Lindinis

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Lindinis was a small town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Ilchester, located in the English county of Somerset.

There were two large Iron Age hill forts in the region of Lindinis, as ham Hill and Cadbury Castle, but also a small settlement to the south of the later Roman town. The name is Brythonic for Swampy Lake.

A timber walled fort was established there around AD 60. Originally surrounded by native round houses, these were later supplanted by a vicus or military dept. After the army’s withdrawal in the late 1st century, a civilian street grid was set up with timber domestic dwellings and workshops, as well as outer roadside industrial suburbs. There is evidence of iron, glass and bone working and pottery production, as well as agricultural plots within the town. In the late 2nd century, the central area was surrounded by a defensive bank and ditch with stone gateways. Stone walls were erected in the mid-4th century. By this time, the town seems to have largely consisted of luxury private homes of affluent owners rich enough to install fine mosaic floors. More than thirty has been discovered and it has been suggested that the town contained a workshop of the Corinium Saltire School of mosaicists. At some point it appears to have become one of two divisional civitas capitals of the Durotriges tribe. Odd finds of 5th century pottery imports imply that Lindinis remained in Romano-British occupation until at least that time.

[edit] References

• Burnham, Barry C; Wacher, John (1990). The Small Towns of Roman Britain. London: B T Batsford.