Guidebook: Aldborough Roman Town

Aldborough Roman Town, by Professor Martin Millett of the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge, and Dr Rose Ferraby, focuses on the wall remains and site museum of this Romano-British town in North Yorkshire and puts the finds and the archaeological discoveries in the context of Roman conquest of Britain and settlement in Yorkshire. It casts new light on the relationship between the imperial settlers and the indigenous tribes, and dispels long-held misconceptions about the supposed military character of the site, arguing instead for a highly developed urban population, cultured and sophisticated, made up of local groups who had prospered under Roman rule. 

Using published records of archaeological exploration of Aldborough from the eighteenth century onwards, the guidebook provides an insight into the fascination with classical civilisation that contributed to increasingly scientific methods of archaeology. It looks at the role of archaeologists, scholars and benefactors, many of them women, who contributed to the advancement of knowledge about the site. The story of the exploration of Aldborough is brought up to date with the current investigations being undertaken by Cambridge University, and the guidebook includes new interpretations of the remains based on these recent discoveries, most significantly the evidence for an amphitheatre outside the town. 

This attractively illustrated new guidebook to Aldborough Roman Town gives a full tour and history of this key site. 

Key Features:

• 40 pages
• Paperback
• Published in 2016