Glevum

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Glevum (or, more formally, Colonia Nervia Glevensium) was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Gloucester, located in the English county of Gloucestershire. The name Glevum is taken by many present day businesses in the area and also by the 26-mile Glevum Way,[1] a long distance footpath encircling modern Gloucester.

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[edit] Fortress

Glevum was established around AD 48 as a market centre at an important crossing of the River Severn. Initially, there was a Roman fort established at Kingsholm. Twenty years later, a larger replacement fortress was built on slightly higher ground nearby, centred on Gloucester Cross, and a civilian settlement grew around it

[edit] Colonia

In AD 97, the whole area was designated a colonia by the Emperor Nerva. A colonia was the residence of retired legionaries and enjoyed the highest status in the Empire. The legionaries were given farmland in the surrounding district and could be called upon as an auxiliary armed force. A large and impressive administrative basilica and forum market-place was built in the town and there were many fine homes with mosaic floors. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 7,000 people.

[edit] Decline

Excavations at the New Market Hall showed that Romano-British occupation of the town may have continued in some form into the sub-Roman period. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records a King Cynfael, who may have come from Gloucester, probably then known as Caer Gloui, taking part in the Battle of Dyrham in 577.

[edit] Remains

  • Many artefacts and some in situ walls from Roman Glevum may be seen in the Gloucester City Museum
  • The remains of the Roman and medieval East Gate are on display in the East Gate Chamber on Eastgate Street.
  • There is a small display in the Royal Bank of Scotland on Roman finds from the site
  • Northgate, Southgate, Eastgate and Westgate Streets all follow the line of their original Roman counterparts, although Westgate Street has moved slightly north and Southgate Street now extends through the site of the Roman basilica.
  • A statue of the Emperor Nerva was erected in the city in 1997

[edit] References

  1. ^ Glevum Way Summary - the Long Distance Walkers Association
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Major towns of Roman Britain
Eboracum (capital of Britannia Inferior) - now York • Londinium (capital of Britannia Superior) - now London

Bannaventa* • Caesaromagus - now Chelmsford • Calleva Atrebatum* • Camulodunum - now Colchester • Corinium Dobunnorum - now Cirencester • Deva Victrix - now Chester • Durovernum Cantiacorum - now Canterbury • Durnovaria - now Dorchester • Glevum - now Gloucester • Isca Augusta - now Caerleon • Isca Dumnoniorum - now Exeter • Isurium Brigantum - now Aldborough • Lactodurum - now Towcester • Lindum Colonia - now Lincoln • Moridunum - now Carmarthen • Noviomagus Reginorum - now Chichester • Petuaria - now Brough-on-Humber • Ratae Corieltauvorum - now Leicester • Venta Belgarum - now Winchester • Venta Icenorum* • Venta Silurum* • Verulamium - now St Albans • Viroconium Cornoviorum*

See also: List of Roman places in Britain
* Towns labeled with an asterix have not grown into a modern UK location
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