Alchester
Encyclopedia
Alchester is the Anglo-Saxon
and modern name for a small town
in the Roman province
of Britannia
. Its name in Latin
is Ælia Castra. It is located two miles south of Bicester
, in the northwest corner of the civil parish
of Wendlebury
in the English
county of Oxfordshire
. There is also an adjoining Roman
military camp.
, sited at a crossroad on the Silchester–Dorchester
–Towcester
road and the Cirencester
–St Albans
road (Akeman Street
). The area bounded by defences, ca. 10 ha, is almost square, with the earliest defences consisting of a gravel rampart and one or more ditches; later, a stone wall was added to the rampart. The dating of these two phases is obscure.
The planning of streets approaches a rectangular grid, uncommon in the smaller Romano-British towns. Along the main street, air photography has revealed the presence of numbers of narrow, rectangular strip buildings. Near the centre of the town lay a building with a central court, surrounded by a portico on three sides. Outside the West defences, excavation in 1766 of what was then a prominent mound known as the Castle uncovered a sizable bath.
Iron Age settlement is attested close to the later Roman town, and Roman occupation of the site began in the Claudian period, possibly in the form of a fort. After the 5th century the place was deserted.
It was common practice for the Roman army when operating in enemy territory to build marching camps against surprise attacks, even when spending only one night. However, the comparative frequency of early objects suggests that the camp may have existed for a longer time span, perhaps serving as winter quarters. Alchester, soon to be at a road junction, was in a strategic key position. Situated in the border region of the Catuvellauni
and Dobunni
tribes, it was thus in an ideal position to exercise control over wide areas and to obtain sufficient food supplies for the winter.
The smaller enclosure, with its U-shaped ditch and square corners was atypical for Roman forts, and was instead interpreted as a parade ground. Parallels for this have been found associated with legionary fortress of Lambaesis
(Algeria
), as well as at Tomen-y-Mur (Gwynedd
). The presence of this would also support the idea of a fairly permanent military base.
Investigation of the front gate, or Porta Praetoria, of the fortress revealed that waterlogged conditions had led to the preservation of two wooden gateposts. Dendrochronology
gives both a felling date of between October AD 44 and March AD 45. Evidence from coins found at the site suggest abandonment was likely to have taken place before the death of Emperor Nero
in AD 68
In 2003, excavations began of the town wall near the west gate. This had been robbed out in post-Roman times
, except for two stones that were found in situ and the wall's rubble foundations. Amongst the foundations was discovered the smashed fragments of an inscription that had been used for building material. This tombstone was for one Lucius Valerius Geminus, a veteran of the Legio II Augusta
.
The inscription reads:
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
and modern name for a small town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
. Its name in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
is Ælia Castra. It is located two miles south of Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
, in the northwest corner of the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Wendlebury
Wendlebury
Wendlebury is a village and civil parish about southwest of Bicester and about from Junction 9 of the M40. The village is on a steam that flows through the centre of the village parallel with the main street....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. There is also an adjoining Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
military camp.
Walled town
Alchester had a strategic location in Roman BritainRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, sited at a crossroad on the Silchester–Dorchester
Dorchester, Oxfordshire
Dorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
–Towcester
Lactodurum
Lactodurum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Towcester, located in the English county of Northamptonshire.Towcester lays claim to being the oldest town in Northamptonshire and possibly, because of the antiquity of recent Iron Age finds in the town, to be one of the...
road and the Cirencester
Corinium Dobunnorum
Corinium Dobunnorum was the second largest town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Cirencester, located in the English county of Gloucestershire.-Fortress:...
–St Albans
Verulamium
Verulamium was an ancient town in Roman Britain. It was sited in the southwest of the modern city of St Albans in Hertfordshire, Great Britain. A large portion of the Roman city remains unexcavated, being now park and agricultural land, though much has been built upon...
road (Akeman Street
Akeman Street
Akeman Street was a major Roman road in England that linked Watling Street with the Fosse Way. Its junction with Watling Steet was just north of Verulamium and that with the Fosse Way was at Corinium Dobunnorum...
