The Comanding Officer and his House

The Comanding Officer and his House. . , The Comanding Officer and his House , Each commanding officer (praefectus) of the fort was a nobleman of the equestrian class (equites), who might have been in charge of the soldiers at Housesteads for as little as three years before moving to another posting. They lived in this building, the praetorium. , Any commander at Housesteads would have been a rich and powerful man who most likely came from the Roman provinces around the Mediterranean. Later, in the fourth century AD, men from the outer fringes of the Empire were also admitted to such commands. , The praetorium is the largest building at Housesteads. Its great size and splendour is in sharp contrast to the cramped rooms in the soldiers' barracks, underlining the differences in status and power that existed between a praefectus and his soldiers. , ( photo captions ) , Above: This gold signet ring, inlaid with a garnet intaglio showing a tragic mask, was found in a drain in the praetorium. It was lost by its wealthy owner probably the praefectus himself – before AD 150. , Great North Museum, Newcastle University, Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums , Left: This altar was dedicated to the god Silvanus Cocidius by a praefectus at Housesteads, Quintus Florius Maternus. , Above: The courtyard of the praetorium in the third century AD. The man on the left is the praefectus; on his right a senior centurion. The praefectus has a short tunic with narrow purple borders which marked his status as a Roman citizen of the equestrian class. Reconstruction by Philip Corke , Felix Says … , This is the house of our commanding officer. It is a lovely place and a lot bigger than where we live in the barracks. Have you seen them yet?