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Camulodunum ( or ; ), the Ancient Roman name for what is now Colchester in Essex, was an important〔〔 town in Roman Britain, and the first capital of the province. It is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain.〔McWhirr, Alan (1988) Roman Crafts and Industries. Published by Shire Publications LTD. (ISBN 0 85263 594 X)〕 Originally the site of the Brythonic-Celtic oppidum of Camulodunon (meaning ''"The Stronghold of Camulos"''), capital of the Trinovantes and later the Catuvellauni tribes, it was first mentioned by name on coinage minted by the chieftain Tasciovanus sometime between 20 and 10 BC.〔 The Roman town began life as a Roman Legionary base constructed in the AD 40s on the site of the Brythonic-Celtic fortress following its conquest by the Emperor Claudius.〔 After the early town was destroyed during the Iceni rebellion in 60/1 AD, it was rebuilt, reaching its zenith in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.〔 During this time it was known by its official name Colonia Claudia Victricensis ('), often shortened to Colonia Victricensis, and as ''Camulodunum'', a Latinised version of its original Brythonic name.〔 The town was home to a large classical Temple, two theatres (including Britain's largest), several Romano-British temples, Britain's only known chariot circus, Britain's first town walls, several large cemeteries and over 50 known mosaics and tessallated pavements.〔〔〔〔Hull, M.R. (1958). Roman Colchester. The Society of Antiquaries of London〕 It may have reached a population of 30,000 at its height. It wasn't until the late 18th century that historians realised that Colchester's physical Brythonic (British Celtic) and Roman remains were the city mentioned in ancient literature as "Camulodunum".〔 ==Iron Age ''Camulodunon''== The earliest Iron Age defensive site at Colchester is the ''Pitchbury Ramparts'' earthwork north of the town near Braisewick.〔 The main earthwork defences of the Brythonic Celtic oppidum of ''Camulodunon'' were built later, beginning in the 1st century BC but most date from the 1st century AD.〔 They are considered the most extensive of their kind in Britain.〔〔http://www.thecolchesterarchaeologist.co.uk/?p=967 retrieved 25 July 2014〕 The defences consist of lines of ditches and ramparts, possibly palisaded with gateways, that mostly run parallel to each other in a north-south direction. The Iron Age settlement was protected by rivers on three sides, with the River Colne bounding the site to the north and east, and the Roman River valley forming the southern boundary; the earthworks were mostly designed to close off the western gap between these two river valleys.〔〔Denney, Patrick (2004) Colchester. Published by Tempus Publishing (ISBN 978-0-7524-3214-4)〕 Other earthworks close off eastern parts of the settlement. These earthworks gave the oppidum its Brythonic Celtic name - ''Camulodunon'' meant "The Stronghold of Camulus", the British God of War.〔 Together they enclose an area of 1,000ha, much larger than the area enclosed by the Iron Age defences at Wheathampstead (35ha).〔The Colchester Archaeologist. Issue no. 22. (2009). (ISSN 0952-0988)〕 The main sites within the bounds of these defences are the Gosbecks farmstead, the Sheepen industrial area and the Lexden burials. The Gosbecks site consists of a large, high-status farmstead,〔 believed to be the home of the tribal chieftains of Camulodunon.〔 Part of the Gosbecks complex is a large, square enclosure surrounded by a deep, wide ditch. This has been interpreted as part of a possible religious site, as during the Roman period a large temple was built in the middle of this enclosure.〔 The Sheepen site, located around what is now St Helena School on the banks of the River Colne, was a large industrial and port zone, where extensive iron and leather working activity was carried out,〔〔〔http://www.roman-britain.org/places/camulodunum.htm retrieved 21 July 2014〕 as well as an important coin mint.〔 Two coins minted at Sheepen, one found in Colchester in 1980 and another found at Canturbury in 1978, depict boats, and are the only known depictions of sailing vessels from Iron Age Britain.