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The Silchester ‘Nymphaeum’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2018

Michael Fulford
Michael Fulford*
Affiliation:
University of Readingm.g.fulford@reading.ac.uk
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Abstract

A carved coping stone found on the site of a spring near the amphitheatre, Silchester, and first reported in 1873, was rediscovered in 2014. It does not compare in its carved detail with coping stones from the amphitheatres at Chester and London, nor with that recovered from the West Gate, Silchester, in 1890; nor does its basal width correspond with that of the arena wall of the Silchester amphitheatre. It is likely to have formed part of a monumental basin, similar to that found at Coventina's Well, Northumberland, and to have commemorated the location of a spring and its associated (unknown) deity. Similarity with the type and decoration of architectural stone used in the construction of the forum-basilica suggests a Hadrianic–Antonine date.

Keywords

Silchesterspringnymphaeumamphitheatrecoping stoneLower Greensandforum-basilicaCoventina's Well
Type
Shorter Contributions
Information
Britannia , Volume 49 , November 2018 , pp. 309 - 313
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018. Published by The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies 

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References

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