Walls approximately 25 feet high and 12 feet thick, enclose an area of approximately 5 acres. Within this area are foundations of a huge monument to commemorate Agricola's final subjugation of Britain circa 85 AD, a 2nd century government rest house mansio , shops, the font of a Christian church circa and a late Saxon church, extended 12th century, destroyed 17th century.
Within and surrounding the fort are extensive earthworks associated with various phases of development. At some time a large port with extensive wharfing: the landing place and supply base for the Claudian invasion of 43 AD. A Roman settlement arose and grew around a harbour in the 1st and 2nd centuries. In the following century, reacting to military demands, it was converted into a fortified base forming part of the unified chain of commands, the "Saxon Shore", around the southern and eastern coasts of Britain.
Richborough is now landlocked and presents an uncompromising Roman solidity, its massive walls dominating the site. Excavations have revealed a long history of nearly four hundred years of Roman occupation and developments, within which the standing defensive walls represent a relatively late phase. Historical and archaeological details cover conquest, consolidation, growth, 2nd century town and port, the Great Monument and 3rd century earth and stone forts.
It was circa 4. This camp was levelled circa 53 AD and a supply base established; storehouses and granaries were uncovered by excavations. It was originally built of timber, later in stone. Circa AD many of these buildings were cleared and a rectangular monument was built to celebrate the conquest.
The superstructure has not survived but the cross-shaped footings set on a rectangular foundation are still visible. The monument may have taken the form of a four-way arch above a cross-passage way, set on a raised plinth. It measured circa From circa 90 AD to circa AD the former supply base developed into a town, some of the buildings are visible as cropmarks. Circa AD the centre of the town was levelled and the great monument converted into a signal station, it was defended by three closely spaced V-shaped ditches with one entrance which are visible as excavated features.
This guarded the southern side of the Wantsum channel when the sea flowed around the cliff on which the Castle stands. It was here that Claudius' invading army landed in A. Traces of first century wooden buildings and other remains show that Richborough was the main port of entry and supply depot during the first two centuries. Inside the fort is a large cross of masonry resting on a deep foundation which formerly supported a large monument faced with marble and adorned with bronze statues erected A.
From the second half of the third century it formed, together with the Forts at Reculver, Dover, Lympne and Pevensey, a line of forts under the authority of the Count of the Saxon shore. Berggren, A. J Ptolemy's Geography. Princeton University Press. Breeze, D. Roman Forts in Britain. Shire Archaeology, Oxford. The Frontiers of Imperial Rome. Pen and Sword Books Ltd, Barnsley. Campbell, D. B Osprey, Oxford. Davies, H Roman Roads in Britain. Fields, N Hobbs, R and Jackson, R Roman Britain.
British Museum Company Ltd, London. Millet, M and Wilmott, T Rethinking Richborough. Ordnance Survey, Southampton. Pearson, A Shotter, D The Roman Frontier in Britain. Carnegie Publishing Ltd, London. Waite, J Archaeologists have excavated two deep, parallel V-shaped ditches, with a rampart on the seaward side, running for at least metres yards north—south in line with the Roman coastline.
Because of its position near the mouth of the Stour, Rutupiae became a major British port under the Romans and the starting point for the road now known as Watling Street. As the frontier pushed further north, Rutupiae expanded into a flourishing commercial town that boasted an amphitheatre accommodating up to 5, people, temples and a mansio guest house for visiting officials with a bathhouse and administration buildings. Most of the civilian buildings and monuments were demolished to make way for successive forts known as Saxon Shore Forts.
Construction of the fort is believed to have started in and completed in during the reign of Carausius. The fort was 5 acres 2. Though some stone buildings existed in the interior of the fort, most of its buildings were made of timber. There existed a central rectangular building built of stone, which was probably the principia headquarters.
During the decline of the Roman Empire, Rutupiae was one of the last sites in the province where Roman coins were still in circulation, making it also one of the last remaining official sites of Roman occupation well into the 5 th century AD until it was eventually abandoned. HeritageDaily is an independent publisher of the latest scientific discoveries, research, and travel news.
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