Stage 28: Imperium
Interpreting the Evidence:
Our Knowledge of Roman Britain
Interpreting the Evidence: Our
Knowledge of Roman Britain
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There are three ways we learn about the Roman
occupation of Britain:
1) literary evidence: what the Greeks and
Romans wrote about Britain
2) archaeological evidence: what
archaeologists have discovered from excavations
3) inscriptional evidence: inscriptions in Latin
(and sometimes Greek) from tombstones, altars,
public buildings, and monuments, and from private
objects such as writing tablets, defixiones, etc.
Literary Evidence
Two well known texts
tell us about Roman
Britain: Julius Caesar’s
account of his brief mission to the southeast coast of
Britain in 55 BC and his return in greater force the
following year when he stormed the fortress of a
British king and Tacitus’ biography of his father in
law, Agricola. Much of this account is based on his
career in the army and his campaigns as the
governor of the province.
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Literary Evidence cont’d
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The problem with these two texts is that they
are biased accounts. Caesar wrote his in
order to justify his actions to the Senate in
Rome and place himself in a favorable light,
and Tacitus wanted to honor the memory of
his father in law and to praise his success as
a soldier and governor. Agricola appears to
be too good to be true, while the Emperor
Domitian appears jealous of his success and
anxious to bring his downfall.
Archaeological Evidence
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Archaeologists strive to uncover and explain the remains of the
past.
Excavations take place at a place already known but not finished,
or by accident
1962 a workman digging found a mosaic floor which led to the
discovery of the palace at Fishbourne.
During an excavation the archaeologists look for the existence and
position of any building foundations, and the way in which the
various levels or layers of earth change color and texture. They
can develop a picture of the main features on the site using this
method.
Soil is also examines for smaller pieces of evidence, like bones,
pottery, jewelry, coins, and other small objects. These help to give
archaeologists an idea of who lived in those areas and perhaps
what happened to them.
Excavations at the Fishbourne
Palace
Dating
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Coins are used for dating fairly accurately
because they have emperors’ heads on and
names stamped on them. They can also help
to date the level of soil being excavated.
Pottery styles and patterns also help because
they are made from a durable material that
does not rot-this also gives clues to trade and
travel in the area
What it all means…
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Layers of ash, charred pottery, and other burned objects indicate a
destruction by fire; a mass of broken rubble may suggest a building
was demolished, maybe to a larger one
Many sites show development from simple timber-framed farmhouse
buildings to a larger stone house to a grander, multi-roomed mansion
with baths, mosaic pavements, and colonnades.
The villas were in the southeast, which means the military fortresses
were in the north and west. This suggests peace in the south and
trouble with hostile tribes in the north.
Many roads were found
Parts of towns have been found showing extensive forums, grids of
streets, large buildings like temples with altars and inscriptions,
theaters, and amphitheaters, and city walls.
Excavation of military sites, forts, camps, and fortresses, shows the
importance of their presence in keeping the peace and protection for
the province.
Coin of Vespasian c. 73 AD
Mosaic from Fishbourne Palace
Inscriptional Evidence
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Most of the inscriptional evidence comes
from the tombstones of soldiers. The below
is an inscription from a tombstone of a soldier
buried at Deva:
DM
L LICINIUS L F
TER VALENS
ARE VETERAN
LEG XX VV ANVL
HSE
Deciphering the Tomb
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Inscriptions follow a standard pattern which makes deciphering easy.
There is a pattern to the order:
1. The dedication at the top –D M – abbreviation for Dis Manibus
(to the spirits of the departed)
2. The praenomen. The first of the citizen’s three names and is
abbreviated-L-Lucius
3. The nomen. Always in full-Licinius
4. The father’s name. An abbreviated letter before an F (for filius).
Here-L F- Lucii filius
5. Tribe. Roman citizens were a member of one of 35 tribes used
for voting and abbreviated. Here-TER-for Teretina.
6. The cognomen. Last of the three names, given in full-Valens.
7. Birthplace. A town in the Roman empire, ARE is Arelate (modern
Arles in the south of France)
8. Rank and legion. Both abbreviated-VETERAN for veteranus (a
retired soldier or one about to retire)); LEG XX VV for legionis XX
Valeriae Victricis (20th Legion Valeria Victrix)
Deciphering the Tomb cont’d
9. Age. Represented by an AN or ANN for
annorum followed by a number, usually rounded
to a multiple of 5. Sometimes VIX is included
for lived before the AN
10. Length of service. Represented by
STIP followed by a number, e.g. STIP X for
stipendia X (ten years experience)
11. The final statement. Abbreviated and
usually H S E for hic situs est (is buried here) or
H F C for heresfaciendum curavit (his heir had
this stone set up)
What the Tomb Says
D(IS) M(ANIBUS)
L(UCIUS) LICINIUS L(UCII) F(ILIUS)
TER(ETINA) VALENS
ARE(LATE) VETERAN(US)
LEG(IONIS) XX V(ALERIAE) V(ICTRICIS)
AN(NORUM) V L
H(IC) S(ITUS) E(ST)
This stone is dedicated to the spirits of the departed. Lucius Licinius Valens,
son of Lucius, of the Teretine tribe, from Arelate, veteran of the Twentieth
Legion Valeria Victrix, aged 45, is buried here.
DEFINITIONS
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Literary evidence-written evidence
Archaeological evidence-evidence discovered by archaeologists during
excavations
Inscriptional evidence-evidence from inscriptions in Latin and sometimes Greek on
buildings, tombstones, etc.
Dis manibus-D M-to the spirits of the departed
Lucius-L-praenomen
Licinus-nomen
Lucii filius-L F-fathers name, son of Lucius
Teretina-tribe
Valens-cognomen
Arelate-birthplace
Veteranus-rank-veteran
Legionis XX Valeriae Victricis-legion
Annorum-years
Vixit-lived
Stipendia X-years in the service
Hic situs est-is buried here
Heres faciendum curavit-his heir had this stone set up