the roman occupation
Letocetum - lichfield
Letocetum is the historic Roman settlement built on Watling Street - the main road from London to the West Midlands. The ruins are located in Wall - named after the Old English word "waella" meaning walls or a Rampart, in this case referring to the ruins of the Roman city: Letocetum.
Letocetum has been around for 2000 years, the first activity recorded around 47-48AD when the Roman fourteenth legion established a fort - which would have been rebuilt each evening. Eventually this became a permanent series of forts used as resting areas after a days march.
The majority of the city was destroyed by a fire in the 2nd century - leaving the remains that we see today - including a mansio and a bath house.
The mansio would have provided official travelers with a place to stay - the equivalent to a budget, overnight stay hotel today. The mansio would provide a sleeping space, as well as stables for horses and a meal.
The remaining foundations of the mansio suggest that it would have been a two story building - possibly a timber frame supported by the stone foundations.
There would have been a courtyard surrounding the mansio - serving as an informal meeting place and entrance to the building.
Remains of the bath house can also be seen, foundations show that it would have consisted of seperate, smaller buildings - including an exercise hall, heated rooms and a changing room.
The exercise hall would have been a social area, used for ball games, wrestling and weight training - the equivalent to the cardio and weights area of today's gyms.
The changing room would have been an unheated room, including a cold water bathing area, used before and after the heated rooms - similar to steam rooms and saunas today, they would then return to the changing rooms.
Letocetum has been around for 2000 years, the first activity recorded around 47-48AD when the Roman fourteenth legion established a fort - which would have been rebuilt each evening. Eventually this became a permanent series of forts used as resting areas after a days march.
The majority of the city was destroyed by a fire in the 2nd century - leaving the remains that we see today - including a mansio and a bath house.
The mansio would have provided official travelers with a place to stay - the equivalent to a budget, overnight stay hotel today. The mansio would provide a sleeping space, as well as stables for horses and a meal.
The remaining foundations of the mansio suggest that it would have been a two story building - possibly a timber frame supported by the stone foundations.
There would have been a courtyard surrounding the mansio - serving as an informal meeting place and entrance to the building.
Remains of the bath house can also be seen, foundations show that it would have consisted of seperate, smaller buildings - including an exercise hall, heated rooms and a changing room.
The exercise hall would have been a social area, used for ball games, wrestling and weight training - the equivalent to the cardio and weights area of today's gyms.
The changing room would have been an unheated room, including a cold water bathing area, used before and after the heated rooms - similar to steam rooms and saunas today, they would then return to the changing rooms.
references
Visit Lichfield. (s.d) Letocetum Roman site and museum. At: http://www.visitlichfield.co.uk/content/letocetum-roman-site-and-museum (Accessed 25.05.15)
Johnson, Ben. (s.d) Letocetum. At: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Letocetum-Wall-Roman-Site/ (Accessed 25.05.2015)
Johnson, Ben. (s.d) Letocetum. At: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Letocetum-Wall-Roman-Site/ (Accessed 25.05.2015)