The Roman Villas of Wales
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THE ROMAN VILLAS OF WALES A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts In History University of Regina by JENNIFER ERIN ROWE Regina, Saskatchewan January 2015 Copyright 2015: J. E. Rowe UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Jennifer Erin Rowe, candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in History, has presented a thesis titled, The Roman Villas of Wales, in an oral examination held on November 26, 2014. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: *Dr. Sinclair Bell, Northern Illinois University Supervisor: Dr. Kenneth B. Leyton-Brown, Department of History Committee Member: Dr. Robin Ganev, Department of History Committee Member: Dr. Raymond Blake, Department of History Chair of Defense: Dr. Christopher Oriet, Department of Psychology *via teleconference ABSTRACT Roman villas are a primary component of the landscape of the Roman Empire. Despite their varying architectural features and appearances, these elite rural settlements are an important element in examining the extent and effect of Romanization within the provinces of the Roman Empire, and are a primary factor in considering the way in which Roman villas developed in the western frontier region of Roman Britain; an area known today as the country of Wales. This thesis will examine the establishment, development and evolution of Roman villas in Wales. Particular attention will be placed on the elements which led to the establishment of villas in this western frontier region of Roman Britain, including geography, climate, physical environment, the economy and the Roman military, while investigating how these domestic spaces came to be one of the most recognizable forms of Romanization within the region. This thesis will incorporate research from several academic disciplines, including history, archaeology, classical studies and art history, in order to illustrate the way in which Roman villas in Wales contribute to our understanding of the way identity, wealth and power came to be expressed in one particular region of the Roman world. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is the result of many people to whom I wish to extend my utmost gratitude and thanks. First, to my advisor, Dr. Ken Leyton-Brown, whose encouragement, advice and patience has been immeasurable. To say that I have enjoyed working with him is an understatement, and I am deeply appreciative of the guidance he provided while I researched and wrote this thesis. I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Raymond Blake and Dr. Robin Ganev, for their input and suggestions, as well as Marilyn Bickford for her assistance in formatting this thesis. In addition, I also wish to thank Dr. Sinclair Bell for introducing me to the Roman world and for fostering my fascination with Roman art and archaeology. The completion of this thesis was made possible thanks to financial assistance provided by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and the History Department at the University of Regina. Numerous scholarships and teaching assistantships made it possible for me to pursue the completion of my Masters degree, and for that I am grateful. Finally, I would like to thank Russel Clarke, Rowan Clarke, my family, and my friends for their encouragement and support while I completed this thesis. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... iv CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 CHAPTER TWO: Pre-Roman Wales and the Conquest of Britain ..................................................16 CHAPTER THREE: Roman Villas: The Empire and Britain .............................................................37 CHAPTER FOUR: Roman Villas in Wales .......................................................................................65 CHAPTER FIVE: Conclusion ..........................................................................................................97 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................103 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 2.1 Primary Areas of Villa Occupation in Roman Britain ...........................................18 2.2 The Counties and Elevations of Wales ..................................................................20 2.3 The Tribes of Wales ...............................................................................................27 2.4 Roman Legionary Fortresses in Wales AD 100 ....................................................30 3.1 Roman Italy ............................................................................................................39 3.2 The Roman Empire AD 117 ..................................................................................40 3.3 The Roman Provinces of the Iberian Peninsula .....................................................42 3.4 Roman Gaul ...........................................................................................................43 3.5 The Germanic Provinces of the Roman Empire ....................................................45 3.6 The Roman Provinces of the Balkans and Lower Danube ....................................47 3.7 The Roman Provinces of Pannonia, Dacia, Moesia and Thrace ............................49 3.8 Roman Dalmatia ....................................................................................................50 3.9 Roman Syria and the Provinces of the Near East ..................................................52 3.10 The Provinces of Roman Africa ............................................................................53 3.11 Roman Britain ........................................................................................................56 3.12 Cottage-Type Roman Villas ..................................................................................60 3.13 Winged-Corridor Roman Villas .............................................................................62 4.1 Roman Villas in Northern and Central Wales .......................................................66 4.2 Roman Villas in Southern Wales ...........................................................................68 4.3 Ely Roman Villa ....................................................................................................71 4.4 Llantwit Major Roman Villa ..................................................................................74 4.5 Whitton Roman Villa .............................................................................................85 4.6 Croes Carn Einion Roman Villa ............................................................................89 4.7 Abermagwr Roman Villa .......................................................................................93 iv CHAPTER ONE: Introduction The study of Roman villas has contributed greatly to our understanding of Roman imperialism, Romanization and cultural identities within the Roman Empire, the introduction of Roman social structures in the provinces of the Empire, and how Romans and the people they came to rule coexisted. This thesis will explore the establishment, development and evolution of Roman villas in the western regions of the Roman province of Britannia: an area known today as the country of Wales. It will examine the elements, including geography, climate, the physical environment, the economy and the Roman military, which led to their development within Roman Wales, and explore how these elite rural domestic spaces function (as one of the most recognizable forms of Romanization) within the region. Few ancient written sources mention the Roman occupation of Wales and those that do say little about settlement within this western frontier region of Roman Britain. Consequently, the physical remains of villas are virtually the only resource scholars have to work with when attempting to understand the influences which shaped villa construction in the region. By examining the archaeological evidence discovered at rural settlement sites across Wales, and by making use of scholarly studies from several different academic disciplines, including history, archaeology, classical studies and art history, a complex and fascinating combination of factors can be shown to have contributed to the establishment, development, evolution and overall important role of Roman villas in Wales. The standard work on the subject of Roman villas in Britain is A. L. F. Rivet’s 1969 edited volume, The Roman Villa in Britain.1 Rivet was a pre-eminent scholar in the study of Romano-British villas, and this influential work contains papers which explore six 1A. L. F. Rivet, ed., The Roman Villa in Britain (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969). 1 2 topics: the relationship between villa and village, provincial art history, social and economic history, historical