the posh public buildings of Roman Colchester

Yesterday (27th November), Gareth Harney Tweeted two images of a 3d model of the Circus Maximus in Rome by Atavistic, and the Trust retweeted them. The Circus Maximus was the largest Roman circus in the Roman empire and, in Mr Harney’s Tweet, he describes it as the centre of public entertainment in ancient Rome. Public buildings in Rome included the Roman Forum, Trajan’s Forum, basilicas, temples, the Baths of Caracalla, the Baths of Diocletian, a senate house, three theatres, the Colosseum, and the Circus Maximus. The Trust has uncovered evidence of a number of public buildings and structures in Roman Colchester to add to the standing remains here, including the site of the Roman circus – however, the Roman circus here was built outside the walled town. The centre of public activity within the walled town seems to have been the temple and theatre complex, possibly associated with other public buildings, and centred on the Temple of Claudius, on the site of which now stands Colchester Castle. The lives of the people who lived here would have been dominated by the temple and theatre complex, and the Roman circus, and the activities which they provided.

As an administrative, religious and cultural centre, the Roman town of Colchester would have been like a mini version of Rome. It would have included a full range of important public buildings, such as a forum (a public meeting-place), temples, a basilica (like a town hall with law courts), a bath-house with latrines, and, perhaps, an amphitheatre, as well as the Roman circus. The town would also have been provided with elements of civic infrastructure, ie streets and roads; drains; the aqueducts, waterworks and pipes of the water-supply system; and other utility buildings. The public buildings and structures would have been built and maintained with money raised from taxation and, perhaps, donation. We have not yet uncovered any evidence of an amphitheatre, but there is considerable archaeological evidence for other public buildings here.

We can identify public buildings by the evidence of their large size and the distinctive materials which were used in their construction. Within the town wall, the Temple of Claudius stood in its own walled precinct, which may have functioned as the town forum, and with a massive monumental arcade (which the Trust has recently investigated), and the adjacent theatre. The temple seems to have been decorated with polychromatic marble and porphyry veneers from the Mediterranean. The site of a possible public building associated with the temple has produced evidence of fluted columns. The remains of a high-status residential building on the site of the Sixth Form College on North Hill may represent the town’s mansio, an official lodging-house. We have uncovered evidence of a large building, possibly the bath-house or basilica, in East Stockwell Street, and of another, possibly also the bath-house, at 60-61 High Street. We also uncovered evidence of an aqueduct and the remains of Roman water-pipes on our Balkerne Lane site, and the remains of a possible waterworks survive in the Castle Park, associated with a brick drain. Evidence of several other possible Roman public buildings include one on the site of St Nicholas’ church in the High Street (now demolished). The remains of the town’s monumental arch still stand at the Balkerne Gate. The monumental arch was built in about AD 50 and other public buildings were added to the town after AD 50, and rebuilt after the town was destroyed in AD 60. The evidence seems to show that, in the 3rd century AD, no new public buildings were erected and that the existing buildings were no longer maintained. In the heyday of the Roman town, however, the public buildings here were high- quality Roman public buildings.

Outside the town wall, we have also discovered the site of the Roman circus! The Roman circus was associated with the Temple of Claudius, as religious ceremonies at the temple would have been followed by a procession to the Roman circus on chariot-race days. The Roman circus was a huge public structure, outside the town wall, but the defensive town wall itself was, of course, the largest public structure in Roman Colchester…

We have a video fly-through of a 3d model of the Colchester Roman circus here at the circus centre, created for us by local designer Roger Massey-Ryan.

The Roman circus centre and site are closed for the winter but will re-open to visitors  in April 2017. We are pleased to welcome pre-booked groups and schools in the meantime: please contact us to arrange a visit.

The images show the Tweet and a reconstruction painting of the Temple of Claudius and the theatre, based on excavated evidence, from our popular book City of Victory: the story of Colchester – Britain’s first Roman town (painting by Peter Froste).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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