CALLEVA ATREBATUM

In the reign of our beloved Emperor Septimius Severes, and pursuant to the wishes of the Governor of Britannia Superioris, I Ruaihri Flavius, Decurio of the City of Calleva, have set down in this scroll, a history and description of the ancient tribal capital, Calleva Atrebatum.

Calleva was home to the round huts of the Atrebates tribe before the expedition of the Divine Emperor Julius Caesar to our shores. Yet this Celtic tribe were not native to our island. The Atrebates which settled in Britannia south of the Thames were of the same tribe Caesar encountered in Belgic Gaul. Whether they fled to Britannia in the face of our Roman conquests or as part of their own colonization plans I could not determine.

To pave the way for his mission to Britannia, Caesar sent ahead a client king whom he had previously installed as leader of the Atrebates in Gaul. This Celtic ruler was named Commius. Caesar expected him to bring as many tribes to the side of the Romans as possible, but Commius was made a prisoner as soon as he set foot in Britannia.

After Caesar’s invasion, Commius was set free and gained control of the Atrebates people in Britannia. As the early histories relate, Commius then turned against Caesar and supported the revolt of Vercingetorix in Gaul. Twice he survived assassination before surrendering to the Romans and escaping back to Britannia. Here he made his capital at Calleva.

Calleva means the wooded place and thus Calleva Atrebatum means literally the town of the Atrebates in the woods. But the site was probably chosen because it rises some 300 feet above the surrounding woods and would command a view of an enemy approaching.

Commius was succeeded by his son, Tincommius, whom I am told ruled for twenty five years, having made a peace of sorts with the Divine Augustus. Tincommius even began to mint coins with his image in the Roman style, as did his brothers Verica and Eppillus.

But Tincommius would have to flea to Augustus due to the treachery of his brother Eppillus who desired to rule in his stead. Augustus, however, accepted the political situation at the time and even allowed Eppillus to use the title REX on his coinage. Eppillus would soon have to flea himself when the third brother, Verica, seized the throne.

Over thirty years later, Verica himself would flea to Rome, having been forced out by the aggression of a neighboring tribe, the Catuvellaunian. This time the pleas of an Atrebate king may have helped convince the Emperor Claudius it was time for Rome to expand her boarders.

Due to their ties with the Empire, the Atrebates accepted direct Roman rule more readily. Calleva was soon granted the status of civitas or tribal center and some degree of local self governance. There would have been a military presence at Calleva in those early days, but there was no immediate need for an ongoing military garrison for many years as the boarders of our Empire were far to the north. Circuiting the town are the old earthen ramparts of the Celtic time. Much later the citizens of Calleva built strong stone walls and gates around the town, to shelter our people from a more unsettled world. Those walls enclose approximately 100 acres of land which constitutes the town proper.

Over the years Calleva grew and prospered under the benevolent rule of our Emperors and the protection of our mighty legions and mixed cohorts. Where once were crude round huts, there now stand the straight lines, paved streets, water systems and tiled roofs of a well ordered Roman city.

Calleva is well situated as a center of commerce. Several Roman roads converge on Calleva from Londinium (London), Noviomagus (Chichester), Venta Belgarum (Winchester), Verulamium (St. Albans), Corinium (Cirencester) and Durnovaria (Dorchester). Four of these roads enter the walls of the city through strongly fortified gates.

At the center of our city is the forum and basilica. The central piazza of the forum measures 142 feet by 130 feet. It is entered through a monumental gateway and has covered colonnades or porticos on three sides. The fourth side of the piazza is flanked by a large basilica of 233 feet by 58 feet. There is a semicircular tribunal at each end of a central three story nave. There is also a central apse as you enter the basilica with a shrine. Fine decorative marbles, imported from Italia, add to the beauty of this monumental structure.

Here in the basilica the decuriones, of which I am a member, meet to deliberate on the affairs of the community. Here too can be found the office of the curialis (mayor), duoviri and aediles who administer Calleva. The basilica, as you are well aware, is also the seat of justice. I am sometimes appealed upon by my fellow merchants and those in need to act as an advocatus (attorney) before the local magistrate.

As in most Roman communities, the forum is also a busy trade center. On three sides are the macellum (market halls) where shops are rented and stalls set up on market days. My own family maintains a shop in the macellum to market the wine and luxury goods we import.

Calleva also has a very fine mansio near the southern gate, where officials on Imperial business and members of the cursus publicus (postal service) stay while in our town. Our mansio is two storys and arranged around a central courtyard. There are also stables and a private bath to the rear.

Our public baths, however, afford greater opportunity to mingle with ones peers and pick up the latest news. They are as large and well apportioned as any in Britannia. You enter the baths through a large portico to an open palaestra (courtyard) where residents may exercise. Latrines are located adjacent for the comfort and convenience of those attending the baths. There is a apodyterium (undressing-room) with niches to store ones clothes in. There is the frigidarium where bathers can take the plunge into cold water, then the tepidarium where the water is warmer, caldarium where the hottest waters help relieve tired limbs and a sudarium where one sweats before using the strigil to scrape the skin clean. Attendants are always on hand for a massage or to provide perfumed oils. Separate hours are of course maintained for male and female bathers.

While wells supply much of the private water needs of residents, we have a well regulated system of pipes to provide for larger users and public facilities such as the baths. Hydraulic free-pumps are also employed in our water system. Water also helps to carry waste away from public and private latrines to reduce noxious odors.

