Clausentum facts for kids

A view of the Itchen River near where Clausentum might have been.

Clausentum was a small, ancient town built by the Romans in their province of Britannia. This area is now known as Bitterne Manor, a part of Southampton in England.

Finding Clausentum's Location

Historians and archaeologists have worked to figure out exactly where Clausentum was. An old Roman travel guide, called the Antonine Itinerary, said Clausentum was about 32 kilometers (20 miles) west of Noviomagus Reginorum (Chichester). It also said it was about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Venta Belgarum (Winchester).

In 1610, a historian named William Camden thought Clausentum was in Southampton. He saw old walls and ditches at Bitterne. Later, around 1770, John Speed also suggested Bitterne Manor. In 1792, Richard Warner explored the area. He found a ditch, an earth bank, and some Roman coins.

Today, most experts agree that Bitterne Manor is the site of Clausentum. This is because of the many Roman things found there. Also, the location is good for defense, as it's on a sharp bend in the River Itchen. Even if the exact distances in the old Roman guide don't perfectly match, the archaeological finds prove that the Romans had a settlement at Bitterne Manor.

Life in Roman Clausentum

Clausentum was built on a piece of land that stuck out into the River Itchen. This made it a good place for defense. The first digs here happened in 1935. More work was done by Molly Cotton from 1951 to 1954.

These digs showed that Clausentum was a small town in the 1st and 2nd centuries. Later, around 280–290 AD, a strong stone wall was built around the town. This was done at the same time as other Roman forts, like the one at Portchester (Portus Adurni). Traces of a Roman road leading from Bitterne Manor to Wickham have also been found.

Today, you can still see small parts of an old Roman bath house. This bath house was built in the 2nd century. It had four rooms but was later changed to have two rooms. It was taken down when the big defensive wall was built. You can also see a piece of the 3rd-century fortified walls. These remains are on private land at Bitterne Manor House. You need permission to visit them.

Amazing Finds from Clausentum

Over the years, many interesting Roman objects have been found at Bitterne. Between 1800 and 1850, four Roman milestones were discovered. Milestones were stone markers that showed distances along Roman roads. Two of these milestones are now at the Tudor House and Garden museum in Southampton. The others are lost.

Other cool things found at Clausentum are on display at the SeaCity Museum in Southampton. These include:

• An altar dedicated to Ancasta, a Celtic goddess.
• A bronze statue of Hercules with a Celtic-style haircut.
• A pipe-clay statue of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

See also

In Spanish: Clausentum para niños