caldrail Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Just added a new article to Wikipedia. It's a shame there's no plans to open the area to public display (especially as it's been threatened by projected housing development), so to illustrate the area please enjoy the following link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durocornovium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Just added a new article to Wikipedia. It's a shame there's no plans to open the area to public display (especially as it's been threatened by projected housing development), so to illustrate the area please enjoy the following link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durocornovium Thank you for this. Durocornovium has come up alot in the books I'm reading at the present, and now I have a better idea of how to pronounce it! Very interesting information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 (edited) Do you have any pictures from the site? Great job with the article by the way! Edited October 7, 2009 by Klingan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Aerial pictures are the most illustrative. There are some kicking around, such as views of the mansio, the granary, and associated field systems, but I don't have access (or publishing rights) to those images. I did take some photos from the road bridge last year. Unfortunately, the foliage, lay of the land, and ambient sunlight made for some very dull and uninformative photos. The article does need illustration however and I'll be adding to it in due course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Nice article, Calders. The name is inded an enigma, as it seems to implicate two tribes that weren't in the immediate vicinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Strictly speaking this was a frontier area between british tribes (Dobunni, Belgae, and the apparently dominant Atrebates). Since the name refers to a fortifies place in celtic phraseology, it might be that the fort was Celtic, not Roman. Certainly there are hillforts nearby (Liddington is only four miles south and very evident, being the highest point in Wiltshire). There doesn't seem to be any evidence of native forts in the immediate vicinity of the site, and given the relatively flat land thereabouts, one might be forgiven for assuming the place was named after Liddington hillfort looming in the distance, which would have been (and actually still is) a visible landmark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted October 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 View From the Roof of the Temple This is Durocornovium today, a southeast view from where the temple is thought to have stood. The modern dual carriageway turns south along the Roman road to Cunetio, a minor route in those days, whilst the main Roman road to Calleva is now a country lane off the left hand side of the photo. In the distance is Liddington Hill, the highest place in Wiltshire, and you can easily make out the ramparts on the right hand side. On the right of the photo is the outskirts of modern Swindon, on land that the Romans apparently never developed. The cemetary for Durocornovium was situated over there too, a little further away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 I notice that the 'DVRO' Roman place name element crops up all over southern and central Britain, so as you say, may have no link to the tribe of the Durotriges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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