The residents of Calleva are dutiful in their religious observations. We have several very nice temples including one to Mars and a circular sixteen-sided temple, with columns around its circuit, located south of the forum. Many gods are honored by the people of Calleva. There are alters dedicated to Hercules, Victory and there is even a large statue of the Eastern god Serapis. There are two temples in our own Roman-Celtic style near the east gate. They have a distinct appearance from temples in the Hellenistic style. These have a central two-story tower surrounded by a one story square tiled verandah, with a sloping roof, supported by short pillars on a platform. They have red stucco walls and are dedicated to local deities whose shrines and alters are within. Here oaths can be offered or sacrifices made, but larger ceremonies must take place outside the smaller enclosed space.

Most commercial buildings in Calleva are modest, few rising above two stories. The shops of the craftsmen and merchants are long with the narrow front facing the street. Families crowd above or behind these shops and workplaces to live. Our craftsmen are diverse and there is an active guild of peregrini (foreign) artisans. There are tile makers, jewelers, fullers, makers of birrus Britannicus (hooded cloaks of goat hair), tapete Britannicum (woolen blankets), workers who sculpt jet, mosaic artists, potters, cobblers, monument sculptors, furniture makers, tanners and leatherworkers to name a few. There are also skilled healers, surgeons and makers of potions.

Our citizens in Calleva also enjoy many establishments where food and drink can be purchased. There are pistrina (bakeries), caupona where both lodging and food can be had, thermopolia and popina where hot foods may be purchased and corner tabernae where friends may sit and gossip or plat at dice over a cup of wine. Surrounding Calleva are also many productive farms who come to sell fruits and grains in our ample markets.

My own domus (home) is typical of those of the merchants and more prosperous tradesmen of our town. The living quarters are L shaped and two story with a colonnaded porch extending the length of both wings of the building. In front of these porches is a garden area enclosed by two tall walls which connect to the domus to form a square. The main access to the domus from the street is through a gate-house and into this garden which is planted with both flowers and fragrant herbs.

The house sits on a stone foundation. The walls are a mix of brick and the timber and clay facades which mark provincial architecture. Our roofs are all well tiled in the Roman fashion. Inside you’ll find the walls brightly painted with geometric patterns, and scenes of everyday life. We are also proud of a mosaic floor we recently commissioned to grace our main reception area.

Though modest in comparison to the grand country villas of the landed gentry, my wife Livia is justly proud of how our domus is maintained. She begs that I extend an invitation on both our behalves to the Governor to visit our domus when next in Calleva.

If his Excellency were to visit Calleva in the near future, our community would be honored to host games at our amphitheater in your honor. Our amphitheater is large seating approximately 2,700 and located just outside the walls of the city to the northeast. Venationes (beast hunts) are popular here between lightly armed men and bears native to this land. Our gladiatorial contests must seem small compared with the spectacles in Londinium or Rome herself, but traveling troops of gladiators bring their unique fighting styles to the attention of your provincials. There are few in Calleva without a preference between the heavies and the lights. My personal preference is a match between the secutor with his rounded helm and the retiarius with trident and net. I hear you have some female gladiators in Londinium. Perhaps we could arrange for them to be part of your tribute games.

This concludes my report to his Excellency the Governor of Britannia Superioris. Calleva Atrebatum prospers under your benevolent rule and wishes you long life and good fortune.

Vale (farewell) from your loyal and obedient servant,

Ruaihri Flavius

Decurio Of Calleva Atrebatum

POSTSCRIPT

THE CITY THAT WENT TO SLEEP

Calleva is situated beneath fields in the parish of Silchester. It flourished for over five hundred years then slowly faded away. Unlike most Roman cities in Britain, Calleva did not evolve into a Medieval town. There was little later building to disturb the slumber of the city beneath the fields.

In the late 1800s a major archaeological project undertook to map Calleva and uncover its secrets. The results were one of the most complete pictures of a typical Roman city in Britain. Now more recent digs are bringing more modern archaeological advancements and new interpretations to older finds. Calleva continues to give up its secrets and its insights into Roman life.

A famous 20th Century writer of historic fiction, Rosemary Sutcliffe, used a statuette of an eagle, stripped of its wings, uncovered in the basilica of Calleva as a centerpiece of two of her novels. The Eagle of the Ninth and the Silver Branch revolve around the lost standard of a legion. Experts now believe the eagle adorned a statue of a god and was not a Roman military standard, but her novels inspired a lifetime interest in archaeology and Roman history in this writer.

While the report on Calleva Atrebatum to the Governor of Britannia is a fictional device, the history of Calleva, location and description of buildings are based on the historic and archaeological record.

For more information I would direct readers to the following books and links:

Main Historic/Archaeological Sites

www.roman-britain.org/places/calleva.html
www.silchester.rdg.ac.uk/
www.eng-h.gov.uk/reports/silchester/
www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/city_dead_01.shtml
www.readingmuseum.org.uk/collections/silchester.html

Other Sites Of Interest

www.newarchaeology.com/articles/silchester.html
www.calleva.uk-plc.net/history.html
www.hants.gov.uk/discover/places/silchester.html
www.hants.gov.uk/silchesterplayers/calleva.html
www.geocities.com/calleva_film/contents_page.html

Bibliography

Scullard, H. H., Roman Britain–Outpost Of The Empire, Thames And Hudson Ltd. London, 1979

Potter, T. W. And Johns, Catherine, Roman Britain, Barnes And Noble Books, New York, 1992

Boon, G. C., Silchester: The Roman Town Of Calleva, Newton Abbot, 1974