Find Spot record 8088/31 - Roman altar found to the rear of the Saracen's Head

A Roman altar was discovered to the rear of the Saracen’s Head, behind the Town Hall in 1851 (now the Forum Shopping Centre). The discovery was made during the excavation of a cellar and was recovered from amongst a quantity of stone and Roman roof tile, some bearing the stamp of the 20th Legion although little more is known about the associated artefacts (2)

Unusually, the inscription is in Greek and is dedicated to Hermogenes by a physician (RIB i 461)

<1> Thompson Watkin W. T., 1886, Roman Cheshire: A Description of Roman Remains in the County of Chester, p179-80 (Book). SCH2878.

<2> Raikes, H (Rev Chancellor), 1857, On the Fragment of a Votive Altar Found in Chester, p359 (Article in Journal). SCH5500.

<3> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, No 13 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p141 (Book). SCH3556.

<5> Haverfield, F, 1900, Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum, No 10 (Article in Journal). SCH5530.

<6> Wright, R. P. & Richmond, I. A., 1955, Catalogue of the Roman Inscribed and Sculptured Stones in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester (Monograph). SCH522.

<7> Shrubsole, George W, 1886, Catalogue of the Roman Altars (Book). SCH6540.

<8> Collingwood R G & Wright R P, 1965, The Roman Inscriptions of Britain: Volume I, No 461 (Monograph). SCH3235.

<9> Hubner, Prof., 1890, The Roman Inscriptions of Deva (Chester) (Article in Journal). SCH5581.

<10> Newstead, R (Prof.), 1899, Discovery of Roman remains in Bridge Street, 1899 (Article in Journal). SCH5529.