Roman Fortress Buried In The Countryside? | Time Team

[guy]

Here's a an old episode of the British series Time Team that was recently uploaded.

 

The theory was that the Romans under the Emperor Claudius in 43 AD would have first landed his invasion force at Rutupiae (Richborough on the coast of Kent, England). A local archaeologist found Claudian pottery nearby at Syndale, Kent. His belief was that an early Roman fort could be found at the site.

It was a very entertaining show.

 

 

Quote

The grounds of a Kent hotel have yielded a range of intriguing finds; the team investigates whether it could be the missing link in the Roman invasion.

112	5	"The Roman Fort That Wasn't There"	Syndale, Kent	Roman	51.313727°N 0.860548°E	1 February 2004
Nobody knows what happened immediately after the Romans arrived in 43 AD, because no Roman fort has been discovered in this part of South East England. Time Team are on a mission to find the missing link. Local archaeologist Paul Wilkinson believes he has already found a military ditch, which would surround such a fort.[6] It's a prime site, right next to Watling Street. However geophysics cannot find any evidence for a ditch. So begins one of their most frustrating digs, directed by Neil Holbrook. Phil enlists in the Ermine Street Guard for a day. They are joined by Roman expert Tony Wilmott and pottery specialist Malcolm Lyne.[7]

   

Kent, England.

  

Watling Street

 

Summary: This was a great episode using numismatic and pottery evidence to reach a conclusion about the site.

 

 

 

 

guy also known as gaius

 

 

 

 

 

[caldrail]

Time Team has left mainstream television but is due to return on a crowdfunded media channel. Looking forward to that!