Cathedrals -- England; England -- Description and travel
The original Roman city was rectangular in form and of considerable
dimensions. It is supposed to have been laid out in imitation of ancient
Rome, on the east bank of the Ouse. A temple to Bellona was erected as
well as a prætorium, in which the emperors sat, for Eboracum was
honoured by the great heads of Rome. The first to reside here was
Hadrian, in 120, whilst Severus died in the city in 211. This last had
come over with his sons, Caracalla and Geta, and a large army, and the
attendance of his whole court. His time was busily engaged in reducing
the troublesome Britons to proper submission. The two sons nobly helped
their aged father. Caracalla completed the erection of a strong wall of
stone nearly eighty miles long, close to the rampart of earth raised by
Hadrian, in accordance with the wish of Severus, to form a more
effectual barrier against future incursions of the natives. During the
residence of the court, Eboracum reached to the highest state of
splendour. The constant visits of tributary kings and foreign
ambassadors, who came to pay their allegiance to Rome, caused it to be
unsurpassed among the cities of the world, so much so that it came to be
called "Altera Rome." The remains of the Emperor Severus, though he died
here in 212, were enclosed in an urn and sent to Rome.
The Emperor Constantius Chlorus died also in Eboracum in 307. His son,
Constantius the Great, was present at his father's death, and by the
army proclaimed emperor.
After 409 the Greek and Latin writers tell us that Britain was no longer
ruled by the Romans. Their statements are borne out by the Saxon
Chronicle. This did not mean that there was a general exodus of the
Latin race or civilisation, for the connection of Rome with its British
provinces did not cease suddenly, though the tie gradually became
weakened, because from 409 Roman officials probably ceased to be sent
regularly. Britain still considered itself to be Roman, and the
inhabitants, or rather the upper classes, continued to speak Latin. Even
in the sixth century they were pleased to call themselves "Romani," and
held themselves aloof from the surrounding barbarians--a term which we
know was applied by the Romans to tribes, not necessarily because they
were uncivilised, but rather as a convenient mark of distinction from
themselves. Since their departure from Britain, archæologists have found
rich mines of Roman remains in every place of their occupation, and none
more so than at York; but to enumerate the many discoveries would
require more space than can here be allotted. Suffice it to say that the
"multangular tower" is a notable evidence of the Roman occupation,
though it is much dilapidated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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