Civitas Capitals
Verulamium (St. Albans)
- History
- Location north of Londinium #72
- Originally site of a Celtic town
- Capital of Catuvellauni
- Replaced by Camulodunum #64
- Continued to mint coins
- Captured in 43 CE
- Roman military post built here
- Between 43 and 49/50
- Guarded crossing of Ver River
- Became municipium
- In 49/50 CE
- Latin rights
- Magistrates became Roman citizens
- Only one in Britain
- Planned town
- Earthen defense-circuit
- Remains of wood houses and shops
- Near theater
- Shops part of early town
- Earliest ground plan extant in Britain
- Located by main road Watling Street
- Covered pavement-walkway by the road
- Shops by roadway
- Residences behind
- Burnt in Boudicca’s revolt in 60/61 CE
- Recovery was slow
- Large-scale building not undertaken until late 70s
- Town enlarged
- Extends beyond early defensive circuit
- Public buildings constructed of stone
- Private houses still wooden construction
- Construction of the basilica
- Dedicated in 79
- Agricola was governor
- Rectangular
- Beside it the Curia
- Built also
- Meeting hall for magistrates
- Burnt again in 155
- Town enlarged
- 3rd largest town in Roman Britain
- By this time was a civitas capital
- Houses now built of stone
- Theater constructed
- Near the Basilica
- First structure wooden stage
- Enlarged in late 2nd century
- Enlarged again in ca. 300
- Construction of the defenses for the city
Corinium (Cirencester)
- Corinium (#53)
- Began as fort
- To guard the Celtic town of Bagendon
- Capital of Dobunni
- Fortified town
- Roman fort for cavalry auxiliaries
- Street plan based on fort plan
- Central area was the forum
- Plan
- Open market area
- Colonnaded shops on three sides
- Basilica on fourth side
- Around area were shops and workshops
- Shops in front
- Homes behind or above
- Carpenter’s workshop
- Cutler’s shop
- Smith’s workshop
- Mosaic workshops
- Residences were in other areas
- Homes with courtyards
- Decorated rooms
- Private kitchens
- Outside of the town was an amphitheater
- Built on a hill
- Oval area
- By 2nd to 3rd century town fortified
- Stone and brick walls
- Defensive bastions in the wall
- Main gates