There is no reason to doubt this, if it be borne in mind that, situated almost on the south seaboard of England as Chichester is, it might quite conceivably be expected to be classed accidentally as forming a part of the territory of the Belgæ, though geographically wrong. The advantage of a site at the foot of a small spur of the South Downs, within easy distance of the sea, though inland, would offer great attractions to the Roman invader. The early history of England shows us that invasions took effect generally on the south and east coasts of the island. The conquered tribes travelled westwards, retreating before the fierce invader. Little seems to have been known about the Roman occupation of Chichester till the accidental turning up of a Sussex marble slab on the site of the present council chamber. This discovery took place about the year 1713. From this a little information is gleaned about the Roman buildings. The slab bears a defaced inscription in Latin, the missing letters of which having been supplied, give a conjectural reading. It appears that Chichester was the seat of a British king, Cogidubnus; and that under the auspices of a certain Pudens, a temple of Neptune and Minerva was erected out of compliment to Claudius. The evidence of this stone seems also to have been borne out by Tacitus, who mentions in his writings the existence of Cogidubnus as a native king possessed of independent authority. This king, also, is said to be the father of Claudia, who figures in the Second Epistle to Timothy. The conjectural reading again leads us to suppose that the city was occupied by a large number of craftsmen, who, in fact, were responsible for the erection of the temple mentioned above, besides the walls and other buildings. During the early Saxon period in the fifth century the city was destroyed by Œlla. He was succeeded by his son Cissa, who rebuilt it and called it Cissa's Ceaster--Cissa after his own name, and Ceaster in recognition of the Romans having occupied it. The city afterwards became the seat of the South Saxon kings, and remained thus till about the middle of the seventh century. Wulfhere, the Mercian, then invaded it and made Athelwald, its king, prisoner. Upon his conversion to Christianity the king was reinstated. He was afterwards killed in battle by Ceadwalla of Wessex, who conquered the kingdom of the South Saxons. In 803 Egbert managed to make a union of the several Saxon kingdoms. This event caused considerable prosperity to Chichester. From ancient penny-pieces discovered, we learn that King Edgar, in the year 967, had established a mint here, thus clearly indicating the importance of the city.