Monument Type(s):

• CIVITAS CAPITAL (Roman to Early Saxon - 100 AD? to 410 AD)
• TOWN (Roman to Early Saxon - 100 AD? to 410 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: The planned Roman city and civitas (tribal) capital of Wroxeter, created in the early 2nd century when the old fortress area was completely remodelled, and occupied until the late 5th century, which was at its peak the 4th largest city in Roman Britain.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Description

CMHTS Comment: An irregular area encompassing all of the Roman civitas capital and its immediate suburban area (up to 250 metres minimum). The area measures 1900 metres N-S by 1600 metres E-W and includes an areas on the W bank of the River Severn. Defined as Wroxeter urban form: Roman civitas capital <1>
CMHTS Report <2>
SMR Comment: The Central Marches Historic Towns Survey used the PRN 00026 to represent the civitas capital phase of Roman Wroxeter. However, since 00026 has historically been used by the SMR for all phases of Roman Wroxeter, the CMHTS record has been renumbered <3>

A large legionary fortress was built c. 57 AD for the XIIII Germina Legion. A canabae and a vicus grew up around the fortress (PRN 06492), and when the legion was moved to Chester and the fortress abandoned these formed the basis of the early Roman town. Although the town, unlike other former legionary fortresses, did not become a colonia of veterans, it is probable that it was the civitas capital of the Cornovii tribe from this time [<2>]. The city was re-organised and expanded during Hadrian’s reign (117-138 AD), at which time it was provided with earth and timber defences enclosing an area of c.78ha (PRN 06482) [<4a>]. Substantial civic buildings and town houses are known from excavation and APS and geophysical surveys have shown that almost the entire area enclosed by the defences was densely occupied. There may have been some contraction in the 4th century. Nethertheless excavations have shown that the town’s basilica and possibly the baths were maintained until the end of the 5th century [<2>]. <4>

<01> Dalwood Hal & White Roger H, 1993/ 1996, CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Wroxeter, Wroxeter 26, renumbered 08030 (Record form). SSA19976.

<02> White Roger H & Dalwood Hal, 1996, Archaeological Assessment of Wroxeter, Shropshire (CMHTS) (Historic landscape survey report). SSA12089.

<03> Gathercole E Clare, 1999/ 2002, Comments by SMR compiler in SMR database, 05/03/2001 (SMR comment). SSA20725.

<04a> White Roger H & Barker P, 1998, Wroxeter: the life and death of a Roman city (Monograph). SSA23264.

<04> Hannaford Hugh R, 2002, A watching brief at the Parish Room and School House, Wroxeter (Watching brief report). SSA20878.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.