Download Stage 28: Imperium

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.
1962 a workman digging found a mosaic
floor which led to the discovery of the
palace at Fishbourne.
Excavations take place at a place already
known but not finished, or by accident.
Excavations at the Fishbourne
Palace
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Archaeological Evidence
During an excavation the archaeologists: 1&2.
look for the existence and position of any
building foundations, and 3&4. the way in
which the various levels or layers of earth
change color and texture. They can 5. develop
a picture of the main features on the site using
this method.
Trained to study stratigraphy (layers of soil)
Soil is also examines for large objects or smaller
pieces of evidence, like bones, pottery, jewelry,
and coins.
Dating
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Coins are used for dating fairly accurately
because they have emperors’ heads on and
names stamped on them.
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Pottery styles and patterns also help
because they are made from a durable
material that does not rot
Coin of Vespasian c. 73 AD
Mosaic from Fishbourne Palace
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, multiroomed mansion with baths, mosaic pavements, and colonnades.
The villas were in the southeast, this suggests peace in the south
The military fortresses were in the north and west. This suggests
peace in the south.
What it all means…
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Many roads were found connecting various areas of Britain.
Parts of towns have been found and reveal a great deal
about daily life.
Excavation of military sites, forts, camps, and fortresses,
shows the importance of their presence in keeping the
peace and protection for the province.
Inscriptional Evidence
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Most of the inscriptional evidence comes
from the tombstones of soldiers. All
inscriptions follow a standard pattern. 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