). The area bounded by defences, ca. 10 ha, is almost square, with the earliest defences consisting of a gravel rampart and one or more ditches; later, a stone wall was added to the rampart. The dating of these two phases is obscure.
The planning of streets approaches a rectangular grid, uncommon in the smaller Romano-British towns. Along the main street, air photography has revealed the presence of numbers of narrow, rectangular strip buildings. Near the centre of the town lay a building with a central court, surrounded by a portico on three sides. Outside the West defences, excavation in 1766 of what was then a prominent mound known as the Castle uncovered a sizable bath.
Iron Age settlement is attested close to the later Roman town, and Roman occupation of the site began in the Claudian period, possibly in the form of a fort. After the 5th century the place was deserted.
Vexillation camp
The site has been the subject of investigation since 1996, first under the auspices of Oxford University Archaeological Society, then under that of Leicester, Oxford and Edinburgh Universities. In 1990, playing-card-shaped enclosures with ditches had been discovered on aerial photographs taken during 1943-5. Excavation focussed initially on a Roman military parade ground and marching camp near the later Roman town, and then on an annexe to a large military compound. This proved that the larger enclosure was indeed surrounded by a characteristic army-style V-shaped ditch.It was common practice for the Roman army when operating in enemy territory to build marching camps against surprise attacks, even when spending only one night. However, the comparative frequency of early objects suggests that the camp may have existed for a longer time span, perhaps serving as winter quarters. Alchester, soon to be at a road junction, was in a strategic key position. Situated in the border region of the Catuvellauni
Catuvellauni
The Catuvellauni were a tribe or state of south-eastern Britain before the Roman conquest.The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through numismatic evidence and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Dio Cassius, who implies...
and Dobunni
Dobunni
The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. There are seven known references to the tribe in Roman histories and inscriptions. The latter part of the name possibly derives from Bune, a cup or vessel...
tribes, it was thus in an ideal position to exercise control over wide areas and to obtain sufficient food supplies for the winter.
The smaller enclosure, with its U-shaped ditch and square corners was atypical for Roman forts, and was instead interpreted as a parade ground. Parallels for this have been found associated with legionary fortress of Lambaesis
Lambaesis
Lambaesis, or Lambaesa, is a Roman ruin in Algeria, southeast of Batna and west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult.-Remains:...
(Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
), as well as at Tomen-y-Mur (Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
). The presence of this would also support the idea of a fairly permanent military base.
Investigation of the front gate, or Porta Praetoria, of the fortress revealed that waterlogged conditions had led to the preservation of two wooden gateposts. Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
gives both a felling date of between October AD 44 and March AD 45. Evidence from coins found at the site suggest abandonment was likely to have taken place before the death of Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
in AD 68
In 2003, excavations began of the town wall near the west gate. This had been robbed out in post-Roman times
Sub-Roman Britain
Sub-Roman Britain is a term derived from an archaeological label for the material culture of Britain in Late Antiquity: the term "Sub-Roman" was invented to describe the potsherds in sites of the 5th century and the 6th century, initially with an implication of decay of locally-made wares from a...
, except for two stones that were found in situ and the wall's rubble foundations. Amongst the foundations was discovered the smashed fragments of an inscription that had been used for building material. This tombstone was for one Lucius Valerius Geminus, a veteran of the Legio II Augusta
Legio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
.
The inscription reads:
- Dis ManibusManesIn ancient Roman religion, the Manes or Di Manes are chthonic deities sometimes thought to represent the souls of deceased loved ones. They were associated with the Lares, Genii, and Di Penates as deities that pertained to domestic, local, and personal cult...
/ L(ucius) Val(erius) L(uci filius) Pol(lia tribu) Gemi/nus For(o) Germ(anorum)/ vet(eranus) Leg(ionis) [I]I Aug(ustae)/ an(norum) L h(ic) s(itus) e(st)/ he(res) c(uravit)/ e(x) t(estamento)
- To the souls of the departed: Lucius Valerius Geminus, the son of Lucius, of the Pollia voting tribe, from Forum Germanorum, veteran of the Second Augustan LegionLegio II AugustaLegio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
, aged 50(?), lies here. His heir had this set up in accordance with his will.