The City in Roman Britain

Types of Settlements

• Roman• Colonae

• Municipia

• London

• Romano-Celtic• Oppida Civitas Capitals

• Vici

• Market towns

Conveyed rights

Some self-government

Tombstone of Julia Velva, York

Economy -Trade

Imports• Olive oil

• Fish sauce

• Fine pottery

• Wine

• Marble

Exports• Iron

• Lead, silver

• Wool

Economy – IndustryMostly in Country or Small Towns

• Weaving – Winchester, Caistor-by-Norwich, Great Chesterford

• Mosaics – Cirencester, Chesterton, Dorchester, Brough-on-Humber

• Pewter – Camerton, Nettleton Shrub

• Smiths -widespread

• Pottery – New Forest, Oxford areas; Poole

Comparative City Sizes

Size - Population

1. London 50-60,000

2. Cirencester

3. Verulamium (St. Albans) ~10,000

4. Wroxeter

Ports London, Chichester, Colchester Dorchester, Exeter, Lincoln, Manchester

Other Canterbury, Cirencester,Gloucester, Leicester, Lincoln, Silchester, Verulamium(St. Albans), Winchester, Wroxeter, York

Civitas CapitalsAldborough Brigantes

Brough on Humber Parisi Vicus

Caerhun Deceangi Vicus to Civitas

Caerwent Silures

Caistor St. Edmonds Iceni

Canterbury Cantiaci Oppidum to Civitas

Carmathen Demetae Vicus to Civitas

Chichester Regnenses

Cirencester Dobunii Vicus to Civitas

Dorchester Durotriges

Exeter Dumnonii Fortress to Civitas

Leicester Coritani Vexillation fortress to

Civitas

Silchester Atrebates Oppidum to Civitas

Widford/Chelmsford Trinovantes

Winchester Belgae

Wroxeter Cornovii

Caerwent-Civitas Capital

Lincoln-Fortress

Lincoln-Colonia

Lincoln-Forum

Lincoln-Vicinity

York

Eboracorum (York)

Roman York ~400 CE

Roman Walls - extant

Multangular Tower

Roman

Medieval

Ivory Bangle Lady

Reconstruction

Jewelry from BurialHigh quality blue glassware from Cologne, Germany

Bone openwork mount Blue glass necklace

‘Soror ave vivas in deo’‘Hail sister, may you live in God’

Chester Walls

Wroxeter

Wroxeterextent from geophysical survey

Central Area

Forum

To the Emperor Caesar Trajanus Hadrianus Augustus, son of the deified Trajanus Parthicus, grandson of the deified Nerva, Pontifex Maximus, holding a tribunican power for the fourteenth time, consul for the third time, father of the Country, the community of the Cornovii (erected this building).

Basilica - Interior

Basilica

“Old Works – Remains of Basilica

Baths – Interior – Hot Room

London 200 CE

Roman London

Roman Wall

London – Water supply -Wallbrook

Water Supply - Wells

Water Hoist

Basilica and Forum

• Early construction destroyed by Boudica

• 70 CE

• 90 CE New construction while old area still in use• 555’ x 545’ – largest in Britain

• Probably largest in Empire until Basilica Ulpia of Trajan

• Largest north of the Alps: 492’ x 115’

Port

Southwark - Warehouse

Pottery Imports

Glass Working - Sites

Window glass- Basinghall St. find

A London Town House

A London Town House

A London Town House

Leadenhall Street

Bacchus

Bank of England

3rd Century

London-Aldgate

Ox

Sheep/Goat

Pig

London

Ox

Sheep/Goat

Pig

Diet-London

Diet-Colchester

Pre-Roman

Ox

Sheep/Goat

Pig

Roman

Ox

Sheep/Goat

Pig

Winchester Palace Baths

Winchester Palace Construction

• 100-120 Ground raised with debris

• Building with bath

• Inscription indicates use by legionaries or veterans

• Deterioration in 3rd century

Fresco – Winchester Palace Baths

Villa Negroni, Rome

Winchester Palace Baths – Severan Period

Wall Painting - Pigments

• Earth colors – ochre

• Soot, charcoal

• Minerals – cinnabar

• Mixtures – Egyptian blue

• Vegetable based - indigo

London Amphitheatre

Shape