Romanization of Britain
Roman administration
- Imperial province
- Single unit in 1st and 2nd centuries CE
- Divided into two areas in 3rd century CE
- Septimius Severus
- Superior and Inferior
- Governor
- Appointed by emperor
- After division two governors
- Britannia Superior remained in hands of the consul governor
- Britannia Inferior had governor of Praetorian rank
- Appointment of legal assistant
- Begun in Flavian period
- Title legatus iuridicus
- Concerned with civil administration
- Senatorial rank
- Under Hadrian assisted by professional lawyers of lower rank
- Governor’s staff
- Number of clerks and orderlies
- Supervised by the princeps
- Duties were the operation of government offices
- Procurator
- Next in importance after the governor
- Appointed by the emperor
- Equestrian order, just below senatorial rank
- Independent of the governor
- Controlled financial affairs of the province
- Collection of taxes and other revenues
- Administered imperial estates and mines
- Controlled financial affairs of the province
- Junior government officials
- Stationed in various locations
- Title according to function
- Beneficiarius
- Regionarius
- Stationarius
- Main functions
- Police duties
- Transportation of army supplies
- Regional supervision in hands of a centurion
- Provincial-level administration
- Central council
- Local administrations sent representatives
- Held little real power
- Could appeal directly to the emperor
- It appointed patrons to plead cases in Rome for province
- Concerned with supervision of the imperial cult
- Annually appointed high priest of the cult
- Organized various festivals and demonstrations
- Celebrations paid for by the high priest
- Local governments
- At first controlled by tribal kings
- Loyal to Rome
- Maintained economic and political stability
- Later dependent upon status of the town
The Roman Army
- Main function of the army was to maintain the peace
- Legion
- Primary fighting force of the Roman army
- Only Roman citizens could serve in it
- 6,000 standard number
- Subdivided into 60 centuries
- Centurion head of each
- 6 centuries made up one cohort
- Tribune
- Appointed commander of a legion
- Primarily a political appointment
- During battle relied on the centurions
- Legates of the legion
- Important position
- Could control province in absence of the governor
- Camp prefect of the legion
- 3rd in hierarchy of legion command
- Administrative post
- Trumpeters
- Variety of wind instruments
- Signaled instructions in battle
- Standard bearers
Carried standards of the century, cohort, or legion
- Responsible for finances of their century
- In charge of burial fund
- Soldiers contributed to the fund
- Insured proper burial and monument at death
- Appointment to this position often led to promotion to centurion rank
- Auxiliaries
- Provided support for the legions
- Non-Roman citizens could serve here
- After retirement awarded citizenship
- Infantry and cavalry
- Stationed throughout province in various forts
Forts
- Different types
- Legionary forts
- Cohort forts
- Auxiliary forts
- Officials assigned to forts
- Armorer
- Maintained arms store in the fort
- Probably one for century and auxiliary
- Military engineers
- Drill-instructors
- Essential to maintain fitness of army
- Covered drill sheds in forts
- Clerks of various grades
- Kept records
- Administered army pay
- Legionary fort at Caerleon, Gwent
- Example of the standard plan
- Covers 50 acres
- Housed a legion
- Enclosing ditch and rampart
- 4 gates
- Main cross street, the via principalis
- Via praetoria formed a T-junction to it
- Barrack along street at right angle to the via principalis
- Center was the general’s quarters and the headquarters
- A hospital inside
- Contained a number of wards
- One or more operating rooms
- Treatment rooms
- Medical attendants, mostly Greeks
- Other structures
- Granary
- Bath-house
- Workshops
- Outside
- Amphitheater
- Merchant shops
- Inns
- Private houses
- Temples and shrines
- Auxiliary fort: Lunt
- Used between 60-77/8 CE
- Gateway
- Through it the via principalis passes
- Inside a circular area
- Granary
- Barracks
Roman navy
- Primarily an extension of the army
- Original function was to transport troops
- In later periods became more vital to defense of the island
- Classis Britannica
- Stationed in the channel between Britain and Gaul
- Headquarters at Boulogne
Internet
Roman Forts
Military History
List of Roman Forts