Roman Roads in Britain - Key Routes

Key Routes

See also: Milliarium Aureum

The old Roman proverb that "all roads lead to Rome" was largely applicable in Roman Britain (Britannia) to London (Londinium). During the 2nd century Londinium was at its height and replaced Colchester as the capital of Roman Britain and as a result the most important trunk roads were those that linked London with (a) the key ports: Dover (Dubris), Chichester (Noviomagus) and Portchester (Portus Adurni); and (b) the main Roman army bases: the three permanent fortresses housing the legions (castra legionaria): York (Eboracum), base of the Ninth Legion: Legio IX Hispana, later the Sixth: Legio VI Victrix; Chester (Deva), base of the Twentieth: Legio XX Valeria Victrix; and Caerleon (Isca Augusta), base of the Second: Legio II Augusta.

From Chester and York, two key roads led to Hadrian's Wall, for most of the period Britannia 's northern border, where most of the three legions' auxiliary units were deployed.

From London, six core routes radiated. Ignoring their later Anglo-Saxon nomenclature (see note to Saxon names of Roman roads below), they are as follows:

  • London - Dover via Canterbury (Durovernum)
  • London - Chichester
  • London - Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum, near Reading). At Silchester, this route split into 3 major branches:
    • Silchester - Portchester via Winchester (Venta Belgarum) and Southampton (Clausentum)
    • Silchester - Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) via Salisbury/Old Sarum (Sorviodunum) and Dorchester (Durnovaria)
    • Silchester - Caerleon via Gloucester (Glevum)
  • London - Chester via St Albans (Verulamium), Lichfield (Letocetum), Wroxeter (Viroconium), with continuation to Carlisle (Luguvalium) on Hadrian's Wall
  • London - York via Lincoln (Lindum), with continuation to Corbridge (Coria) on Hadrian's Wall
  • London - Caistor St. Edmund (Venta Icenorum) via Colchester (Camulodunum)

The initial road network was built by the army to facilitate military communications. The emphasis was therefore on linking up army bases, rather than catering for economic flows. Thus, three important cross-routes were established early (by 80 AD) as the frontier of the Roman-occupied zone advanced:

  • Exeter - Lincoln (Fosse Way)
  • Gloucester - York (Icknield Street)
  • Caerleon - York via Wroxeter and Chester.

Later a large number of other cross-routes and branches were grafted onto this basic network.

Read more about this topic:  Roman Roads In Britain

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