The walls and church

Inside the walls; note far walls in distance

Silchester Roman Town, or Calleva Atrebatum, was an Iron Age and subsequently Roman town and capital of the Celtic tribe named the Atrebates, located near the modern village of Silchester on what is today the border between the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. Silchester Roman Town - Walls Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 26th November 2004, with original filename DCP_3552. ... Silchester Roman Town - Walls Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 26th November 2004, with original filename DCP_3552. ... Silchester Roman Town - Inside the walls Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 26th November 2003, with original filename DCP_3550. ... Silchester Roman Town - Inside the walls Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 26th November 2003, with original filename DCP_3550. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a residential community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... A Celtic cross. ... The Atrebates (meaning settlers) were a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain before the Roman conquests. ... Silchester is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, UK. At the 2001 census it had a population of 918. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – 60,609... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Hampshire (abbr. ...

Description

Most Roman towns in Britain continued to exist after the end of the Roman era, and consequently their remains underlay their more recent successors, which are often still major population centres. Silchester is unusual in that, for reasons unknown, it was abandoned shortly after the end of the Roman era and, with the establishment of Reading Abbey, local political and commercial activity moved to nearby Reading. As a consequence, Silchester has been subject to relatively benign neglect for most of the last two millennia.^[1] Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in Reading, Berkshire, founded by Henry I in 1121 for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors and successors. // History... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ...

The site covers a large area of over 100 acres (400,000 sq. metres) within a polygonal earthwork. The earthworks and, for much of the circumference, the ruined walls are still visible. The remains of the amphitheatre, situated outside the city walls, can also be clearly seen. By contrast, the area inside the walls is now largely farmland with no visible distinguishing features other than the enclosing earthworks and walls, together with a tiny mediaeval church in one corner.^[2][3] An acre is an English unit of area, which is also frequently used in the United States and some Commonwealth countries. ... Look up Polygon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The name amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is given to a public building of the Classical period (being particularly associated with ancient Rome) which was used for spectator sports, games and displays. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Excavation

Silchester was completely excavated by the Society of Antiquaries of London between the years 1890 and 1909, and this excavation provided valuable information about civic life and daily life in the first centuries of the Common Era, as well as a map of the Romano-British town. Whilst the excavation techniques of the time were adequate to deal with buildings with stone foundations, work in other towns of Roman Britain has revealed that timber construction predominated in the first and second centuries AD, and the early excavations were not capable of recovering evidence of these buildings.^[4] Excavation is the best-known and most commonly used technique within the science of archaeology. ... The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society, based in the United Kingdom, concerned with the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries. This includes archaeology, architectural history, art history, conservation, heraldry, anthropology, and ecclesiastical studies. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Common Era (CE), sometimes known as the Christian Era or Current Era, is the period of measured time beginning with the year 1 (the traditional birthdate of Jesus) to the present. ... The term Romano-British describes the romanised culture of Britannia under the rule of the Roman Empire, when Roman and Christian culture had extensively entered into the life of the native Brythonic and Pictish peoples of Britain. ...

Additionally, this early excavation was believed to have destroyed evidence that might have been analysed in more careful detail not only with current technology and practices, but with the tools and knowledge of future generations. As archaeological study of this kind can be a destructive process, the excavation of Silchester is frequently mentioned as an example of why complete excavation should not be performed.^{[citation needed]} Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ...

However, since the 1970s the University of Reading has become increasingly involved in new excavations. Work has been undertaken on the amphitheatre and the forum basilica, which revealed remarkably good preservation of items from both the Iron Age and early Roman occupations. Currently (2004) exploration of one of the central insulae of the town is being undertaken. This indicates that the scope for further work inside and outside the walls is enormous.^[5] The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading. ... The name amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is given to a public building of the Classical period (being particularly associated with ancient Rome) which was used for spectator sports, games and displays. ... St. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Roman architecture, insulae were large apartment buildings where the lower and middle classes of Romans (the plebs) dwelled. ...

Location

The site of Roman Silchester is adjacent to the modern village of Silchester, in the English county of Hampshire adjacent to the border with Berkshire. Reading is some 10 miles to the north-east, whilst Basingstoke is 5 miles to the south. The grid reference of the site is SU639624. Silchester is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, UK. At the 2001 census it had a population of 918. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – 60,609... Hampshire (abbr. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ... Basingstoke railway station, as seen from Churchill Way. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ...

Access

Now jointly owned by English Heritage and Hampshire County Council, the site of Roman Silchester is open to the public during daylight hours, seven days a week and without charge. The full circumference of the walls are accessible, as is the amphitheatre. The interior is farmed and, with the exception of the church and a single track that bisects the interior, inaccessible. Current excavations are sometimes open for visitors, and occasional organised open days are held; see the Reading University web site ('External links' below) for details. English Heritage is a United Kingdom government body with a broad remit of managing the historic environment of England. ... Hampshire (abbr. ...

The Museum of Reading, located in the Town Hall in central Reading, has a gallery devoted to Silchester, displaying many archeological finds from the various excavations. The Museum of Reading is located in the old Town Hall in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Reading is a town and a unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) in the English county of Berkshire. ...

External links

• Reading University web site on Silchester Roman Town
• Virtual Research Environment for the Silchester archaeological excavation

References

1. ^ University of Reading (2004). A Guide to Silchester - Introduction. Retrieved September 22, 2005.
2. ^ Hampshire County Council (2005). Discover Hampshire - Calleva Atrebatum - Roman Silchester. Retrieved September 22, 2005.
3. ^ English Heritage. Silchester Roman City Walls and Amphitheatre. Retrieved September 22, 2005.
4. ^ University of Reading (2004). A Guide to Silchester - History of the Excavations. Retrieved September 22, 2005. Section entitled 'The Victorian Excavations'.
5. ^ ibid. Section entitled 'The University of Reading's Involvement'.

• Clarke, A., Fulford, M., Rains, M. & Shaffrey, R. (2001). Silchester Roman Town - The Insula IX Town Life Project: The Victorian Excavations of 1893. Retrieved December 20, 2005.
• Clarke, A., Eckardt, H., Fulford, M., Rains, M and Tootell, K., (2005). Silchester Town Life Project: Late Roman Insula IX. Retrieved December 20, 2005.