Alchester facts for kids
 Location in Oxfordshire
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| Location | Alchester |
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| Region | Britannia |
| Coordinates | 51°52′39″N 1°10′16″W / 51.877537°N 1.170986°W |
| Type | Settlement |
Alchester is the site of an ancient Roman town. It's located about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. We don't know the Roman name for Alchester because it's not mentioned in any old Roman writings.
However, some experts think its Roman name might have been Alavna. The name "Alchester" itself comes from an old English word, ceaster, which means "Roman fort."
Alchester was in a very important spot in Roman Britain. It was at a crossroads where major Roman roads met. These roads connected important places like Silchester, Dorchester on Thames, Towcester, Cirencester, and St Albans. Recent digs have shown that Alchester was one of the very first large Roman army bases (called a legionary fortress) built in Britain after the Romans invaded in 43 AD.
People have been studying the Alchester site since 1996. Universities like Oxford, Leicester, and Edinburgh have all helped with the archaeological work.
Contents
History of Alchester
Archaeologists have found signs of an Iron Age village near where the Roman town later stood. The Romans started using the site very early, soon after they invaded Britain in 43 AD. They built a fort there.
Roman Army Base
When the Romans first invaded, Alchester was in a key location. It was on the border between two local tribes, the Catuvellauni and the Dobunni. This made it a perfect spot to control large areas.
In the first few years after the invasion, a huge army base was built here. It was for the Legio II Augusta, a Roman army group led by Vespasian. Alchester was behind the main battle lines, making it an ideal place to store supplies for the army.
After the Romans had conquered most of Britain, the army group moved to Exeter before 68 AD. They left the fortress behind.
Alchester as a Town
Even after the army left, the town kept growing. Its location at a road junction helped it become a busy place. During a time of trouble in the late 200s AD, walls were built around the town to protect it.
After the 400s AD, the town was abandoned and became deserted.
Archaeological Discoveries
The Roman Fortress
Old aerial photos from the 1940s showed square-shaped areas with ditches. When archaeologists dug there in 1990, they found that the larger area was surrounded by a V-shaped ditch. This type of ditch was typical for a Roman army fort.
The many early Roman objects and buildings found show that this was more than just a temporary army camp. It was a strong, long-lasting base.
At the fort's gate, archaeologists found two wooden gateposts that were very well preserved in wet ground. By studying the tree rings (a method called dendrochronology), they figured out the trees were cut down between October 44 AD and March 45 AD. This means the main fortress was likely built even earlier, probably in 43 AD, the year of the invasion.
A smaller area next to the fort, with U-shaped ditches, was probably a parade ground. This also suggests it was a permanent army base.
In 2003, broken pieces of a tombstone were found. It belonged to Lucius Valerius Geminus, a retired soldier from the Legio II Augusta. This shows he retired from the army while it was based at Alchester. He lived nearby until he died. This discovery suggests the fortress was well-established and likely had a small town (called a vicus) nearby where civilians lived.
The tombstone inscription said: "To the souls of the departed: Lucius Valerius Geminus, son of Lucius, from Forum Germanorum, a veteran of the Second Augustan Legion, aged 50(?), lies here. His heir set this up as he wished."
The fort was quite large, covering about 14-15 hectares (about 35 acres). This size, along with other finds, confirms that Alchester was a major army base for the Legio II Augusta right after the Roman invasion. It also suggests that its commander, Vespasian, was based here.
Coins found at the site suggest the army left Alchester before Emperor Nero died in 68 AD.
The Roman Town
Outside the western defenses of the town, people dug up a large Roman bathhouse in 1766.
In 2003, digs near the town's west gate showed that most of the stone from the town wall had been taken away by people in later times. Only a few stones and the wall's rubble foundations remained.
The walled area of the town was almost square, covering about 10 hectares (25 acres). The first defenses were a gravel bank and ditches. Later, a stone wall was added to the bank. We don't know exactly when these changes happened.
The streets in Alchester were laid out in a rectangular grid pattern. This was not very common for smaller Roman-British towns. From the air, archaeologists have seen many narrow, rectangular buildings along the main street. Near the center of the town, there was a building with a central courtyard, surrounded by a covered walkway on three sides.
See Also
- List of Roman towns in England
