Change and Continuity at the Roman Coastal Fort at Oudenburg from the Late 2nd until the Early 5th Century AD : Volume I: the Site and Its Significance Within the Wider Context of the Roman North Sea and Channel Frontier Zone.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Vanhoutte, S. (Sofie)

Series:

Relicta Monografieën Series

Relicta Monografieën Series ; v.19A

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Military archaeology.

Antiquities, Roman.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (324 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden : Sidestone Press, 2023.

Summary:

In the later Roman period the North Sea and Channel region was the scene of seaborne attacks, political crises, army reforms, Germanic invasions and changing imperial defence strategies. Literary evidence for this era is poor. On the other hand the Shore forts can yield highly significant information, but have been subject to little study in recent decades. At the Belgian coastal fort at Oudenburg large-scale excavations in the first decade of the 21st century revealed a strikingly well-preserved chronological, spatial and functional evolution of this military base, with five main fort periods running from the late 2nd until the early 5th century AD. For the first time within the context of the Shore forts securely datable structural evidence demonstrates the stages in progression of a mid- to late Roman fort where the horizons can be related to historically recorded processes and events in the region. Political, economic and social developments can be seen within this evidence, as a result of the assessment of the huge quantity of well-stratified finds types. Reports on the finds assemblage by specialist experts, using various analytical methods, represent 'touchstones' for regional military and later Roman studies in the North-West provinces.The study of Oudenburg, and in relationship to other Shore forts, enables exploration of 'change and continuity' and 'identity', in respect of the everyday lives of soldiers, and in their interaction with other forts and wider regional spheres. This is achieved by examining find contexts as reflections of the socio-cultural world. The study of 'military identities' is further emphasized through looking at the associated graveyards wherein the direct relationship with the successive fort periods is established. It is clear this fort was closely connected with the British forts and that there occurred an

increasing Germanic influence as the fort transformed into a community of military families.This is volume one of three. This volume provides a detailed analysis of the Oudenburg site and the report of the research of its significance within the wider context of the Roman North Sea and Channel frontier zone, on a historic-military, a socio-cultural and a socio-economic level.

Contents:

Intro

Preface

General guidelines for the reader

Abbreviations in Volumes I and II

I. Introduction

I.1. The Roman military along the North Sea and Channel: research questions and how the Oudenburg research can contribute to our understanding

I.1.1. Introduction to the North Sea and Channel region: research questions

I.1.2. How the Oudenburg research can contribute

I.1.3. Structure of the present study

I.2. Research methodology and selection of data

I.3. State of the art of the Roman military in the North Sea and Channel region: an overview of the wider military context of the Oudenburg fort

I.3.1. Introduction

I.3.2. The Notitia Dignitatum and the 'Saxon Shore'

I.3.3. Gallia Belgica, later Belgica Secunda

I.3.4. Germania Inferior, later Germania Secunda

I.3.5. Britannia

I.4. Historiography of the fort site of Oudenburg

I.4.1. The historic-geographic context of Roman Oudenburg

I.4.1.1. On the interface between the sandy region and the coastal plain

I.4.1.2. The Oudenburg settlement and fort: their relation to the occupation in the coastal plain

I.4.1.3. Oudenburg in relation to its hinterland: the road network

I.4.1.4. The end of civil settlement in the coastal region and of significant, large-scale civil occupation in the wider region

I.4.2. Excavation history: a status quaestionis of Roman Oudenburg, the fort site and its surroundings

I.5. The general chronological framework of the fort site as outlined by the former research

II. New insights into the stratigraphy, morphology and site formation processes at the Oudenburg fort

II.1. Introduction to the stratigraphy and morphology research of the site

II.2. The stratigraphy of the site: the study of the trench profiles

II.2.1. The stratigraphy of the Roman level

II.2.2. Five main levels, many building phases.

II.2.3. 'Dark earth' and post-Roman occupation at the site

II.3. The evolution of the defence system

II.3.1. The defence system of fort level 1

II.3.2. The defence system of fort level 2

II.3.3. The defence system of fort level 3

II.3.4. The defence system of fort level 4

II.3.5. The defence system of fort level 5

II.3.6. Three earth-and-timber castella, two stone forts

II.4. The inner building: occupation levels and their relation to the defence system

II.4.1. The inner building area

II.4.2. Pre-fort structures with possible military connection?

II.4.3. Fort level 1: remains of soldiers' barracks at the southwestern corner

II.4.3.1. Defence system

II.4.3.2. Inner building

II.4.4. Fort level 2: a military hospital at the southwestern corner

II.4.4.1. Defence system

II.4.4.2. Inner building

II.4.4.2.a. First building phase (2A) of uncertain character

II.4.4.2.b. Second building phase (2B): a large building complex

II.4.4.2.c. Mural paintings

II.4.5. Fort level 3: 'one level', several building phases

II.4.5.1. Defence system

II.4.5.2. Inner building

II.4.5.2.a. Phase 3A

II.4.5.2.b. Phase 3B

II.4.5.2.c. Phase 3C

II.4.5.2.d. Level 3 features not assignable to a specific phase within fort level 3

II.4.5.2.e. The successive building phases of fort level 3

II.4.6. Fort level 4: a workshop area at the southwestern corner

II.4.6.1. A stone defence

II.4.6.2. Inner building

II.4.6.2.a. Structures and features

II.4.6.2.b. Building techniques

II.4.6.2.c. Craft activities in the workshop area

II.4.6.2.d. Barracks in the northern sector of the fort

II.4.6.2.e. The end of fort period 4

II.4.7. Fort level 5: baths, and eventually animal compounds, at the southwestern corner

II.4.7.1. The renewed stone fort defence.

II.4.7.2. A bath house at the south-west corner of the fort (fort level 5A)

II.4.7.3. The bath house in late Roman forts

II.4.7.4. The 'double' well (OS 2562): insights into the further chronology of fort level 5

II.4.7.5. The end of the Oudenburg bath house: animals on compounds take over the south-west corner (fort level 5B)

II.5. Site formation processes: the evidence from the spatial distribution of material, residuality and rubbish disposal, and the value of the find assemblages

II.5.1. Spatial distribution of material: the result of different site formation processes

II.5.2. Residuality and the value of the find assemblages

III. The successive forts at Oudenburg in a changing landscape

III.1. Decisive factors for the fort's history: the marine influence and the pauvrity in hard natural rock

III.2. The landscape at the time of the installation of the first fort

III.3. The landscape in the 3rd century AD

III.4. The landscape in the 4th century and later

III.5. Conclusion: a changing landscape around the Oudenburg fort

IV. The successive forts at Oudenburg and their related graveyards

IV.1. Introduction

IV.2. The mid-Roman graveyards

IV.2.1. The southern mid-Roman graveyard

IV.2.2. The eastern mid-Roman graveyard

IV.2.3. Cremations versus inhumations

IV.3. The late Roman graveyards

IV.3.1. Introduction

IV.3.2. Graveyard A

IV.3.2.1. General data

IV.3.2.2. The chronology of Graveyard A

IV.3.2.3. Weapon graves or not?

IV.3.2.4. Graves of women with rich dress accessories

IV.3.2.5. Male graves with dress accessories

IV.3.3. Graveyard B

IV.3.4. Graveyard C

IV.4. Conclusion: relationship between the successive forts and their graveyards

V. Confronting stratigraphy and material culture to come to new insights into the fort's occupation and the wider context.

V.1. A refined fort chronology for the Oudenburg castellum, its significance for the historic setting of the fort and within the wider historic context of the North Sea and Channel region

V.1.1. Coming to a refined fort chronology

V.1.2. Oudenburg fort period 1: c. AD 180 - 200(+)

V.1.3. Oudenburg fort period 2: c. AD 220 - 245/250

V.1.4. Oudenburg fort period 3: c. AD 245/250 - 260

V.1.5. Oudenburg fort period 4: c. AD 260 - 290/300

V.1.5.1. Installation and occupation during the Gallic Empire

V.1.5.2. Continuing occupation after the Gallic Empire

V.1.5.3. The final phase of fort period 4

V.1.6. Oudenburg fort period 5: c. AD 325/330 - (c. AD 380) - ?430(+)

V.1.6.1. Fort period 5A: c. AD 325/330 - c. AD 360

V.1.6.2. Fort period 5B: c. AD 380 - ?430(+)

V.1.6.3. The 'end' of the last 'Roman' fort occupation at Oudenburg

V.1.7. In conclusion: significance for the wider historic context of the North Sea and Channel region

V.2. Continuity and change in supply, trade and exchange networks towards the Oudenburg fort and in the North Sea and Channel region

V.2.1. Introduction: pottery, source for insights into economic relationships

V.2.2. Trade and supply networks in the North-West: some general thoughts

V.2.3. Basics to come to valuable insights into trade and supply: quantification, classification and factors to consider at the Oudenburg fort

V.2.4. The Oudenburg fort and its locally/regionally based supply

V.2.4.1. The importance of the local-regional ceramic products versus long-trade imports in the late 2nd and 3rd century

V.2.4.2. Significant changes in the late Roman period: the Oudenburg fort as a remote economic community in the region

V.2.5. Evolutions in long-distance supply to the Oudenburg fort: the factual evidence of the successive fort periods.

Fort period 1: c. AD 180 - 200(+)

Fort period 2: c. AD 220 - 245/250

Fort period 3: c. AD 245/250 - 260

Fort period 4: c. AD 260 - 290/300

Fort period 5: c. AD 325/330 - (c. AD 380) - ?430(+)

V.2.6 A closer look to the samian and amphorae supplies to the Oudenburg fort

V.2.6.1. Samian ware supplies

V.2.6.1.1. The mid-Roman samian ware supplies

V.2.6.1.2. The 'samian' supply in the 4th - early 5th centuries

V.2.6.2. Amphora supplies and their evolution from the mid- to late Roman period

V.2.7. The impact of the military evolution in the North Sea and Channel region on economics, increasing orientation towards Britannia and a trend towards regionalization

V.2.7.1. Centralization and increasing impact of the army on trade networks in the North-West

V.2.7.2. Increasing orientation towards Britannia

V.2.7.3. Trend towards increasing regionalization

V.3. Material culture and 'military' identities

V.3.1. Material culture and (military) identities. An introduction

V.3.2. 'Military' identities and changing army units in the successive Oudenburg forts

V.3.2.1. Army units in the North Sea and Channel region

V.3.2.2. The successive troops at Oudenburg

V.3.2.2.1. The units of the late 2nd-century and 3rd-century forts at Oudenburg

V.3.2.2.2. Units at the late Roman fort of the 4th - early 5th century

V.3.3. Changing communities at the Oudenburg fort and their gender aspect

V.3.3.1. Female presence at forts: the current state of knowledge and thinking

V.3.3.2. Female presence at the other Shore forts in the North Sea and Channel region and in the North-West in general: mainly a late Roman phenomenon?

V.3.3.3. Contextual evidence for female presence at the Oudenburg fort

V.3.3.4. Conclusion: changing fort communities or rather 'fortified' communities?.

V.3.4. Changing fort communities, changing socio-cultural identities.

Notes:

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Other Format:

Print version: Vanhoutte, Sofie Change and Continuity at the Roman Coastal Fort at Oudenburg from the Late 2nd until the Early 5th Century AD

ISBN:

9789464260854

9464260858