〔 Amphorae containing imported goods from the continent have been found at Sheepen,〔Sealy, P.R. (1985) Amphoras from the 1970 excavations of Colchester Sheepen. Oxford, British Archaeological Report 142〕 as have pieces of imported Samian pottery.〔Begley, Vimala and Daniel de Puma, Richard (eds.) (1991) Rome and India. The Ancient Sea Trade. Published by The University of Wisconsin Press (ISBN 0-299-12640-4)〕 Just inside the earthworks, at Lexden, are located the burial mounds of the rulers of Camulodunon, which contain large amounts of grave goods including imported Roman material from Europe;〔 the largest of these mounds is the Lexden tumulus.〔http://unlockingessex.essexcc.gov.uk/uep/custom_pages/monument_detail.asp?content_page_id=89&monument_id=34083&content_parents=48 retrieved 22 July 2014〕 The Lexden area around the mounds contains several Iron Age cremation burial groups, including one containing the "Mirror burial", with other burials located around the Camulodunon site.〔 A large cluster of cremations from St. Clares road and Fitzwalter Road close to the Lexden Tumulus date to 50-10 BC.〔 Aside from these main activity areas, the 1,000ha area enclosed by the defensive earthworks and rivers mainly consisted of a network of droveways, hollow ways, pastures and fields associated with cattle herding.〔 Scattered Roundhouses and burials have been discovered amongst these droveways.〔 The defences were designed to protect the high status and industrial areas as well as prevent cattle rustling of valuable herds.〔 Camulodunon was surrounded by farmsteads like those at Abbotstone near Colchester Zoo and at Birch Quarry, many of which continued to exist on into the Roman period until at least the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.〔 Iron Age salt works (known as Red hills) have been found in large numbers around the Essex coast, including several large concentrations located in the salt marshes close to Camulodunon in the Colne Estuary, on the Roman River near Fingringhoe, in Alresford Creek, on Mersea Island, the Pyefleet Channel, the Blackwater River and around the Tendring Peninsula.〔 Two large groups existed at Peldon and Tolleshunt D'Arcy.〔Strachan, David (1998) Essex from the Air, Archaeology and history from aerial photographs. Published by Essex County Council (ISBN 1 85281 165 X)〕 Camulodunon may have been an at the centre of the local trade in this important preservative.〔 Addedomarus, a king of the Trinovantes tribe (originally centred at Braughing), is the first identifiable ruler of Camulodunon, known from his inscribed coins dating to around 25-10 BC. For a brief period around 10 BC Tasciovanus, a king of the Catuvellauni already issuing coins from Verlamion, also issued coins from Camulodunon, suggesting that the Trinovantes' capital had been conquered by the Catuvellauni, but he was soon forced to withdraw, perhaps as a result of Roman pressure – his later coins are no longer marked with the Latin ''REX'' (for ''king''), but with the Brythonic ''RICON'' – and Addedomarus was restored. His son Dubnovellaunus succeeded him, but was soon supplanted by Tasciovanus' son Cunobelinus. Cunobelinus then succeeded his father at Verlamion, beginning the dominance of the Catuvellauni over the south-east.〔John Creighton (2000), ''Coins and power in Late Iron Age Britain'', Cambridge University Press〕〔Philip de Jersey (1996), Celtic Coinage in Britain, Shire Archaeology〕 Cunobelinus was friendly with Rome, marking his coins with the word ''REX'' and classical motifs rather than the traditional Gallo-Belgic designs. Archaeology shows an increase in imported luxury goods, probably through the Sheepen site port of Camulodunon, during his reign.〔Keith Branigan (1987), ''The Catuvellauni'', Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd, pp. 10-11〕 He was probably one of the British kings that Strabo says sent embassies to Augustus. Strabo reports Rome's lucrative trade with Britain; the island's exports included grain, gold, silver, iron, hides, slaves and hunting dogs.〔Strabo, (''Geography'' 4.5 )〕 Iron ingots, slave chains and storage vessels discovered at the Sheepen site appear to confirm this trade with the Empire.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Camulodunum」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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