Ribchester

• Ribchester is a village located on the river Ribble near Preston in the County of Lancashire.
• It was a Roman fort called Bremetennacum in Britannia and was occupied by a Sarmation Cavalry unit, which guarded the crossing on the Roman road over the river Ribble.

Ribchester Helmet

• The Ribchester Helmet is a ceremonial Roman Cavalryman’s helmet, found as part of the Ribchester Hoard in 1796 CE.
• The Helmet is one of only three Roman Ceremonial Helmets with a face covering found in Britannia.
• These Helmets were used in cavalry tournaments known as ‘Hippika Gymnasia’.
• The Helmet is now located with the Ribchester Hoard in Room 49 of the British Museum.

Ribchester Hoard

• The Ribchester Hoard is a collection of metal artefacts found in Ribchester, Lancashire, in 1796 CE and now held in the British Museum in London.
• The collection dates from the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd century CE.
• The items were buried in a hollow 10 feet (3m) below the surface, and thought to have been stored originally in a wooden box. The artefacts probably all belonged to the same cavalryman.
• Other artefacts in the Hoard were a bust of Minerva, several paterae (drinking bowls), pieces of a vase, pieces of two basins, several plates and other items.

Museums

• Ribchester Roman Museum
  • The museum holds the Finds from the Roman fort.
• British Museum, London.
  • The Museum holds the Ribchester Hoard and the Ribchester Helmet in Room 49.

Roman Roads

• Iter X
  • Iter X of the Antonine Itinerary shows that a Roman road ran south from Ribchester to Manchester (Mamumcium) where it connected with the York to Chester road.
• Another Roman Road ran north from Ribchester to Carlisle.

Ribchester