Urban change
The Empire of Rome suffered devastating political turmoil and crippling inflation during the Third Century. Accounts hint at a perception, if not a reality, of increased danger. Writing a mere century later, Eutropius describes the coasts of Britain and Gaul being 'riddled'(great word!) with Frisian and Saxon pirates at this time.
A new command post was created - the 'comes littoris Saxonici' or Count of the Saxon Shore. The rebel Emperor of Britain, Carausius, held this post and was able to summon substantial military and naval support on the back of it. So what do we find archaeologically? Walls: many forts and towns acquired high walls in the second century, which were raised even higher in the third century. Bastion towers, like the Multangular Tower at York, were added. London Wall is an example of this movement, and much bigger examples are still to be seen in Europe. The bastion towers of Lugo in Galicia give the impression of cooling towers in this shot. Imagine a huge crossbow or slingshot on top of each one, capable of hurling missiles 300m or so. But Lugo pales in comparison with Rome's Aurelian Walls, standing nowadays to the south of the main city centre beyond the Circus Maximus. A new style of fort emerged along the coast of Gaul and Britain. Square in plan with projecting bastion towers at the corners and along the length of the sides, the function of these forts is hard to understand. They're often called 'Saxon Shore Forts' but we don't know what the Romans called them, or how they used them. They don't show signs of having been under attack, nor do there seem to have been any substantial internal buildings. Just a wide open space, enclosed by walls. The main difference between these and earlier Roman forts appears to be that these were designed to be defensive, whereas the earlier forts were not intended to cope with sieges - they were bases from which soldiers went out to deal with (euphemism there) the enemy. |