When Victoria (Nike) manifests in forts on the frontier in household shrines (aediculae), she is almost always present there as a protector of soldiers and legionnaires. This partly explains the iconography of Victoria standing on the globe.
Just as a soldier themselves protect the Empire proper (orbis romanus), so victoria protects the soldier. Indeed, this symbolic cycle of protection lies at the foundation of Victoria's power. So long as she is honored, death and defeat can strike neither her legions nor her Empire.
With the construction of Hadrian's Wall, this idea became even more important. The garrison at Housesteads was comprised of local auxiliaries, in this case the "first cohort of Tungrians" (cohors I Tungrorum) which garrisoned the site from the late 2nd to the 4th centuries AD
So complete was Victoria's work -- even conquered peoples, integrated into the Empire as fighters, honored her and her power.
Opposite left: Nike sculpture at Housesteads Roman Collection Museum.
Hadrian's Wall is the spectacular Roman construction in the UK. It is a World Heritage Site. It spans 73 miles from sea to sea covering some of the wildest and most visually dramatic countryside in England. Below: Housesteads Roman Fort and the remains of an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall.
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Hadrian's Wall is the spectacular Roman construction in the UK. It is a World Heritage Site. It spans 73 miles from sea to sea covering some of the wildest and most visually dramatic countryside in England. Photography above: Housesteads Roman Fort and the remains of an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall.