08-18-2018, 11:29 PM
From the comments so far, it was clear I needed to produce a summary of the the article which I have now added online and post below:
(URL: http://roman-britain.co.uk/nemthur.htm)
Summary
This paper securely assigns new Roman period place names to four places: three forts along the Antonine wall (VOLITANIO (Mumrills), MEDIO (Balmuildy), NEMETON (Old Kilpatrick) and one settlement beyond the wall SUBDOBIADON (Dumbarton). Three other sites can be tentatively matched to modern places based on their size and late occupation giving a total of seven new Roman place names to add to the only one previously known in central Scotland VELUNIA (Carriden) at the eastern end of the wall. Not only do we have four new Roman place names, but by finding the link between Saint Patrick's birthplace and the Roman names on the Antonine wall, we also securely tie Saint Patrick's birthplace to Old Kilpatrick.
Any solution to the names along the Antonine wall must start with the basic evidence. We are told in a note to Nennius that there are 7 forts along the wall whilst the Ravenna Cosmography gives us 10 names along a "line" where Britain was "thinnest". MEDIO-NEMETON & SUBDOBIADON are the sixth and seventh names on the Ravenna Cosmography. Most previous authors dismissed the note to Nennius and instead tried to shoe-horn all 10 names to forts along the wall, which gave such unconvincing name matches that none were accepted. These authors had ignored the possibility that the line from the Ravenna Cosmography extended beyond the end of the wall.
Likewise, most previous authors assumed Scotland was too barbaric to be the place of early an Saint whose family had Roman names, despite the early works on Saint Patrick telling us he was born in the area of Strathclyde. The coin evidence shows strong Roman links in the area toward the time of Saint Patrick. So it is quite reasonable that Christians with Roman names may have come to Strathclyde to escape the various persecutions against the Christians.
The town of Old Kilpatrick is known to be related to Saint Patrick and is a strong candidate for his birthplace. It also sits at the end of the Antonine wall, making it the seventh of the main forts along the wall - SUBDOBIADON. However, the Gaelic hymn of Fiacc records Nemthur as the birthplace of Saint Patrick and because it was recorded close to the relevant period, we must explain the mismatch between SUBDOBIADON and Nemthur.
If we postulate a mistake by a copyist joining MEDIO and NEMETON, we obtain not only a good match for Old Kilpatrick, but for three successive entries on the Ravenna Cosmography:
MEDIO can be translated as "cultivated" or "meadow", which best fits the site at Balmuildy, as this is the only large fort on a river in arable land.
"Nemeton" is generally agreed to mean a sacred place, which would suit the religious background of Saint Patrick.
The missing "M" in Dumbarton versus Roman "Dobiadon" may be explained by the local Welsh-like language in Strathclyde. If we postulate that "do" in "Do-biadon" is the same as Welsh douu/dom, with the meaning "settlement associated with (another)", then SUBDO(M)BIADON can be translated: "Sub (Latin Under) + dou(m) (settlement associated with) + Biadon/Bia-don (the fort or hill of Bia). A weak "M" in the local dialect would explain the missing "M" in SUBDOBIADON compared to Dumbarton.
This week "well "M" may also explains the extra "M" in Nemthur compared to the local place name of (Dou)notyr, now Dalnotter, a site located above an important ford of the Clyde. This ford was undoubtedly always an important location and likely to be settled in the Roman period. Thus it is an obvious candidate for the original location of Old Kilpatrick.
Finally, if we accept a variant reading of an inscription at found Mumrills fort, this inscription confirms Mumrills was VOLITANIO, the second entry of the Ravenna Cosmography.
In the field of British Roman place names, Roman names have often been allocated to places based on far less evidence than even one of these matches. So to have three names in a run is exceptionally good evidence, as it is very unlikely to occur by chance. This compels us to conclude that Old Kilpatrick is the NEMETON of the Ravenna Cosmography, Nemthur of Saint Patrick, and that this name is likely retained in the name "Dalnotter", a small valley just at a key ford across the Clyde.
