Roman wall and the west corner tower of the fort at York, with medieval additions

This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) 800 BC – AD 476

Structural history

Roman army (unit types and ranks, legions, auxiliaries, generals)

Roman navy (fleets, admirals)

Campaign history

Lists of wars and battles

Decorations and punishments

Technological history

Military engineering (castra, siege engines, arches, roads)

Personal equipment

Political history

Strategy and tactics

Infantry tactics

Frontiers and fortifications (limes, Hadrian's Wall)

Eboracum was a fort and city in Roman Britain. Commonwealth English! -->The military of ancient Rome relates to the combined military forces of Ancient Rome from the founding of the city The structural history of the Roman military describes the major chronological transformations in the organization and constitution of Ancient Rome 's armed forces, The Roman army was a set of military forces employed by the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later Roman Empire as part of the Roman military This is a list of both unit types and ranks of the Roman army from the Roman Republic to the fall of This is a list of Roman legions, including key facts about each legion primarily focusing on Principate (early Empire 30BC - 284AD legions for which there exists Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports" formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC&ndash284 AD A Manius Acilius Glabrio -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 191 BC -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 91 -- Titus The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state From its origin as a city-state in Italy in 9th century BC the rise as an empire covering much of Eurasia and North The following is a List of Roman wars fought by the ancient Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire, organized by date The following is a list of Roman Battles fought by the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and sometimes the Byzantine Empire As with most other military forces the Roman military adopted a "carrot and stick" approach to military with an extensive list of decorations for military gallantry The technology history of the Roman military covers the development of and application of technologies for use in the armies and navies of Rome from the Roman Republic to the fall The military engineering of Ancient Rome 's armed forces was of a scale and frequency far beyond that of any of its contemporaries The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military Roman Siege engines were for the most part adapted from Hellenistic Siege Technology. List of ancient Roman Triumphal arches (By modern country France Carpentras Triumphal Arch The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Roman military personal equipment was produced in large numbers to established patterns and used in an established way Rome's military was always tightly keyed to its political system The strategy of the Roman Military encompasses its Grand strategy (the arrangements made by the state to implement its political goals through a selection of military goals Roman infantry tactics refers to the theoretical and historical deployment formation and maneuvers of the Roman infantry from the start of the Roman Republic to the fall Roman military borders and fortifications were part of a Grand strategy of territorial defense in the Roman Empire. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Today it is known as York, located in the English county of Yorkshire. York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. The etymology of Eboracum is uncertain as the language of the indigenous population of the area was never recorded. One theory is that Eboracum is derived from the Proto-Brythonic word Eborakon which can mean "place of the yew trees" or "the field of Eburos". Efrog in Welsh, Eabhrac in Irish Gaelic, Iorc in Scottish Gaelic. The name is then thought to have been Latinised by replacing -akon with -acum. Another theory is that the language of the indigenous population was a Germanic language similar to Old English and so Eboracum is derived from *eburaz meaning a boar.

Origins

The Roman conquest of Britain began in 43 AD but advance beyond the Humber did not take place until the early 70s AD. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Humber is a large tidal Estuary on the east coast of northern England This was because the people in the area known as the Brigantes by the Romans became a Roman client state. The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of Northern England and a significant part of the Midlands Client state is one of several terms used to describe the subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs When their leadership changed becoming more hostile to Rome Roman General Quintus Petillius Cerialis led the Ninth Legion north from Lincoln across the Humber. Quintus Petilius Cerialis Caesius Rufus (born ca 30 was a Roman general Lincoln (ˈlɪŋkən is a Cathedral city and County town of Lincolnshire, England. ^[1]. Eboracum was founded in 71 AD when Cerialis and the Ninth Legion constructed a military fortress (castra) on flat ground above the River Ouse near its junction with the River Foss. The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military The River Ouse (pronounced "ooze" is a river in North Yorkshire, England. The River Foss is an improved River in North Yorkshire, England, and a Tributary of the River Ouse. In the same year Cerialis was appointed Governor of Britain. ^[2]

A legion at full strength at that time numbered some 5,500 men, and provided new trading opportunities for enterprising local people, who doubtless flocked to Eboracum to take advantage of them. As a result permanent civilian settlement grew up around the fortress especially on its south-east side. Civilians also settled on the opposite side of the Ouse, initially along the main road from Eboracum to the south-west. By the later 2nd century, growth was rapid; streets were laid out, public buildings were erected and private houses spread out over terraces on the steep slopes above the river.

