TURNACUM
TURNACUM or
TORNACUM, a city of North Gallia, is first mentioned in the Roman Itins.
In the Notit. Imp. mention is made of a military force under the name of Numerus Turnacensium; and of a “Procurator Gynaecii Tornacensis Belgicae Secundae.” This procurator is explained to be a superintendent of some number of women who were employed in making clothing for the soldiers. Hieronymus about A.D. 407 speaks of Turnacum as one of the chief towns of Gallia; and Audoenus, in his life of S. Eligius (St. Eloi) in the seventh century, says of it, “quae quondam regalis extitit civitas.” Turnacum was within the limits of the ancient territory of the Nervii. The Flemish name is
Doòrnick, which the French have corrupted into
Tournai. Tournai is on the
Schelde, in the province of
Hainault, in the kingdom of
Belgium.
There are silver corns of Turnacum, with the legend DVRNACOS and DVRNACVS. On one side there is the head of an armed man, and on the other a horseman armed. On some there is said to be the legend DVBNO REX. Numerous Roman medals have been found at
Tournai, some of the time of Augustus and others as late as Claudius Gothicus and Tetricus, and even of a later date.
The tomb of Childeric I., who died A.D. 481; was discovered at
Tournai in the seventeenth century, and a vast quantity of gold and silver medals, and other curious things; among which was the golden ring of Childeric, with his name on it, CHILDIRICI REGIS. Such discoveries as these, which have been made in various places in Belgium, show how little we know of the Roman history of this country. (D'Anville,
Notice, &c.; Ukert,
Gallien; Recueil d'Antiquités Romaines et Gauloises trouvées dans la Flandre proprement dite, par M. J. de Bast.) G.L.]
