City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2015 Changing Identities in a Changing Land: The Romanization of the British Landscape Thomas Ryan Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/617 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] Changing Identities in a Changing Land: The Romanization of the British Landscape By Thomas J. Ryan Jr. A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New York 2015 Thomas J. Ryan Jr. All Rights Reserved. 2015 ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis _______________ ______________________________ Date Thesis Advisor Matthew K. Gold _______________ _______________________________ Date Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract CHANGING IDENTITIES IN A CHANGING LAND: THE ROMANIZATION OF THE BRITISH LANDSCAPE By Thomas J. Ryan Jr. Advisor: Professor Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis This thesis will examine the changes in the landscape of Britain resulting from the Roman invasion in 43 CE and their effect on the identities of the native Britons. Romanization, as the process is commonly called, and evidence of these altered identities as seen in material culture have been well studied. However, the manifestations of this process in the landscape have been less well examined. Applying current theories in landscape archaeology, the Selsey peninsula oppidum of the Atrebates and two hillforts of the Durotriges, sites that have been well excavated and examined, will be the focus of this thesis. The post invasion uses of these areas will be studied, including the palace at Fishbourne. The two tribes had differing relationships with the Romans, leading the Romans to occupy and modify these landscapes in different ways. The varying strategies both led to changes in how the Britons related to the elite members of their society and the ways in which they moved through and experienced their surrounding landscape. These changes resulted in an identity that was neither purely Roman nor Briton but rather a combined identity of Romano-Britain. iv Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Roman-Briton Contacts through the Conquest Period ................................................................... 1 Romanization .................................................................................................................................. 3 Theories of Landscape .................................................................................................................... 8 Pre-Roman Settlement Forms ....................................................................................................... 21 Hillforts and Oppida ..................................................................................................................... 24 The Atrebates of Selsey Territorial Oppidum ............................................................................... 28 Fishbourne .................................................................................................................................... 32 Chichester ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Hillforts of the Durotriges Territory ............................................................................................. 45 Maiden Castle ............................................................................................................................... 45 Hod Hill ........................................................................................................................................ 51 Roman Occupation of the Hillforts ............................................................................................... 54 Discussion And Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 60 Figures .......................................................................................................................................... 68 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 92 v List of Figures Figure 1. Tincommius (Tincomarus) coin ................................................................................... 69 Figure 2. Coin of Verica ............................................................................................................... 70 Figure 3. Southern England .......................................................................................................... 71 Figure 4. Small, enclosed settlement forms .................................................................................. 72 Figure 5. Banjo shaped enclosed settlements ............................................................................... 73 Figure 6. Selsey Peninsula ............................................................................................................ 74 Figure 7. Chichester Entrenchments ............................................................................................. 75 Figure 8. Timber buildings layout ................................................................................................ 76 Figure 9. Early civilian layout ...................................................................................................... 77 Figure 10. Layout of the Proto-Palace .......................................................................................... 78 Figure 11. The palace plan ............................................................................................................ 79 Figure 12. East Wing Palace Entrance .......................................................................................... 80 Figure 13. Pediment and audience chamber ................................................................................. 81 Figure 14. Roman Chichester ....................................................................................................... 82 Figure 15. Maiden Castle Plan ...................................................................................................... 83 Figure 16. Aerial Photo of Maiden Castle .................................................................................... 84 Figure 17. Maiden Castle in Region ............................................................................................. 85 Figure 18. Rampart & Ditch Construction .................................................................................... 86 Figure 19. Eastern Entrance Development ................................................................................... 87 Figure 20. Hod Hill Plan ............................................................................................................... 88 Figure 21. Aerial Photo of Hod Hill ............................................................................................. 89 vi Figure 22. Roman use of artillery ................................................................................................. 90 Figure 23. Roman ditch systems ................................................................................................... 91 vii Introduction When the Romans invaded Britain in 43 CE, the identity of the native Britons began to change, a process commonly called Romanization. These changes were reflected in the landscape of Roman Britain as it was shaped through the interactions of the natives and Romans. The formation of the landscape of Roman Britain and the identity of its people was an interactive process, with each contributing to the development of the other. Looking at the territory of the Atrebates, who were allies of the Romans, and that of the Durotriges, who resisted the Roman invasion, this thesis will examine the native use of the landscape and how it shaped their identity. The native landscape and identity will be compared with post invasion use and how it reshaped the identity of those who occupied it. As with other aspects of Romanization, the changes were more pronounced for elites willing to work within the Roman system. For those who resisted or were not members of the elites, the changes were more complex, generally reflecting a melding of British and Roman culture rather than a replacement of one with the other. Roman-Briton Contacts through the Conquest Period Rome’s first direct involvement in Great Britain occurred with Julius Caesar’s two invasions in 55 BCE and 54 BCE, neither of which established a permanent presence in the country. However, they did lead to expanding trade and political relationships between certain tribes and the Romans. Numismatic evidence indicates the formation of an increasingly stratified society in the south and east of Britain, with tribes led by self-described