Epeiacum

Epeiacum in Britain, mentioned by Ptolemy as one of the cities of the Brigantes--Binovium (Bin-chester), Caturhactonium (Catterick Bridge), Calatum, Isurium (Aldborough), Rhigodunum Olicana (Ilkly), and Eboracum (York) being the others, arranged as above, and apparently in their order from north to south. In the Monumenta Britannica Epeiacum is identified with Hexham; by Maclauchlin (Survey of Watling Street), with Lanchester. Each of these views is objectionable. Hexham lies (see AXELLODUNUM) too far north to belong to the Brigantes, whilst Longovicum is a better equivalent to Lan-chester. Indeed so few have denied that this latter form represents the modern Lanchester, that Epeiacum and Longovicum have been considered simply as synonymes for the same place--one in Ptolemy, the other in the Notitia. Objecting to this, laying considerable stress on the name, and raising exceptions to the identification of Vindomora with Ebchester, the present writer believes that, name for name, as well as place for place, Ep-eiacum ==Eb-chester. Furthermore--as Eb-chester stands on an eminence, the cum may represent the British cwm == hill. Eb-chester stands on the Watling Street.

[R.G.L]