The Romans arrived in 47AD in the area under the leadership of Emperor Claudius. They came to Britain for their minerals - tin, lead, some gold, productive farmland and sheeps wool. They established several fortresses which quickly became substantial towns. In Shropshire they conquered the local bronze age residents who were a tribal people called the Cornovii. The Cornovii had already established substantial farms and a wattle and daub village. Within a few years the area of Wroxeter would become a Roman village complete with houses, markets, baths, a temple and the longest road in Britain. Emperor Hadrian visited the site on his way north to try to tame the Picts and the Scots. Meeting little success he would build a wall to protect his Britain from incursions.
This road, which today is not more than a country lane is hiking distance from our hotel. It's hard to imagine that this asphalt sits over the actual Roman road which came from the south of Britain and continued up to the North. It was the M-1 highway of Britain 60AD.
We learned about the Roman baths on the site and their importance to the Romans. Romans believed that for health they would gather in the bath for physical exercise, lifting weights, gymnastics and wrestling. After working up a sweat they would go through a series of more progressively hot rooms and end up with a dip in a cold water pool. After a dip they would get a massage. From these baths we get the names "Fridga-dorium" "Tepid-orium" and "Natatorium".The Bath was a social center of the community. Men and women separately bathed and sat in steam rooms to discuss politics for the day, the weather, while slaves scrubbed them down with the equivalent of loofa sponges. Sounds like a YMCA to me, minus the slaves of course.
At this British Heritage site one's imagination is filled with its wonder and how the bronze age locals must have been in awe of the Roman's capabilities.
A replica roman villa had been reproduced by the University of Manchester on its exact site. The Villa would have had plastered walls, mosaic tiles on the floor, running water from the aqueduct which brought water from the Severn. The village included a Roman mill. The Romans taught the local tribesmen how to use waterpower and build mills in other areas. So why did the Romans leave a 400 year venture? Was it the Round-a-bouts? Was it British dental care? Was it the Mushy Peas? Scholars have clues but no definitive answer.
The Romans may have left because their empire was over extended. The battles with barbarian tribes that were threatening Rome required the Emperor to call back his legions to defend the homeland. Maybe the adventure was too expensive and was not producing profit. No one is sure but in the 5th century they were gone. This brought rise to the Dark Ages and a time period of which little is known. In the ensuing years the Anglo Saxons and their kingdom of Mercia would form. Viking raiders and their kings would enter the arena. This dark period is the stuff of legends like King Arthur. Archeology is finding new truths about the history of Britain each year. Many Roman artifacts that we saw in the new Shrewsbury museum were found with the recent building of the soccer stadium.
So where did all the stones go? These were substantial buildings. All you have to do is look around the neighborhood. Saxon churches , houses, abbeys. Locals pinched the stones and used them in the construction of their towns. This little church down the road dates from the Saxon period and has identifiable stones, lintels and columns which came from the Roman Village.
So that's everything I know about the fascinating story of Roman Britain. Considering I didn't know anything yesterday, that's a lot. What I do know is that when the rain stops and a little bit of sun peaks through a cloud-hole you can get beautiful pictures. Here's Shropshire after the rain.
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