After the Bronze Age, which featured in the Onsite pages for the last shoot, Britain entered the Iron Age when iron tools became more popular than bronze and the crafts of metal working and pottery making became more advanced. The Iron Age runs from the late eighth century BC until the main Roman invasion in AD 43.
During the Iron Age a great economy was built involving trade across Europe. In Britain, people lived in large tribal groups spread across the country. Meanwhile, the Roman Empire was established and expanded on all of its frontiers. Julius Caesar became aware of Britain during his campaigns against the tribes of Gaul (modern day north-western Europe). He launched two expeditions to Britain in 55 and 56 BC and much of what we know about this time comes from Caesar’s biographer Suetonius. After these excursions, Rome lost interest in this island for a while and concentrated its efforts back on the continent, where the occasional uprising demanded their attention.
During this period, the Emperors Augustus and Caligula are both supposed to have shown an interest in a full scale invasion of Britain, but nothing materialised.
The trading peoples of Britain had regular contact with the Roman Empire when selling their goods abroad, and this undoubtedly caused a few changes in society. Firstly the Romans were aware of the wealth of resources in Britain, and secondly the native politics of the time began to be affected, with internal struggles heightened by the new ‘Euro economy’. This was largely more evident in the Southern tribes, who had greater contact with the Romans.
The big push came in AD 43 when the then Emperor, Claudius, working hard on his prestige through military success, answered calls for help from squabbling native Britons. The ancient writers Cassius and Suetonius tell us that in AD 43 Claudius sent an invasion force of 40,000 soldiers to Britain under his personal command. The impact of the invasion was such that Claudius quickly notched up the surrender of 11 British Kings. This was just the start of our Roman period.
After some 30 years of fighting and consolidation much of Britain came under Roman control, which was to last for some 400 years. The Romans brought with them financial and public administration, new building techniques, the latest technological advances of the time, and the beginning of recorded history.
The military played a big part in Roman Britain. A very large force, in relation to the rest of the Empire, was based here. At times this was nearly 10% of the total strength of the army. All soldiers need a base and the Romans were no exception. Forts were constructed across the country at strategic points to control civil disorder and military threats. They also acted as important logistic supply depots and centres for administration.
The original format of a Roman fort usually took the form of a temporary base. A perimeter ditch was excavated with the material removed piled up behind the ditch to form a bank on the inside of the enclosure. This was also a standard practice for marching camps when units were located in hostile territory overnight.
These base camps were often only maintained for a short period before the military unit would move on to another location. However, if the site was suitable these basic fortifications were adapted for a longer stay. It is not uncommon to find that a base camp has been re-cut and strengthened. The introduction of deeper ditches, higher banks, timber palisade walls and considerable gateways is a phase of development evident on many forts that have been excavated.
The next phase was often to consolidate earlier timber work and replace it with stone. This became the standard method of construction by the early second century AD. Although early forts were of different designs, as construction became more established they tended to follow a standard layout.
The shape is similar to a playing card with an entrance on each side. Inside the fort there are two main streets that divide the camp. The Via Praetoria led from the front gate to the headquarters building (Principia) in the centre of the fort. The Via Principalis joined the two side gates and passes in front of the Principia. The commanding officer's house (Praetorium) was next to the headquarters building, and the rest of the fort was filled with rows of barracks, workshops and stores.
A fort could hold anything up to 800 men and often had an associated civilian settlement outside called a Vicus. Roman soldiers were one of the groups in society that had a regular wage and, as is often the case throughout history, these men with money to spend often attracted a range of people providing different civilian services who settled nearby and took advantage of their requirements.
The biggest Vicus settlements are associated with the biggest forts, or fortresses. A Roman fortress could hold over 5,000 legionaries and be the base for a whole army group.