Daily Life During Roman Occupation Roman Britain Daily Life During Roman Occupation

Sources Caesar, Commentarii De Bello Gallico Tacitus, Agricola Notitia Dignitatum Tabula Peutigeriana, Itinerarium Provinciarum Antonini Curse Tablets Building Inscriptions, altars, tombstones, etc. Skeletal Remains

Military Life in Roman Britain Population impossible to determine Male-Female ratio fluctuated Army comprised essentially of legionaries and auxiliaries Soldiers performed menial as well as skilled labor A great deal of time was spent on construction

The Roman Army Camp I, L, M Allied infantry and cavalry P, Q, N Roman legionaries and cavalry F, E, G Forum, shrine, augury

Town Life The creation of coloniae were inextricably linked to Roman military camps.

Coloniae, Castra, and Vici Castra eventually develop into towns, or attract the creation of Vici Coloniae are set up with the actual intent of spreading Roman culture and civilization Coloniae are populated with military veterans – Boudiccan revolt Citizenship before 212 A.D. Leading British families, municipia, and Italians Cities were multicultural, and after occupation, consisted of many types of immigrants Location, Location, Location – major intersections and natural resources

Towns and Industry Many towns were developed for the extraction of a certain natural resource Chalk, Iron, Gold, Silver, Tin, Wool, Slaves Industrial areas are separate Pottery and tile kilns, blacksmiths, stone masons, shoemakers, butchers, etc. Immigrants were faced with a daunting paradigm shift Money, Roman time, the Latin language

While small towns maintained a haphazard street plan, larger towns were built on the Mediterranean style.

The Courtyard House Plan Even after Roman occupation, the peristyle Mediterranean house plan was never popular in Britain. Even settled veterans take up the courtyard plan. Houses often contained gardens and farming workshops, suggesting some commoners carried out agricultural jobs within the city. Most rooms are impossible to identify.

Public buildings Aqueducts, Sewers, and Wells Temples, basilicas Baths Forum or Macellum Temples, basilicas Roads Valetudinaria Mansiones Aqueducts, Sewers, and Wells Baths Amphitheaters Harbors

Population Citizenship not guaranteed before 212 A.D. Men Women Citizenship not guaranteed before 212 A.D. Households often followed pater familias model Few rights Revolt of Boudicca Curse tablets Status of women in Celtic society vs. Roman Law

Government of Roman Britain Governor (Aulus Plautius, Gnaeus Agricola, Suetonius Paulinus, etc.) Procurator Juridici Colchester London Roman Frontier

Slavery Slave quarters, Vindolanda Slavery existed before the Roman invasion, but Romans recorded slave transactions Variations in slave status Slave rights Forensic pathology and slavery

Families A Cemetary at Boscomb Down, England. The Bronze Age ditch became the Roman town boundary, beyond which they buried their dead. Polygamy was known in parts of the empire, and there is evidence for pre-Roman practice Marriage Family size and contraception Skeletal Remains Stone coffin from Boscomb Down, containing a woman and her infant child. c. 220 A.D.