Military

From its foundation the Roman fort of Eboracum covered an area of 50 acres (0. The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U 202 km²) the standard size for a legionary fortress. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The Roman legionary was a professional soldier of the Roman army after the Marian reforms of 107 BC. The layout of the fortress also followed the standard for a legionary fortress with wooden buildings inside a square defensive boundary. ^[3] These defences originally consisting of turf ramparts on a green wood foundation, were built by the Ninth Legion between 71 and 74 AD. Later these were replaced by a clay mound with a turf front on a new oak foundation, and eventually, wooden battlements were added which were then replaced by limestone walls and towers. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 ^[4] The original wooden camp was refurbished by Agricola in 81, before being completely rebuilt in stone between 107 and 108.

There is evidence that the Emperor Hadrian visited in 122 on his way north to plan his great walled frontier. Publius Aelius Hadrianus (January 24 76 &ndash July 10 138 as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after He certainly brought with him the Sixth Legion to replace the existing garrison. Legio VI Victrix (Victorious was a Roman legion founded by Octavian in 41 BC. Emperor Septimius Severus visited York in 211 and made it his base for campaigning in Scotland, The fortress wall was probably reconstructed during his stay and at the east angle it is possible to see this work standing almost to full height. Lucius Septimius Severus (or rarely Severus I) ( April 11 145 - February 4 211) was a Roman general and Roman Emperor In that same year, Severus became the first of the two Roman Emperors to die in York and was succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta. Caracalla ( April 4 188 &ndash April 8, 217) born Lucius Septimius Bassianus and later

Statue of Constantine the Great at York Minster

In the later 3rd century, the western Empire experienced political and economic turmoil and Britain was for some time ruled by usurpers independent of Rome. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine York Minster is a Gothic Cathedral in York, England and is the second largest of its kind in Northern Europe (largest is the Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 It was after crushing the last of these that Emperor Constantius I came to York and, in 306, became the second Emperor to die there. Flavius Valerius Constantius ( March 31 c 250&ndash July 25 306) was an emperor of the Western Roman Empire (305&ndash306 His son Constantine was instantly proclaimed as successor by the troops based in the fortress. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine Although it took Constantine eighteen years to become sole ruler of the Empire, he may have retained an interest in York and the reconstruction of the south-west front of the fortress with polygonally-fronted interval towers and the two great corner towers, one of which, the 'Multangular Tower', still survives, is probably his work. In the colonia, Constantine's reign was a time of prosperity and a number of extensive stone town houses of the period have been excavated.

Culture

Statue of the God Mars from Blossom Street in York

As a busy port and a provincial capital Eboracum was a cosmopolitan city with residents from throughout the Roman Empire. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial ^[5]

Religion

A range of evidence of Roman religious beliefs among the people of Eboracum have been found including altars to Mars, Hercules, Jupiter and Fortune, while phallic amulets are the most commonly found type of good luck charm. Ancient Roman religion encompasses the collection of Beliefs and Rituals practised in Ancient Rome in the form of Cult practices An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place Mars was the Roman Warrior god, the son of Juno and Jupiter, husband of Bellona, and the lover of Venus. Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. In Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods and the god of Sky and Thunder. In Roman mythology, Fortuna (equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche) goddess of fortune was the Personification of Luck; The word phallus can refer to an erect Penis, or to an object shaped like a penis An amulet ( the Elder|Pliny]] meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble" a close cousin of the talisman (from Arabic In terms of number of reference the most popular deities were the spiritual representation (genius) of Eboracum and the Mother Goddess. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno ( Juno was also the name of the queen of the gods A mother goddess is a Goddess, often portrayed as the Earth Mother who serves as a general Fertility deity the bountiful embodiment of the Earth. There is also evidence of local or regional deities. Evidence showing the worship of eastern deities has also been found during excavations in York. For example evidence of the Mithras cult, which was popular among the military, has been found including a sculpture showing Mithras slaying a bull and a dedication to Arimanius, the god of evil in the Mithraic tradition. The Mithraic Mysteries or Mysteries of Mithras (also Mithraism) was a Roman mystery religion which became popular among the military in the late Areimanios is a Greek god of the underworld probably derived from the Persian deity Ahriman. ^[6] Another example is the dedication of a temple to Serapis a Hellenistic-Egyptian God by the Commander of the Sixth Legion. Serapis (Latin spelling or Sarapis in Greek was a syncretic Hellenistic - Egyptian god in Antiquity. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Legio VI Victrix (Victorious was a Roman legion founded by Octavian in 41 BC. ^[7]

