Arbeia (South Shields)

The first roman buildings at this place come from the year AD 125. They appertained presumably to a plain civil settlement which stood before a fort not discovered yet.

After the year AD 160 Antonine Wall was left and the Hadrian's Wall was re-occupied, and at about this time a new fort was built again. Presumably a cohors equitata (infantry and cavalry unit) was here stationed.

In AD 205 - 207 most of the buildings in the fort where demolished and replaced by 13 horrea of stone. At this time the south wall was demolished and was built farther to the south. The size increased from 1.67 to 2.1 hectares. The accommodations of the soldiers were in the southern part. Presumably this fort served as a supply base for the severian expansion plans.

In the years 222 - 235 7 more horrea were built. At this time the accommodations were rebuilt. This fort served as a supply base for the units at the Hadrian's Wall and in the hinterland.

In the late 3rd or early 4th century many buildings where destroyed by a fire, the cause of which is unknown. The 8 southern horrea were altered in accommodations. Two more accommodations were constructed to the south from that.

After the withdrawal of the Romans of Britain on the 4th century the fort kept on being used. It was left presumably in the late 7th century.