Ratae Corieltauvorum
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Ratae Corieltauvorum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Leicester, located in the English county of Leicestershire.
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[edit] Name
Ratae is the Brythonic word for 'ramparts', suggesting the site was a defended Iron Age oppidum. Round houses from this era have been excavated in the city. The suffix, Corieltauvorum, refers to the Corieltauvi, the Celtic tribe who had their civitas capital there. Until 1983, the name of the town was thought to have been Ratae Coritanorum. However, newly discovered inscription evidence shows the recorded forms as corrupt and the name of the tribe has since been revised.[1][2]
[edit] Fort
A Roman fort was established on the site of the Iron Age settlement around AD 50, with the native houses forming the surrounding vicus. Parts of the military ditch have been found and associated timber buildings. The army moved on about thirty years later and a street grid was laid out as the place became civilian in nature.[3]
[edit] Town development
Ratae seems to have remained a rather poor settlement at first. Although there was a rapid rebuilding programme to develop larger shops and houses. There were few amenities and none of the usual public buildings. Instead of a forum, there was a simple open market place at the centre. However, in the early 2nd century better quality spacious stone houses were erected with central courtyards. A particularly fine excavated example had tesselated and mosaic floors, decorative plaster walls and, around its courtyard, an elaborate frieze of architectural features, theatrical masks, doves, pheasants, cupids and flowers. It was not occupied for long, however, and part of it became a factory for the manufacture of horn objects. Other industires in the town included pottery production and metal and glass working.[3]
Eventually, the forum and basilica was built, though it did not fill the previous market place. The public baths soon followed, just to the west, around AD 145. Fed by an aquaduct, they are of an unusual plan and had a large exercise room alongside. A second market place was laid out in the early 3rd century and a basilican market hall erected. Its offices had decoratively painted plaster ceilings. A stone defensive circuit surrounded Ratae by the end of the 3rd century. There were four gateways with cemeteries outside each and a suburb to the north. Only two suggested temples have been discovered in the town, one a possible mithraeum.[3]
[edit] Decline
In the late 4th century, Ratae was occupied by a detachment of the Roman army and towers may have been added to the town walls. However, a serious fire spread through the town centre and the forum, basilica and market hall were never rebuilt. Early Saxon burials in the cemeteries suggest these people took control of the town soon after their arrival.[3]
[edit] Remains
- A large wall of the public baths survives and is known as the Jewry Wall
- The exercise room of the baths is incorporated into St Nicholas' Church
- A large collection of artefacts from Ratae are on display in the Jewry Wall Museum
[edit] References
- ^ Tomlin, R S O (1983). "Roman Leicester, a Corrigendum: For Coritani should we read Corieltauvi?". Transactions of the Leicester Archaeological and Historical Society 48.
- ^ Tomlin, R S O (1983). "Non Coritani sed Corieltauvi". The Antiquaries’ Journal 63.
- ^ a b c d Wacher, John (1995). The Towns of Roman Britain. London: B T Batsford.
