Britannia 6

[NS 731578]. Excavations on the NE defences by RCAHMS showed that the fort had an area of about 4-25 acres (1.7ha); evidence for two Antonine phases was noted. The garrison may have been a cohors quingenaria equitata. The clay and turf rampart rested on a stone base, two ditches were located. The NE gate was twin-portalled and the road here exhibited three surfaces. Chance finds led to the discovery in 1973 of a bath house NW of the fort. D J B For bath house see now Curr Archaeol, 5, 1975-6, 154-6.

SU 172643. The mound resembles waster-heaps found elsewhere and contained pottery manufactured in both Roman and Iron Age traditions, perhaps to satisfy military and civilian demands. Belgic potters from Herts and Essex may have followed the army and begun the industry in mid-1st century AD, and its wares probably no longer circulated after the end of the 2nd century. At Bagendon pottery finds suggest a post-43 AD date for almost all excavated material, and modification to Clifford's scheme is necessary when dating parallel Iron Age assemblages in the area. AT See also abstracts 76/3984, 3990.

Detailed analysis of rubble spreads revealed a very large timber-framed building with porticoed façade and wings, the centre of an even larger complex which may have reused some of the old bath buildings. Firm reorganization of a declining city is indicated, ?soon after 400. Orderly dismantling and abandonment followed. Two large ?barns and a bow-sided house are also reported.

From Claudian it appears that this war occurred in 398, measures about fortifications were ordered in 399 and 'the legion' was ordered overseas in 401. Presumably therefore Gildas' first Pictish war began soon after Maximus' departure for Gaul and continued until 389-90, while his second can be identified with Stilicho's war of 398. D J B

Some of the vowel and consonantal variations in British Latin listed by Mann (72/1668) are discussed in detail, and an assessment is made of their social and regional significance. A T

Recognizes an apparently 4th-century trade to Eastern England from the Rhineland: there are two fabrics, one probably from the Mayen industry of the Eifel. Catalogue and map.

In some areas corridor villas possibly developed even earlier than town-houses of similar plan. Villa-planning influenced town-house planning in a manner largely unparalleled on the continent, and until c mid-2nd century villa-buildings displayed a much greater degree of Romanization, perhaps owing to financial and architectural help given to the native aristocracy. A T