tyne and they all have a fort on the north bank of the river to give support. I think that when archaeology can show the NW and NE corners of this fort, then and only then can it be stated that the fort is behind the Wall.
Brian Stobbs