(URL: http://roman-britain.co.uk/nemthur.htm)
Summary
This paper securely assigns new Roman period place names to four places: three forts along the Antonine wall (VOLITANIO (Mumrills), MEDIO (Balmuildy), NEMETON (Old Kilpatrick) and one settlement beyond the wall SUBDOBIADON (Dumbarton). Three other sites can be tentatively matched to modern places based on their size and late occupation giving a total of seven new Roman place names to add to the only one previously known in central Scotland VELUNIA (Carriden) at the eastern end of the wall. Not only do we have four new Roman place names, but by finding the link between Saint Patrick's birthplace and the Roman names on the Antonine wall, we also securely tie Saint Patrick's birthplace to Old Kilpatrick.
Any solution to the names along the Antonine wall must start with the basic evidence. We are told in a note to Nennius that there are 7 forts along the wall whilst the Ravenna Cosmography gives us 10 names along a "line" where Britain was "thinnest". MEDIO-NEMETON & SUBDOBIADON are the sixth and seventh names on the Ravenna Cosmography. Most previous authors dismissed the note to Nennius and instead tried to shoe-horn all 10 names to forts along the wall, which gave such unconvincing name matches that none were accepted. These authors had ignored the possibility that the line from the Ravenna Cosmography extended beyond the end of the wall.
Likewise, most previous authors assumed Scotland was too barbaric to be the place of early an Saint whose family had Roman names, despite the early works on Saint Patrick telling us he was born in the area of Strathclyde. The coin evidence shows strong Roman links in the area toward the time of Saint Patrick. So it is quite reasonable that Christians with Roman names may have come to Strathclyde to escape the various persecutions against the Christians.
The town of Old Kilpatrick is known to be related to Saint Patrick and is a strong candidate for his birthplace. It also sits at the end of the Antonine wall, making it the seventh of the main forts along the wall - SUBDOBIADON. However, the Gaelic hymn of Fiacc records Nemthur as the birthplace of Saint Patrick and because it was recorded close to the relevant period, we must explain the mismatch between SUBDOBIADON and Nemthur.
If we postulate a mistake by a copyist joining MEDIO and NEMETON, we obtain not only a good match for Old Kilpatrick, but for three successive entries on the Ravenna Cosmography:
- between the new 6th entry MEDIO and Balmuildy (Gaelic for Town of Muildy), the previous big fort,
- between the new 7th entry NEMETON and Nemthur, and
- between the new 8th entry SUB-DOBIADON and Dumbarton, the next obvious place with a Roman association and the likely port serving the wall.
MEDIO can be translated as "cultivated" or "meadow", which best fits the site at Balmuildy, as this is the only large fort on a river in arable land.
"Nemeton" is generally agreed to mean a sacred place, which would suit the religious background of Saint Patrick.
The missing "M" in Dumbarton versus Roman "Dobiadon" may be explained by the local Welsh-like language in Strathclyde. If we postulate that "do" in "Do-biadon" is the same as Welsh douu/dom, with the meaning "settlement associated with (another)", then SUBDO(M)BIADON can be translated: "Sub (Latin Under) + dou(m) (settlement associated with) + Biadon/Bia-don (the fort or hill of Bia). A weak "M" in the local dialect would explain the missing "M" in SUBDOBIADON compared to Dumbarton.
This week "well "M" may also explains the extra "M" in Nemthur compared to the local place name of (Dou)notyr, now Dalnotter, a site located above an important ford of the Clyde. This ford was undoubtedly always an important location and likely to be settled in the Roman period. Thus it is an obvious candidate for the original location of Old Kilpatrick.
Finally, if we accept a variant reading of an inscription at found Mumrills fort, this inscription confirms Mumrills was VOLITANIO, the second entry of the Ravenna Cosmography.
In the field of British Roman place names, Roman names have often been allocated to places based on far less evidence than even one of these matches. So to have three names in a run is exceptionally good evidence, as it is very unlikely to occur by chance. This compels us to conclude that Old Kilpatrick is the NEMETON of the Ravenna Cosmography, Nemthur of Saint Patrick, and that this name is likely retained in the name "Dalnotter", a small valley just at a key ford across the Clyde.
Oh the grand oh Duke Suetonius, he had a Roman legion, he galloped rushed down to (a minor settlement called) Londinium then he galloped rushed back again. Londinium Bridge is falling down, falling down ... HOLD IT ... change of plans, we're leaving the bridge for Boudica and galloping rushing north.
