Viroconium
Encyclopedia
Viroconium Cornoviorum, or simply Viroconium (even "Uriconium"), was a Roman
town, one corner of which is now occupied by the small village
of Wroxeter
in the English
county of Shropshire
, about 5 miles (8 km) east-south-east of Shrewsbury
. At its peak, Viroconium is estimated to have been the fourth largest Roman settlement in Britain, a civitas capital
with a population of more than 15,000 people. Probably lasted until the beginning of the eighth century
form of the Brythonic Uriconon which would have been applied to the nearby hill fort
on The Wrekin
. It is possible that the name is related to Welsh Gwrgi, Breton Gurki, and Irish Ferchu, meaning "Man-hound" or "Werewolf", which would have been nominative singular *Uirocu (oblique *Uirocon-) in Brittonic; Viroconium would then be "(The Place of/belonging to) Uirocu". The suffix, Cornoviorum, means "of the Cornovii", the local tribe, whose civitas it became.
for the XIVth legion during their invasion of what is now Wales
and the formation of what was to become Roman Wales. They were later replaced by the XXth legion
, until the fortress was abandoned by the military around AD 88. At this time the civilian settlement, which had grown up around the fort, took over the site. By AD 130 it had expanded to cover an area of more than 173 acres (70 ha). Viroconium was then fitted out with an impressive set of public buildings, including public baths
and a colonnaded forum
dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian
, as shown by the remains of a fine inscription. Simpler temples and shops have also been excavated. At its peak, Viroconium is estimated to have been the fourth largest Roman settlement in Britain with a population of more than 15,000 people.
The 5th century saw continued town life in Viroconium but many of the buildings fell into disrepair. Uncharacteristically, at a time when most Roman urban sites and villas in Britain were being abandoned, between 530 and 570 there was a substantial rebuilding programme, with most of the old basilica being carefully demolished and replaced with new timber-framed buildings on rubble platforms. These probably included a very large two-storey building and a number of storage buildings and houses. In all 33 new buildings were built. The archaeologists responsible for the most recent excavations comment that "their construction was carefully planned and executed..." and "were skillfully constructed to Roman measurements using a trained labour force". Who instigated this rebuilding programme is not known, but it may have been a bishop. Some of the buildings were renewed three times and the community probably lasted about 75 years until for some reason many of the buildings were dismantled. The site was probably abandoned in the second half of the 7th century, but some academics believe lasted until the beginning of the 8th century.
and the largest free-standing Roman ruin in England - and the remains of a baths complex. These are on display to the public and, along with a small museum, are looked after by English Heritage
under the name Wroxeter Roman City.
Some of the more important finds are housed in the Rowley's House Museum in Shrewsbury
. Most of the town still remains buried, but it has largely been mapped through archaeological geophysics
and aerial archaeology
.
See also:
Roman 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...
town, one corner of which is now occupied by the small village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Wroxeter
Wroxeter
Wroxeter is a village in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington and is located in the Severn Valley about south-east of Shrewsbury.-History:...
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 Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, about 5 miles (8 km) east-south-east of Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
. At its peak, Viroconium is estimated to have been the fourth largest Roman settlement in Britain, a civitas capital
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
with a population of more than 15,000 people. Probably lasted until the beginning of the eighth century
Name
According to Rivet and Smith, viro-, may mean either "true" or "man". The second, -conium is unknown, but it seems to refer to some large geographic feature such as a lake or a forest. Jackson suggests the name is a LatinLatin
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...
form of the Brythonic Uriconon which would have been applied to the nearby hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
on The Wrekin
The Wrekin
The Wrekin is a hill in east Shropshire, England. It is located some west of Telford, on the border between the unitary authorities of Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. Rising to a height of above the Shropshire Plain, it is a prominent and well-known landmark, marking the entrance to Shropshire...
. It is possible that the name is related to Welsh Gwrgi, Breton Gurki, and Irish Ferchu, meaning "Man-hound" or "Werewolf", which would have been nominative singular *Uirocu (oblique *Uirocon-) in Brittonic; Viroconium would then be "(The Place of/belonging to) Uirocu". The suffix, Cornoviorum, means "of the Cornovii", the local tribe, whose civitas it became.
Roman town
Viroconium was established about AD 58 as a legionary fortressCastra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
for the XIVth legion during their invasion of what is now Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the formation of what was to become Roman Wales. They were later replaced by the XXth legion
Legio XX Valeria Victrix
Legio vigesima Valeria Victrix was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus some time after 31 BC. It served in Hispania, Illyricum, and Germania before participating in the invasion of Britannia in 43 AD, where it remained and was active until at least the beginning of the 4th century...
