Eboracum
Eboracum, later elevated to Colonia Eboracensium, was a Roman city in the province of Britain, at the site of the present York. In the city several times resided Roman Emperor, who used the city as a starting point for various campaigns.
History
The origins of the city are shrouded in mystery, but it seems to have been no previous Celtic settlement. A first legionary fortress was 71 AD, built on the site of the later city, where up to 120 the Legio VIIII Hispana was housed. This happened after the territory of the Brigantes, in which lay the city, had been subjected. To 108 the camp was provided with stone walls. Since 120 the Legio VI Victrix here was stationed.
In addition to the military camp soon developed a settlement that has quickly developed urban scale and the capital of the civitas of the Brigantes was. To 197 Britain was divided into two provinces, with Eboracum the capital of Britannia was inferior. During this time, Emperor Septimius Severus held on in the city, which led campaigns against the Picts and other northern invaders from here. The place to even have at this time according to literary sources, an imperial palace had, hitherto, however, is not archaeologically detectable with certainty. In the year 211 the emperor died in the city. Shortly thereafter Eboracum was apparently raised to the status of a colony, and received the full name of Colonia Eboracensium, although it appears only in one inscription dated 237 with this status.
At the end of the third century, the Britannic provinces were divided again. The city was now the capital of the province of Britannia Secunda. During this time, Emperor Constantius I. resided in the city and headed from her campaigns against the Picts and Scots. He died in 306 in Eboracum. His son Constantine the Great was proclaimed emperor there. In the early 4th century, the Legio VI Victrix major reconstruction work took on its main bearing Eburacum. Fortifications and towers were strengthened and other buildings such as the Principia maintenance set. The city retained its importance throughout the fourth century, but was likely conquered in the fifth century by the Anglo-Saxons. There are signs of settlement continuity, but with new residents.
Archeology
The town consisted of several parts. In the north of the legionary fortress, whose walls and scope are well known was. The southwest succeeded by the civilian city that lay on both sides of the river Ouse. The civilian town had its own city walls.
Although there have been numerous excavations in the urban area, it is hard to get a picture of the ancient city. The location of most public buildings, which are to be expected for the city is so far unknown. In the south of the city, there were monumental baths. There is the idea that they were part of an imperial palace. There were the remains of a basilica to be excavated, which was perhaps part of a forum. An amphitheater is occupied by texts. Numerous temples or shrines can be suspected on the basis of consecration stones. None of them has yet been localized.
Outside the walls there were large cemeteries that were rich in inscribed grave stones. About 100 years ago here, archaeologists discovered the famous grave of the lady with the ivory bangle. It contained rich grave goods, so that the lady must have belonged to the Roman upper class about 1600 years ago. Hella Eckhardt of the University of Reading in 2009 determined on the basis of skull shape, and with the aid of oxygen and strontium isotopes in the teeth, that they came from North Africa. The grave goods was located next to a bangle made of jet and ivory frost which was very rare for Britain. One leg fitting a wooden box containing an inscription, which is now interpreted Christian and therefore testifies to the fledgling religion of the Roman Empire of the 4th century. A perfume bottle made of blue glass and a glass mirror also were in the exposed stone sarcophagus.
Others
The City of New York calls itself in its seal in accordance with the ancient name of York as Civitas Novi Eboraci