Isca Augusta

51.6106483 - 2.9553866Koordinaten: 51 ° 36 ' 38.3 ", N, 2 ° 57' 19.4 " W

Isca Silurum, also Isca Augusta, located at Caerleon today, was a Roman military camp on the British Isles. It is located in south-west Wales, at the mouth of the River Usk, 15 kilometers southwest of Venta Silurum ( Caerwent ). The Roman name Isca is derived from the Gaelic term for water.

With an area of ​​20.5 ha, the castle belongs Isca compared the imperial legion camp in the central region. When choosing the location in the mouth of the Usk probably strategic reasons played a role. As of 74/75 AD Isca was the base of Legio II Augusta. The place was before the establishment of the camp probably uninhabited. Pre-Roman findings or findings, dated before 74/75 are not yet known. Coins found with embossing data to 370 show a - potentially only civilian - Continuity in Caerleon. The final coin is theodosianisch ( 388-395 ).

In his excavations in the 1920s saw Sir Mortimer Wheeler, that the Roman presence in Caerleon ended in the 3rd century. The 4th century could not be established outside of the enclosure until today.

History of Research

First mention found the ruins of Caerleon, including the bathhouse, already in 1188 Giraldus Cambrensis. Geoffrey of Monmouth identified the ruins of Caerleon, however, as Camelot of King Arthur. 1405 reported a French expeditionary corps in the service Owein Glendowyrs of the legacies of the amphitheater. It kept the ruins of the Round Table of King Arthur. In the 18th century repeatedly dug travelers and scholars in the area and found shards, coins and bricks with stamps LEG II AVG. 1850 John Edward Lee built a museum in which the numerous finds were collected. The funds came from the resident citizens. Lee also founded the Caerleon Antiquarian Association, which maintained the museum until 1930. Today, the Roman Legionary Museum is one of six Welsh museums.

In 1909 the first archaeological excavations were made. Victor Nash -Williams (1897-1955) from the Welsh National Museum began in 1926 with large-scale excavations in the barracks in Prysg Field. Mortimer Wheeler excavated in 1927 in the amphitheater, among other things, with funds from the Daily Mail. Since 2007 ergräbt Andrew Gardner from the University College London parts of the troop barracks.

Selected buildings

In Isca Silurum three phases can be distinguished:

• First phase: 74/75 AD to 122 AD ( wood and earth fort )
• Second phase: 122-196 AD
• Third phase: 196-293 AD

Principia

The principia of the legionary camp were never completed. Your basilica has a length of 64.5 meters and is 25 meters wide. In the archaeological record fall on massive pillars foundations. Of the actual columns, but found no trace. Either these were never available or they were installed elsewhere on the task of the camp. The Legion shrine ( aedes ) has already been completed at an early stage.

Contubernia / Centuria

Remarkably, the foundations are well received by troop barracks ( contubernia ) in the western part of the excavated legion camp. They were excavated by Nash -Williams and partially reconstructed. Each contubernium is about 74 meters long and 11.5 meters wide. Latrines and washrooms are well identifiable. Each barrack had room for eight men. The centuria was spacious and contained, in addition to the living room of the centurion, a service exchange.

Valetudinarium

The medical area of ​​the warehouse ( valetudinarium ) occupies an area of ​​about 70 m². This part has hardly been excavated.

Hot spring

The thermal baths inside the camp was built in the early construction phase. A coin from this area is a terminus post quem 77-78 AD The core building measures 47 × 21.5 meters. Each hall ( caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium ) spanning 40 Roman feet ( 11.8 m). Occupies two building phases from the Flavian period. In the second phase, a basilica was added. The covered Basilica was 64.5 × 24 feet tall and had a connection with the via principalis. It was never completed. From the area of ​​the bearing Therme many of the most beautiful finds from Caerleon, including 88 gems ( of rings ) from the outflow of the frigidarium come. Jewelry and milk teeth show that women and children had access. The bathroom is partially protected by a shelter and serves as a museum.

Amphitheater

To the west of the camp is the amphitheater. Victor Nash -Williams could find during excavations in 1926 that the amphitheater was built around the year 90 AD. Later it was rebuilt twice, in the early 2nd century, and about a hundred years later. The Arena has eight inputs and took about 6,000 spectators. The extensive barracks were also exposed by Nash -Williams and partially reconstructed. The building has eight inputs and measures 86 × 63 meters. The cardus, the short axis of the theater, has a length of 41.3 meters (140 Roman feet ). The estuarine sandy soil in the interior was drained by a drainage. In the amphitheater tegulae were installed with Anthony stamp. This calls for a renovation of the facility after 213 AD It was called because of its oval shape as " King Arthur's Round Table ".

Bearing outer area

Located close to the legionary fortress there is the vicus Bullmore. For vicus has a private burial ground dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Here a sarcophagus, which were built with stone slabs from the storage Therme was found.

Extensive earthworks square at Llandrindod, around 90 km from Caerleon, the legion camp are also assigned. This is possibly due to a maneuver space.

Conservation

The area of the camp is an archaeological monument. Research and purposeful gathering of findings must be approved, chance finds must be reported to the authorities monument ( CADWR ).