There was also a Christian community in Eboracum although it is unknown when this was first formed and in archeological terms there is virtually no record of it. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The first evidence of this community is a document noting the attendance of Bishop Eborius of Eboracum at the Council of Arles in 314. Arles in the south of Roman Gaul, modern France hosted several councils (Concilium Arelatense or Synods in the early Christian church ^[8] The Episcopal see at Eboracum was called Eboracensis in Latin and Bishops from the See also attended the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the Council of Sardica, and the Council of Ariminum. An episcopal see is the ecclesiastical domain of authority of a Bishop. The First Council of Nicaea, held in Nicaea in Bithynia (present-day İznik in Turkey) convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine ^[9]

Government

For the Romans, York, or Eboracum, was the major military base in the north of Britain and, following the third century division of the province of Britannia, the capital of northern Britain, Britannia Inferior. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Britannia was the term originally used by the Romans to refer first to the British Isles, and later to the island of Great Britain. Britannia Inferior was a subdivision of the Roman province of Britannia established c By 237 Eboracum had been made a colonia, the highest legal status a Roman city could attain, one of only four in Britain and the others were founded for retired soldiers. A Roman colonia (plural coloniae) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it ^[10] This mark of Imperial favour was probably a recognition of York as the largest town in the north and the capital of Britannia Inferior. Britannia Inferior was a subdivision of the Roman province of Britannia established c At around the same time Eboracum became self-governing, with a council made up of rich locals, including merchants, and veteran soldiers. ^[11] In 296 Britannia Inferior was divided into two provinces of equal status with Eboracum becoming the provincial capital of Britannia Secunda. Britannia Inferior was a subdivision of the Roman province of Britannia established c Britannia Secunda was one of the provinces of Roman Britain in existence by c

Economy

The military presence at Eboracum was the driving force behind early developments in its economy. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area In these early stages Eboracum operated as a command economy with workshops growing up outside the fortress to supply the needs of the 5000 troops garrisoned there. A planned economy or directed economy is an Economic system in which the Government or Workers' councils manages the Economy. A workshop is a room or Building which provides both the area and Tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops Production included military pottery until the mid-third century, military tile kilns have been found in the Aldwark-Peasholme Green area, glassworking at coppergate, metalworks and leatherworks producing military equipment in Tanner Row. Kilns are thermally insulated chambers or Ovens in which controlled temperature regimes are produced ^[12]

Archaeological remains

Substantial remains of the headquarters building of the Roman legionary fortress were discovered under the Minster, and they are open to the public. A re-erected Roman column now stands, upside down, on nearby Deangate, where there is also a recent statue of Constantine. Other sites of excavated remains include a Roman bath, located under the Roman Bath pub in St Sampson's Square, a Roman temple, near the foot of Lendal Bridge, and the site of a Roman bridge over the River Ouse. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites The River Ouse (pronounced "ooze" is a river in North Yorkshire, England. Some remains of the Roman city walls can be seen between Monk Bar and the Merchant Taylors' Hall, and a more substantial section can be seen between Museum Gardens and the Central Library, together with the late Roman Multangular Tower. Outside the city walls are the remains of substantial Roman cemeteries. A large number of Roman finds are now housed in the Yorkshire Museum. The Yorkshire Museum is a Museum in York, England. It is the home of the Cawood sword, and has four permanent collections covering Biology

References

See also

• History of York

External links

• The Romans in West Yorkshire

Coordinates: 53°57′42″N 1°04′50″W / 53.961573, -1.080617