The worship of Minerva was not neglected by the soldiers of the Wall. The wood-cut exhibits an altar to the virgin goddess, which was found in the station at Rochester; it is now at Alnwick Castle. Several others exist. Science is required in the arts of war as well as peace. The victory which mere daring achieved, was by the Greeks and Romans ascribed to the intervention of Mars; that which was the result of skilful strategy to the influence of Minerva. This altar was consecrated by Julius Carantus. [Sidenote: FORTUNA.] Fortune was one of the favourite deities of Rome. The great confidence which the Romans placed in her is expressed in the story related by Plutarch, that on entering Rome she put off her wings and shoes, and threw away her globe, as she intended to take up her permanent abode among the Romans. Several altars addressed to Fortune have been found on the line of the Wall. One of the most remarkable is shewn in the annexed cut. It was found in a building in the south-east corner of the station at Risingham, and is now in the Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The great peculiarity of it is, that the projecting base of the altar is provided with a focus, and that on the projection the inscription is repeated. It reads— FORTVNAE SACRVM VALERIVS LONGINVS TRIB[VNVS] To Fortune Sacred Valerius Longinus Tribune. [Illustration: Altar to Fortune] The altar, when in its original position, was raised by means of two courses of masonry considerably above the level of the ground. The object of the second focus is a matter of conjecture. According to the grammarians, _altare_ (_alta ara_, high altar) was dedicated only to the gods above, whilst the _ara_ was both lower, and employed in sacrificing to the gods below as well as those above. Can Fortune have been viewed in the double capacity of a superior and inferior divinity, and can the tribune, Valerius Longinus, have sought to secure the favour of the powerful deity both in this life and the one to come! [Illustration: Altar to Mithras] [Sidenote: MITHRAS.] Several of the altars found on the line of the Wall are dedicated to the god Mithras. _Mitra_, it appears, is one of the names for the sun in Sanscrit; and that Mithras was, by the Romans, identified with the sun, is clearly proved by many of the inscriptions on the altars of that deity. One, found in the Mithraic cave at Housesteads, and which is now at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is figured on the former page. The inscription upon it may be read thus;—