Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester Roman Town)

United Kingdom / England / Tadley /
 ruins, Roman Empire, interesting place
Ruins, city walls and amphitheatre remain - inside is grassed over. The earthworks and, for much of the circumference, the ruined walls are still visible.

The Roman name for Silchester was Calleva Atrebatum which denotes its role as the centre of the territory of the Atrebates, one of the major late Iron Age tribes in southern Britain.

The Roman Town is open to visitors all year round. Each year, the Silchester excavation runs a Field School, as part of the teaching work of the Department of Archaeology of the University of Reading. During the Field School season visitors are welcome to visit the Insula IX excavation: Insula IX was a city block within the Roman town and was first excavated in 1893 as part of a twenty-year project by the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silchester_Roman_Town
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°21'26"N   1°4'56"W

Comments

  • Very impressive walls though, and in summer Reading University have 6 week archaelogical dig when a section is uncovered and is open to the public - as it wasn't built on subsequently a lot is intact, including pre-Roman, though still covered by earth and grass to protect it.
  • many excavated items and exhibition are in Reading Museum, a few miles to the North East, also there is a smaller museum at Silchester itself, on a small road outside the town boundary
  • Calleva Atrebatum is unusual as rather than being built over over time, the area has been abandoned and has proved a great site for archaeology.
This article was last modified 7 years ago