ifelandra Castle. Edited by R. S. Conway, Litt.D. (University Press,
Manchester. 5s. net.)—Melandra Castle—the name is a pedantic invention of the eighteenth century—is a Roman fort, about two miles from the Derbyshire town of Glossop. In this volume we have the Report of the excavations carried on by the Manchester Branch of the Classical Association during the year 1905. It seems to have been a work of minor importance, as distinguished from the great legionary camps, occupied by an auxiliary cohort. The date assigned to it is conjectural, but there are some reasons for thinking that it was constructed early in the Roman occupation of the island, held up to the middle of the second century, abandoned for a time, and reoccupied towards the close of the Roman period. One silver coin of Galba, one of Domitian, and two of Trajan have been found. To these must be added two which, though much defaced, may be probably attributed to the first century. Tiles marked with the initials "V V." (Valeria Victrix) have been found in the floor of a building inside the fort. This legion (the XXth) was posted at Deva early in the second half of the first century (51-59 A.D.) It remained in Britain for two centuries,—the Romans did not relieve their garrisons. This demonstrates nothing, but it is not inconsistent with the early date. In Hadrian's reign (117-137 A.D.) the legion was employed in building the great North Wall. Interesting pottery has come to hand, some of it of fine quality and doubtless important, the rest of rude native manufacture. We congratulate the Manchester Branch most cordially on its successful opera- tions. Much, however, remains to be done, and help would be welcome.
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