Wednesday 15 May 2013

Echos of Roman Britain

In pictures: one of the wildest corners of Britain



Once upon a merry and very true time, during 43 AD when the Roman Legions came to Britain. This earthwork in the above picture was a gigantic hill fort. It had been so for many hundreds of years - over a thousand. It changed as the palisade wall would have often been replaced through bronze and iron age. It was a thriving market town of trade and commerce among the Ancient Britons and the particular tribe that ruled from this great hill fort was called the Durotriges.

Mai Dun would have had a huge palisade wall surrounding the scarps overlooking the ditch works. They must have thought the Roman 2nd Legion unworthy of attempting to lay siege to the proud colossal wooden works - a place that had stood for such a long time.

However, being made of wood did not seem daunting to the strange and mysterious empire troops before them. Romans built huge and great cities from stone.

Imagine the view back in 43 AD from the above photo - Durotriges Briton filled with conviction of vanity. This was Mai Dune and had been so for over a thousand years. They had rocks a plenty and could fling them across the ditch works into the Roman ranks.


Archaeologist uncovered two Durotriges defenders that they believe were killed by ballista arrows while the siege was in progress.
The palisade would be destroyed in days and Mai Dun would be no more as the Roman 2nd Legion led by Vespasian stormed through the fort and exacted revenge upon the occupiers that tried to defy Rome.

One of Britain's haunting areas that echo from ancient times.

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