Where Are the Claudian Forts? A Review of the Evidence in South-eastern Britain, and an Alternative View of the Invasion Period
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: After more than 30 years of developer-led archaeology, the concept of ‘pacification’, the standard model of the invasion period in south-eastern Britain since the mid-twentieth century, can be reconsidered. The following is not about forts as such; it is about quality of evidence. It reviews proposed early forts south-east of the Fosse Way and concludes that few are genuine; some alternative functions are put forward. A broader explanation for the absence of early forts is offered in the context of friendly kingdoms: prior to the Claudian invasion, treaties may have been put in place between Rome and the polities of Verlamion and Silchester, which created a buffer zone to ensure the invasion’s success.
Source: Britannia
Author: Isobel Thompson
Institution: University College London
Language: English
Topic: Classical Antiquity Studies
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
OpenAlex ID: W7166108848