Roman Neptune Carving Newcastle and Paris

This stone altar from Newcastle has a very distinctive carving from 2000 years ago. It reads ” To Neptune the Sixth Legion Victrix Pia Fidelis”

This carving is not found elsewhere but on a recent visit to Nantes was found on a Wallace Fountain. These fountains are all over France and set-up by Richard Wallace to allow the poor to get fresh water.

Further investigation found the same motif on the Fontaine des Innocents the oldest fountain in France built in the sixteenth century. This turned out to be the inspiration for the Wallace fountains.

The Fontane des innocents was inspired by a Roman sarcophagus found in Rome, particularly the nymphs but possibly also the trident and dolphin.