Roman

122 AD Hadrian visits Britain
Hadrian visited Britain, at the northern frontier of his empire. He had plans for a wall to mark the boundary of Roman territory in the north and to control its border. The plans included a small fort built from earth and timber, to guard the bridging point on the River Tyne.
The first traces of occupation of the castle site date from around this time. The place was called Pons Aelius in honour of the Emperor. ‘Pons’ is the Latin word for bridge and ‘Aelius’ was Hadrian’s family name.

c.200 AD The Roman Fort is Rebuilt and Enlarged [click for larger image]
Probably during the reign of the Emperor Severus (193-211) the fort at Pons Aelius was extensively rebuilt in stone. We don’t know which troops originally garrisoned the fort, but around 220, the garrison is thought to have been Cohors I Ulpia Traiana Cugernorum, which came from the Lower Rhine Region of Germany. In the early fifth century the Cohors I Cornoviorum was stationed at Pons Aelius. Soldiers in this unit came from the Cornovii tribe who lived in the area around modern Cheshire.