Another \"new\" Roman town in Devon

[Boreades]

we are not talking about 100 years of Romano/British occupation on this site. We are talking about a community that stayed in situ for over 2000 years...........i'm no scholar but I find that ...Amazing.to say the least.. WHY?
Answers on a postcard to Kevin so I can make some money please....lol
Ta muchly.

Surely a lot of sites, like this one at Ipplepen, were labelled "Roman" because nobody had dug deep enough to find the evidence of the previous inhabitants (until now). I'm not surprised they have now found evidence of the Bronze and Iron age predecessors. The Romans weren't fools, or idly wandering around the British countryside. They had very deliberately taken control of mines and metal refining, and the trading in metals, and the related trade routes.

I agree that exporting by ship is more likely that lugging high volumes overland. There is evidence of a Roman port at (what is now) Mount Batten in Plymouth, and Phoenician goods have been found. But that would probably have not been the local port for exporting from the Ipplepen area. My bet is that there was more ports, probably near Totnes (up the River Dart) and Newton Abbot (up the River Teign).

Julius Caesar's account of the Punic Wars has given us a very good record of the type of ships they would have won from the Veneti at the Battle of Morbihan Bay. But perhaps that should gon in another thread on Roman Ships?

[Robert Vermaat]

I know there was a massive explosion of wealth after the Romans abandoned the site due to the alleviation of Taxes and the breakdown into quintessential city states that began around 410. I should note that the Roman governments in York, London, etc still maintained control over a large part of the provinces and stayed in contact with the government in Gaul until at least the 430's/440's

We don't know that Evan. Local government continued, Roman or British, and they all needed revenue to pay for their local governemnt. For all we know, taxes may have gone up! We only have a very cryptic by Gildas about a 'Golden Age', but we really don't know what he meant by that exactly.

Anyway, we're now discussing the mid-5th century, and this is the start of the 4th century. Perhaps we are watching the result of a Britain that has returned to the arms of Rome (after the respective rebellions of Postumus, Carausius and Allectus), and a Constantinian revival? Maybe a shift in local economy?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Good points Robert. I'm sure taxes would have varied in different areas.

I'm still thinking that the large number of coins dating to this era are because of severe inflation prior to the introduction of the Solidus/Semissis etc, which weren't debased until the 10th century. That would support your "constantinian Revival" certainly.

[Vindex]

As a point of interest, although it has not been published yet, the excavations at Lyde Road outside Yeovil in Somerset (not too far away) have produced evidence of a very sophisticated forgery "mint". The evidence is in the moulds not the coins themselves. I mention this just to show there is more than one way to skin a hoard cat!

[Boreades]

As a point of interest, although it has not been published yet, the excavations at Lyde Road outside Yeovil in Somerset (not too far away) have produced evidence of a very sophisticated forgery "mint". The evidence is in the moulds not the coins themselves. I mention this just to show there is more than one way to skin a hoard cat!

Fascinating!

I may be guilty of Thread Drift (so please advise me on forum etiquette!) - but this reminds me of the silver and gold metal working and coin minting at Hengistbury Head. These were part and parcel of ways of working and trading in metals, by the Durotrige Celts, right up to the arrival of the Romans. But the Durotrige coins shows evidence of a progressive debasing of the coinage, which suggests their economy was being squeezed hard by the Romans.

Is it wishful thinking to assume the same might have happened in Dumnonia as well? Especially when later the Romans started to withdraw,

[66kbm]

The Dumnomi had no native coinage. They occasionally used coins from other areas but did not mint any of their own.
Roman coinage was used but to what extent, I do not know...ie only in trading areas for example. So this brings us back to the point of was this a trading area? I must find more info on that road, Margary 491..it holds the clues I think. As I stated earlier, next seasons dig will be the road on site and the burials alongside.
Kevin

[66kbm]

Its dig time again.
See here.....http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/ipplepenblog/
I shall be watching this one over the next couple of weeks and hope to provide some new info.
By the way, Barry has got the sack.....there are a couple of "real" Romans booked in on the open day . So maybe a bit of insider info is on the cards.
Will keep everyone informed.
Kevin

[Boreades]

Funny how they didn't mention the known Roman sites in West Devon and Cornwall.
Maybe the old orthodox history makes for a more entertaining newspaper article?

[66kbm]

Quick update for those not in the know. A couple of links.
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/bajrpress/skele...-cemetery/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-31313465
And for those that can access BBC I Player........Its in the last 15 mins.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b052775b
Kevin

[Stackferret]

As to your query as to whether lead can be carbon dated - the answer is 'No'. C14 dating only applies to organic materials like wood, bone, etc. Metal and stone need newer and more expensives tests to date them.

[66kbm]

Dig time again 2015
http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/ipplepenblog/category/2015.
I shall be attending the site in 12 days time, hopefully with more useful info.
Latest speculation is that the site could have been in use up to the 6th century AD.
More info as and when I can get some.
Kevin