“Grass and Bus”

In my datebook (where I am keeping track of my daily activities), I wrote that today featured “an awful lot of bus and grass.” We visited our first Roman Britain fort and wall remains. Though incredibly historically significant, these remains look a lot like big fields and pastures. The first site felt like a running trail but was a good example of a tiny bit of stone wall and fifteen or sixteen-foot mounds built up to create ditches on either side of the wall. For the untrained eye, like mine (although it is improving!), it is difficult to recognize the site of a Roman fort or a Roman city wall from a hill in a pasture. Seeing some of the remains of the walls that we saw, I would have probably assumed they were from the Medieval period at the latest, as I find the longevity of the monumental creations to be incredibly impressive. Nothing about the location of Roman forts and camps was unplanned and the “blueprint” was very well thoughtout. Being near water would cut down exertion of troops locating the essential resource and the hills of the Yorkshire countryside would have been ideal for spotting oncoming forces. Romans did not need much protection from other armies in Britain and could easily combat the native Barbarians, but created forts to keep out rebellious natives or even animals...and to show off their prowess, power, and impressive skill.

At the Yorkshire Museum, I read “the Roman Empire officially annexed Britain in AD 43 after hundreds of years of trading with the island and its people.” If Romans and Brits had already been introduced to each other’s goods and ways of life, why was conquest worth the trouble? Or, was it not much trouble for the great empire and just made sense? The museum also noted that, “Most tribal leaders accepted Roman rule in exchange for continued control of their land and people. They also enjoyed the trappings of Roman society.” This makes it seem generally amicable (or at least possible to be so) on both sides and, therefore, all about being able to claim Britain as a part of the Roman Empire. Having the extra Barbarian manpower was certainly a perk, but what forces in the world at this time could have even hoped to match the Romans? None. Knowing this, I find myself wondering what was the point, Rome? Still, I know that explanding is simply what empires do and how they maintain hegemonic control, and emperors like Claudius who initially sent troops to Britain needed to establish themselves as powerful and worthy leaders.

We did walk along a quaint street with beautiful stone homes and braggingly-good gardens and a beautiful white horse reaching its head over the fence asking for a pet.