Calcaria facts for kids
Calcaria was an important town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today, this ancient Roman site is known as Tadcaster. It is located in the county of North Yorkshire, England.
What Was Calcaria?
Calcaria was a settlement built by the Romans. They gave it the name Calcaria. This name comes from a Latin word. It means 'lime kilns'. This shows how important Magnesian Limestone was in the area. People used to dig up, or quarry, this stone. It was a valuable natural resource for the Romans.
Why Was Calcaria Important?
We are not entirely sure what kind of town Calcaria was. It might have been a special stop for Roman travelers. It could have been an 'Imperial staging post'. This means it was a place where Roman officials and soldiers could rest. It also had a 'mansio'. A mansio was like a guesthouse or motel for official travelers.
Calcaria was in a very good spot. It was located at a river crossing. It was also on a major Roman road. This road connected two other important Roman towns. One was Danum, which is now Doncaster. The other was Eburacum, which is now York. Being on this road and at a river crossing made Calcaria a key place for travel and trade.
Nearby Roman Sites
Not far from Calcaria, to the north-west, was a Roman fort. This fort was at Newton Kyme. It was built around the 4th century. This fort might have been called Praesidium. The fort would have helped protect the area. It also kept the Roman roads safe.
Some old Roman travel guides, like the Antonine Itinerary, mention Calcaria. These guides suggest that Calcaria might have been a bit further west of modern-day Tadcaster. Historians and archaeologists are still studying this. They want to learn more about the exact location and size of the Roman town.
