Author

Dr Peter Guest

Date

2006-2012

Project Type

Research

Subject

Landscape Archaeology

Datasets

Ordnance Survey Collections

Related Subjects

History; Roman Britain; Geophysical Studies

Sources: Digimap

Key Words

Excavation; Caerleon; Isca

Dates/Editions: All available

Scale: 1:10,000; 1:25,000; 1:50,000

Publishing Institution

Department of Archaeology, University of Cardiff

http://www.cf.ac.uk/hisar/archaeology/crc/

http://www.cf.ac.uk/share/newsandevents/news/archaeology/caerleon-discovery.html

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/share/research/projectreports/caerleon/index.html

Summary

From the project website: Archaeologists from Cardiff University are involved in several major research projects at Caerleon, the site of the legionary fortress known to the Romans as Isca. Headquarters of the Second Augustan Legion, which took part in the invasion ordered by the Emperor Claudius in AD 43, Isca is uniquely important for the study of the conquest, pacification and colonisation of Britannia by the Roman army. It was one of only 3 permanent legionary fortresses in Britain and, unlike the sites at Chester and York, its archaeological remains lie relatively undisturbed beneath the modern town of Caerleon and provide a unique opportunity to study the Roman legions in Britain.

Isca was founded in AD 74 or 75 during the final campaigns against the fierce native tribes of western Britain, notably the Silures in South Wales who had resisted the Romans’ advance for over a generation. At this time there were about 30 legions in the Empire, each consisting of over 5,000 heavily-armed and highly disciplined professional soldiers who enlisted in the army for at least 20 years. The backbone of the army, legionaries were the conquerors and builders of the Roman Empire who brought with them foreign ideas, practices and traditions that would change the society and culture of Britain forever.

Aims & Objectives

This research project aims to better understand the layout of the Roman legionary fortress at Caerleon and its surrounding civilian settlement.

Methodology

From the project website: Between 2006 and 2011 Cardiff undergraduates taking the Surveying and Prospection module undertook ground-breaking geophysical surveys at Caerleon during the annual Easter field course. Led by Dr Tim Young, the teams surveyed all remaining open ground within the fortress as well as large areas outside its walls to the west.

Results/Outcome

Discoveries include at least 18 military buildings inside the fortress, including barracks, granaries, stores and a very large metal workshop. One of the most exciting discoveries was the identification of a complex of very large monumental buildings outside the fortress between the River Usk and the amphitheatre. This new suburb was completely unknown and it is a major addition to our knowledge of Roman Britain. Scroll down this page for more on the complex, including the excavations carried out in 2011.

This project is now finished and results published (see below). Funding was provided by Cardiff University and Cadw.

Guest, P., Luke, M. and Pudney, C. 2012. Archaeological evaluation of the extramural monumental complex (the Southern Canabae) at Caerleon, 2011. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology: Specialist Report, Vol. 33. Cardiff: Cardiff School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University.

Guest, P. and Young, T. 2010. Mapping Isca: geophysical investigation of School Field and Priory Field, Caerleon. Archaeologia Cambrensis 158, pp. 97-111.

Guest, P. and Young, T. 2007. Mapping Isca: geophysical investigation of Priory Field, Caerleon. Archaeologia Cambrensis 155, pp. 117-133.