, until the fortress was abandoned by the military around AD 88. At this time the civilian settlement, which had grown up around the fort, took over the site. By AD 130 it had expanded to cover an area of more than 173 acres (70 ha). Viroconium was then fitted out with an impressive set of public buildings, including public baths
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
and a colonnaded forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
, as shown by the remains of a fine inscription. Simpler temples and shops have also been excavated. At its peak, Viroconium is estimated to have been the fourth largest Roman settlement in Britain with a population of more than 15,000 people.
Post-Roman town
Wroxeter Roman City
Impressive standing remains survive and further buildings have been excavated. These include "the Old Work" - an archway, part of the baths' frigidariumFrigidarium
A frigidarium is a large cold pool of Roman baths. It would be entered after the Caldarium and the Tepidarium, which were used to open the pores of the skin. The cold water would close the pores. There would be a small pool of cold water or sometimes a large Swimming pool...
and the largest free-standing Roman ruin in England - and the remains of a baths complex. These are on display to the public and, along with a small museum, are looked after by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
under the name Wroxeter Roman City.
Some of the more important finds are housed in the Rowley's House Museum in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
. Most of the town still remains buried, but it has largely been mapped through archaeological geophysics
Archaeological geophysics
Geophysical survey in archaeology most often refers to ground-based physical sensing techniques used for archaeological imaging or mapping. Remote sensing and marine surveys are also used in archaeology, but are generally considered separate disciplines...
and aerial archaeology
Aerial archaeology
Aerial archaeology is the study of archaeological remains by examining them from altitude.The advantages of gaining a good aerial view of the ground had been long appreciated by archaeologists as a high viewpoint permits a better appreciation of fine details and their relationships within the wider...
.
Literature
- A. E. HousmanA. E. HousmanAlfred Edward Housman , usually known as A. E. Housman, was an English classical scholar and poet, best known to the general public for his cycle of poems A Shropshire Lad. Lyrical and almost epigrammatic in form, the poems were mostly written before 1900...
refers to the town as "Uricon" in his poem On Wenlock Edge in A Shropshire LadA Shropshire LadA Shropshire Lad is a cycle of sixty-three poems by the English poet Alfred Edward Housman . Some of the better-known poems in the book are "To an Athlete Dying Young", "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" and "When I Was One-and-Twenty".The collection was published in 1896...
. - Wilfred OwenWilfred OwenWilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War...
saw archaeological digs in progress at Wroxeter and refers to it in his 1913 poem, "Uriconium: an Ode". - "Viroconium" is a poem by the Shropshire novelist and poet Mary WebbMary WebbMary Webb , was an English romantic novelist and poet of the early 20th century, whose work is set chiefly in the Shropshire countryside and among Shropshire characters and people which she knew. Her novels have been successfully dramatized, most notably the film Gone to Earth in 1950 by Michael...
. - The town of Viroconium in its latter days is featured in Rosemary SutcliffRosemary SutcliffRosemary Sutcliff CBE was a British novelist, and writer for children, best known as a writer of historical fiction and children's literature. Although she was primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults; Sutcliff herself once commented that she wrote...
's 1961 historical novel Dawn WindDawn WindDawn Wind is a historical novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1961 by Oxford University Press, with illustrations by Charles Keeping....
, part of her Roman-Britain series following the descendants of the lead character from Eagle of the Ninth.
See also:
- ViriconiumViriconiumViriconium is a fictional city created by M. John Harrison and also the name of the cycle of novels and stories set in and around it.Viriconium is on a future Earth littered with the technological detritus of millennia Viriconium is a fictional city created by M. John Harrison and also the name of...
, a fictional town with a similar name, which gives its name to M. John HarrisonM. John HarrisonM. John Harrison , known as Mike Harrison, is an English author and critic. His work includes the Viriconium sequence of novels and short stories, , Climbers , and the Kefahuchi Tract series which begins with Light . He currently resides in London.-Early years:Harrison was born in Rugby,...
's cycle of science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasyFantasyFantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels and stories set in and around it.
External links
- BBC
- BBC: Panoramic Views of Wroxeter
- BBC: Architectural Heritage
- Wroxeter Roman City: English Heritage
- Teachers'Resource pack on Wroxeter: English Heritage
- Viroconium Cornoviorum: Roman Legionary Fortress, British Tribal City - Roman-Britain.org
- Roman Fort and Bridge, Wroxter, Shropshire - Roman-Britain.org
- Wroxeter - Roman Britain's Fourth Largest City: Article by Dr. Gareth Evans
- Excavation report by Thomas Wright
- 1859 Article from Gentleman's Magazine
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Wroxeter & Viroconium Cornoviorum and surrounding area
- Wroxeter, the Cornovii, and the Urban Process
- Shropshire Tourism Site
- Report on Uriconium: Archaeological assessment of Wroxeter, Shropshire
- Ethnic and cultural consequences of the war between Saxons and romanised Britons