2nd c. CE defenses around small towns in Roman Britain structured by road network connectivity. Issue 1 (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lewis, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Journal of Roman archaeology. Volume 35:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 339
• Page End: 350
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Network analysis -- Roman Britain -- small towns -- hypothesis testing -- connectivity -- road network; Europe -- Antiquities, Roman -- Periodicals; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Europe -- Periodicals; Rome -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Fouilles (Archéologie) -- Europe -- Périodiques; Europe -- Antiquités romaines -- Périodiques; Rome -- Antiquités -- Périodiques; Archeologie; Romeinse oudheid; Antiquities; Classical antiquities; Excavations (Archaeology); Europe; Rome (Empire); Periodicals; Electronic journals; 930
• DOI: 10.1017/S1047759421000775
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1047-7594

Abstract

Abstract: The large-scale provision of defenses around small towns in Roman Britain during the 2nd c. CE is without parallel in the Roman Empire. Although the relationship between defended small towns and the Roman road network has been noted previously, provincial-level patterns remain to be explored. Using network analysis and spatial inference methods, this paper shows that defended small towns in the 2nd c. are on average better integrated within the road network – and located on road segments important for controlling the flow of information – than small towns at random. This research suggests that the fortification of small towns in the 2nd c. was structured by the connectivity of the Roman road network and associated with the functioning of the cursus publicus .