Urbanism
Caerwent (Venta Silurum)
- Located in Wales #50
- In 74 CE Sextus Iulius Frontinus made commander of Legio II
- Skilled engineer
- Moved the legion to the fort at Caerleon (Isca Silurum)
- Constructed several other forts to control the region
- Silures tribe extremely troublesome to Rome
- Fiercely resisted Roman advances into Wales
- He defeats them in battle
- Destroys their stronghold at Llanmelin Wood
- Built a new town for them at Caerwent
- Became the market town for the Silures tribe
- In the early 2nd century CE became a civitas
- Roman town continued to be inhabited into the 4th century
- Town was not exceptionally large: 44 acres
- Has the basic features of a Roman town
- Grid pattern
- Two main streets
- Forum and basilica in the center of town
- Near the forum were the baths
- Romano-Celtic temple
- Houses with shops
- Common feature in towns
- Built along roadways
- Roads graveled with drainage ditches
- Shops opened onto roads
- Residences behind
- One of the houses
- Fortifications
- Earthen rampart and ditch
- Constructed by ca. 130
- 4 main gates
- Not bonded with later walls
- Double portal
- Flanking towers
- Stone wall
- 3rd century CE
- Only core remains
- Facing stones removed
- Polygonal bastions
- Added in 350 CE
- Added protection to north and south walls
- Amphitheater (?)
- Built in late 3rd or early 4th century
- Built over earlier houses
- Within the walls
Bath (Aqua Sulis)
- No evidence of pre-Roman occupation found
- Latin name indicates was area sacred to Sulis, whom Romans identified with Minerva
- Probably a sacred area in Celtic religious practices
- Probably Roman fort built here at time of conquest
- 1st century CE
- 1st major building phase
- Town laid out
- Several monumental buildings constructed
- Focal point was the hot springs
- Number of offerings found in the springs from this time
- 1st baths constructed at this time
- Number of modifications over the centuries
- Abandoned in the 5th century
- Located west of Londinium (#73)
- Great Baths
- 1st phase
- 1st century CE
- Central hall: frigidarium
- To the left small swimming complex
- To the right the Great Baths
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- 2nd phase
- 2nd century CE
- Circular plunge-pool replaces frigidarium
- New caldarium replaces swimming pools
- Circular laconium added
- 3rd phase
- End of 2nd century
- Replace roofing
- Grandiose barrel-vault
- Minor modification to rooms to the left
- 4th phase
- Early 3rd century
- Extensive reorganization of the baths
- Eastern baths rebuilt
- Alcove north of tepidarium converted into an immersion-bath
- Heating system rearranged
- New caldarium added
- 5th phase
- Early 4th century
- Minor modifications
- Added several small immersion baths
- End of the Great Baths
- Problem with drainage
- Serious flooding
- Baths abandoned
- Late 4th - early 5th century