sixteen centuries.-The remains of these places of defence are of such high antiquarian interest, and are so frequently noticed in

almost every volume of the " Beauties of England and Wales," that it appears desirable to present a comprehensive view of the

modes of constructing and occupying a fortress amongst the Romans, together with many other particulars, calculated to convey clear ideas of the character and history of Roman stations in Britain.

The term Station applies to such castra stativa, or fixed camps, as were used for the permanent quarters of detachments of the Roman forces. Horsley observes, "that the word statio is used in Cæsar, Tacitus, and other good writers, for the duty of soldiers upon guard, or for the men that were employed in this duty. But, in the later times, it is, by a metonymy, applied to the fort, or place, where the soldiers lodged, or were on their duty." This mode of confining the meaning of the word to a fortress, instead of extending it to a town, as is usual with many writers, is approved by Mr. Reynolds (Introduction to the Itinerary of Antoninus, p. 9.) But an indistinctness in the reception of the term appears still to prevail. It is certain that, in some instances, the castrametation remained peculiarly appropriated to the troops in garrison, while a town, in the immediate neighbourhood of the fortress, was gradually formed by the buildings raised for the purposes of traffic and security. But, in many other examples, the stationary castrum itself afforded a place of residence to the trader who sought commerce and protection from the military; and thus, in itself, became a town or city.-It

camps like

seems probable that such intermingled circumstances of inhabitation, within the walls of a fortress, chiefly occurred in Silchester, formed on the spacious, but irregular, site of a British settlement.

It is well known that the Romans, in all their wars, were particularly careful, and evinced great judgment, in the choice of the site on which they encamped their troops. The skill with which they improved on the natural strength of the situation chosen on these occasions, is sufficiently evident from the security with which their armies reposed, in the interior of so many hostile countries.

The Roman camps are usually divided into two classes; Castra hyberna, and Castra estiva. The former, which were merely, in the first instance, designed for the winter quarters of the invading army, were often adopted as stationary, or garrison, posts, when the district in which they were situated became tributary. These were sometimes placed on the site of British settlements ; in which case, the irregularity of form that prevailed amongst the Britons, who chiefly looked to natural advantages for the attainment of local strength, was preserved by the more scientific Romans.* But, in camps originally laid out by themselves, the figure was, almost invariably, square or oblong; sometimes having the angles obtuse, or rounded off. When a deviation occurs from this form of castrametation, the cause will be obvious, in some very peculiar circumstance of natural strength, or convenience, which is gained by the partial sacrifice of regularity.

In

* It is observed by Mr. Whitaker (Hist. of Manchester, Vol. I. p. 44.) that the fact of Roman towns being frequently placed on the site of British fortresses, "is abundantly shewn by the British names of the stations in the Roman Itineraries; near three fourths of the stations bearing British names, and thereby evincing themselves to be erected upon the sites of British fortresses. The latter were generally planted upon such ground as an intimate knowledge of the country recommended; and such, therefore, as the policy of the Romans could not but approve."-Instances of irregularity of form, obviously arising from the adoption of a British site by the Romans, may be noticed in Silchester, Kentchester, Bath, Canterbury, &..

In respect to the usual character of the site chosen for Roman encampments, the following remarks of Horsley may be received as satisfactory: "There is nothing that the Romans seem to have had a greater regard to, than the convenience of a river, and perhaps, too, the additional strength which it afforded. For the benefit of the meridian sun, which they must need who came from so much warmer a climate, they usually had their stations and outbuildings on the north side of the rivers, and on a gentle declivity. In some instances they chose higher ground, for 'dryness and prospect. And, as oft as they could, they seem willing to have joined these together.'

From these circumstances of configuration and locality of site, the Roman camp, as to its general character, may be readily distinguished from that of the other nations connected, in a military capacity, with this island. In a subsequent page it will be shewn that the castrametations formed by the Romans were frequently adopted, and altered, by the different invading powers which succeeded that people in an ascendancy over the British. But, still, the remains of Roman castra, free from marks of innovation, and venerable in the ruinous character imparted by abandonment and time only, occur in nearly every part of Britain.-The antiquary regards them with curious attention; nor are the pleasures of such a contemplation confined to him who values the relics of other days, merely because they are antiquities. The splendour of Roman story has awakened many of the nobler sensations in the mind of the general student. It became familiar with us in the class books of our boyhood, and mixed with our early sympathies. There are few who view, for the first time, a castrametation assuredly Roman, without a thrill of exquisite pleasure at beholding, free from the necessity of foreign. travel, a memorial of the people who spread civilization in the same progress with victory, and bestowed a knowledge of the useful

* Horsley. Brit. Rom. p. 109-110.