Binchester (Vinovia) was founded around 80 AD and for a time one of the largest Roman military installations in the whole of Northern Britain. About 7 hectares in size it was large enough to have accommodated a battle-group formed of several cohorts of legionary infantry and one or more units of auxiliary cavalry. Even when it was reduced to 4 hectares around 160 AD it was still the largest fort in County Durham.

We know from inscriptions that the garrison of this later fort was a cavalry unit originally recruited in central Spain accompanied at some point by a unit of cavalry originating from the area we now know as Holland. The fort, which continued to be occupied down to the end of the Roman period, was accompanied by a large civil settlement around it. People continued to live in the fort for several centuries after Britain ceased to be part of the Roman Empire.

This Roman bath house is very broken.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

At one time Wroxeter was the fourth largest town in Roman Britain with an estimated population of 5000 at it’s height.

In the mid-19th century excavations at the site revealed the public baths.  The baths were constructed between AD 120 and 150 to a standard plan that was used throughout the western part of the Roman empire.

Bathing played a very important place in Roman life, not only for cleanliness but also for socialising, meeting friends, doing business, exercising and playing games.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

PS: An update on the time warp anomaly. It seems that my post for last week HAS appeared this week…

Curiouser and curiouser said Alice!!