Location
Roman York control of THE-NORTHERN-ROMAN-FRONTIER-CONTROL-
Roman York, a Fortress and a Town were located on the Yorkshire plan close to where the River Foss joins the Ouse. It was 110 miles south east of Carlisle and about 90 miles south of Corbridge. the Northern Frontier was probably controlled from here.
Roman York was in a central position to control the Vale of York and could be accessed from the sea, which would have been particularly important. It was close to the centres of Brigantes and Parisii tribes.
Roman-York Fortress-and-Town
The Fortress
The fortress measured about 1550ft by 1320 ft., about 50 acres on the north bank of the Ouse and built in 71AD. A town eventually surrounded the fortress and extended south of the River Ouse and covered perhaps about 100 acres, two centuries later.
As at York, most sites of fortresses across the empire have been built over the centuries, therefore it is not easy to determine the internal layout. There is one exception built 12 years later at Inchtuthil in Perthshire, Scotland and demolished when the Romans withdrew. From excavations here an indication of a legionnaire fortress’s layout was derived.
It had to accommodate about 5,200 men.
Early in the 2nd century fortress walls were replaced in stone but possibly not finished before 9th Legion was transferred. Its replacement was occupied building Hadrian’s Wall, and after that the Scottish Invasion. So it could have been late 2nd or early 3rd century before the new fort was competed.
The most iconic remains are the south west corner, a multiangular tower. What you see today is not 2nd century corner tower; but a replacement, probably built by Constantius Caesar at the beginning of the 4th century, the father Constantine the Great, the top is medieval. Other towers on the south west side of the fort were probably also changed at this time.
fortress-layout
It was a very much larger version of the Roman Forts found on the Northern Frontier, with some additional buildings
Roman Town and Provincial Capital
ROMAN-YORK-AS-IT-WAS
The earliest buildings found are south west of the fortress close to the River Ouse, identified as granaries for storage of grain acquired from the local population for shipment down to London or to the Continent. There were also docking facilities on the River Ouse. Development continued east of the fortress close to the River Foss, where was also port facilities.
Britain 220 AD
The settlement expanded around the fortress and across the river first along the road leading south from the fortress, as wooden structures and then replace with stone. The settlement in 2nd century moved further east and west of this road. By the beginning of 3rd century it had developed into a significant town, helped by the residence there of Emperor Septimius Severus and his family from 208 to 211AD as base for the Scottish invasion. The Emperor died in York in 211AD.
About this time Britain was divided into 2 provinces and York became the capital of Britain Inferior, in addition, it became a Colonia, the highest rank for a Roman settlement.
It is difficult to find what is underneath a town probably continually occupied for the next 1800 years, and where excavations have taken place; dating evidence has been in short supply.
The Town was walled but although some of the Roman Walls are under Mediaeval Walls in places, they diverge. The Walls do not appear to be dated; it is likely they were built in the latter half of the3rd century, as were most of the towns in the rest of Britain. At its peak in 3rd century its population was approximately 3000. From early in the 4th century the population began to decline, one of the reasons was the reduction in the size of the garrison from 5000 to about 1000.
History
1st & 2nd Centuries
Britain was invaded in 43AD by the Emperor Claudius, Southern and Eastern England was rapidly overrun. Most of Northern England was occupied by the Brigantes tribe, who became allies of Rome, and as a result there was no Army of occupation.
With a change of leadership of the tribe, showing greater hostility to Rome the situation changed. After the accession of Vespasian in 69AD, Quintus Petillius Cerialis was appointed governor of Britain and the conquest of the Brigantes was begun and the occupation of the North.
The 9th Legion was based at Lincoln, under the command of the British Governor Cerialis. The invasion began in 71AD.The legion would probably be accompanied by a similar number of ancillary troops including light infantry and cavalry.
Legionnaire-Turf-and-Wooden Fortress
At York it was decided to build a legionary fortress to accommodate the legion. The first fortress was built of turf with a wooden palisade and towers. It was surrounded with a single ditch.
It is not known whether the site had been a previous Brigantian settlement, the capital of the Brigantes was located 40 miles north at Stanwick.
For the next 15 years the 9th Legion mostly in the North.
As indicated the legion rebuilt the fortress in stone in 2nd century, first with 9th Legion and finished by the 6th Legion after Hadrian’s Wall was finished
3rd Century
Emperor Caracalla
Septimius Severus became emperor in 197AD after defeating Albinus, Governor of Britain in a civil war, who had the support of the British Legions. It was not an easy situation, because the British northern garrisons had been brought into the battle and incurred significant losses. There had been incursions and Lupus the new British governor spent 10 years rectifying the situation, but left Severus with the view that further action was required.
In 208AD Severus with family and court of at least a thousand courtiers moved to York as his base for a putative invasion of Scotland not to conquer, to deter further incursion in the future (there is no consensus on this). York became the de facto capital of the empire. The elderly emperor invaded “Scotland “with his eldest son Caracalla.
