A RELIC OF THE ROMANS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1929, Page 8

A RELIC OF THE ROMANS

DISCOVERY IN WALES. What is believed to be the earliest evidence of the existence of Christianity in Roman Wales has been discovered at Oaerleon, Monmouthshire. An antefix—a kind of tile—bearing the sign of the Cross, and dating from .the the third century, was found during the resumed excavations in the site of the Roman fortress. This, it is held, would indicate that Christianity had been introduced into Britain at an earlier date than was generally supposed. Mr V. E. Nash-Williams, of the National Museum of Wales, an eminent authority, who is in charge of the excavations, said recently : “The tile bears a Medusa’s mask, apd above it the symbol of the Cross—a Greek cross with splayed ends. The latter symbol has all the appearance of being Christian, in which case it is tne first piece of direct evidence of the presence of ChVistianity in Roman Wales that has yet been found. “The discovery is epoch-making, in that hitherto it has always been believed that Christianiy did no reach Wales until, at any rate, the sub-Roman period. The present evidence would seem to show that Christianity had reached Wales at least 200 years earlier. “No only does it represent the arrival of Christianity in Wales, but also it has been believed hitherto that Christianity never made much headway in the Roman army. Christianity appeared not to have penetrated into these Roman stations. This .discovery seems to show that too much weight has been attached to this view.

“These ante fixes were used by the Roman legionaries for ‘magical’ purposes. They were distributed at regular intervals along the eaves of their buildings, and usually they bore various pagan symbols, which the Roman soldiers believed to be of amuletic value in protecting them'from ghostly foes—particularly the evil eye. In the case of the aniefix just found it appears that the soldier was using the cross in a magical way.” No specimen of the kind reported to have been found in possessed by the British Museum.