Before the campaign was finished, Severus dies at York.
Caracalla finished the last campaign without his father, and after his death returned to Rome to murder his younger brother Geta, who was joint Emperor. The invasion seems to have been successful as the next fifty years were the quietest period of Roman rule.
With the splitting of Britain into 2 provinces, the new governor of Britain Inferior controlled the 6th Legion and a large number of ancillary cohorts mainly north of York. While the Governor in Britain Superior controlled 2 legions and a smaller number of ancillary units. Its purpose was to limit the number of troops under any single governor. The first Governor was Gordian who twenty years later became Emperor. He lasted a year committing suicide at the age of 81.
4th Century
Emperor Constantius
Major changes were taking place in the empire around 300AD, it was decided to further divide Britain into 4 provinces and York became the capital of Britannia Secunda, with the old Provence losing territory south of Chester
In 305 Emperor Constantius returned to Britain and York, he had just been appointed Emperor, having served as Caesar (Junior Emperor) for the previous12 years. He had been to Britain before to reconquer the province after it declared independence for about 10years.
Why he came again is unclear, except it involved an expedition to “Scotland”. He summoned his son, Constantine to York, which was his base. He died in February 306.
The 6TH Legion proclaimed his son, Constantine Emperor, after a standoff; because a successor was already in place Constantine accepted the position of Caesar (deputy to the Emperor of the Western Empire.
ROMAN COHORT
About this time there was a further major reorganisation of Imperial control, separating the Military from the provincial government. In the north, the position of the Dux of Britanniarum was created covering all the frontier troopers who were not part of the field armies which were highly mobile shock troop. He was based York. It was also decided to reduce the size of the legions, so that no unit would be more than 1000 troops, retaining its name.
.After the legion was reduced to 20% of its previous strength. York declined, during the 4th century
Garrison
The first garrison was possibly one cohort of the 9th Legion as the rest were in the Northern invasion. In 85/87 AD the 9th returned to York
They stayed for at least 30 years, their last remaining inscription was 108AD, and they left in the next 10/12 years probably to the Dutch coast before heading east to oblivion
Emperor Hadrian brought the 6Th Legion to Britain in 122AD to add a third legion; it is stationed at York, although most were soon sent to build Hadrian’s Wall. Although the new legion fought in several campaigns in the North and on the Continent, there is little information
The legion remained at York until Rome abandoned control of Britain in the early 5th century. Its formation had changed, with a likely strength of 1,000 legionnaires, in the 4th century, with a possible further reduction about 407AD.
You can find more on the 6th and 9th Legions Here
You can find more about the legion’s organisation Here
Remains Tour click for a larger
YORK-DEFENCES-ROUTE
Multangular Tower
York Multangular Tower
In the south west corner of the fortress is the remains of the Multiangular Tower built about 300AD by probably by Constantius. It replaced a less impressive corner tower built in the 2nd century which would have been similar to many seen on the Wall. The top is Medieval, and originally 33 ft. high and 46ft wide. It projected out from the Walls and was probably a platform for Roman ancillary. The Wall here is a Medieval Wall built on the line and foundations of the Fortress’s Wall.
Bootham Bar
BOOTHAM-BAR. BUILT ON NE ROMAN GATE
Further North east is the North Westgate of the fortress and Bootham Bar, the medieval gate, built on the Roman gate. This was Dere St heading north to Corbridge. The wall continues north east built on fortress wall.
Monks Bar
York, Monk Bar
The Wall follows the fortress wall on to the north east side of the fortress till it reaches Monks Bar, the medieval gate , which again is on the site if the fortress gate. 500ft to the south west is the Minister.
The Minster
YORK-MINSTER-WITH-ROMAN-FORTRESS-UNDERNEATH
This shows the fortress buildings, about 10/12ft under the Minster.
Outside-York-Minster
Outside the Minster is a statute of Constantine the Great (274-337AD) and a column from Basilica (the Great Hall of the HQ Building).
Roman Baths
About 600ft south of the Minster in Sampson Square is the Roman Bath pub. In the cellar the Baths have been excavated.
ROMAN-BATH-YORK-IN-THE-CELLAR
Roman Town Wall
York-Town-Wall
From Sampson Square south to Clifford Tower and on to cross Skeldergate Bridge over the Ouse.This is the Wall that surrounded the Roman Town Wall, what you see is not Roman and without research it looks 19th century, but the foundations are probably Roman.. Round the south west corner on to the southern gate.
Micklegate Bar
YORK,MICKLEGATE-BAR
This the medieval gate built on the gate to the Roman Town through which went the main road south.
TOWN WALL EAST
YORK-TOWN-WALL-SW-CORNER
The wall proceeds south east and then turns north to the Ouse and over the river to the Museum Gardens to our final destination Yorkshire Museum across the river.
Yorkshire Museum
YORKSHIRE MUSEUM
One of the best Roman Museums in the country, worth a visit to York on its own, plenty to see.
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