Margidunum Roman Station

Margidunum in Latin means 'marly fort' (marl is a lime-rich clay soil). However, archaeologist Felix Oswald expected that the Romans would have adopted an existing place name and he determined its Celtic meaning to be "the fort of the king's plain", the raised ground being a suitable position for the hill-fort of the king of the Coritani tribe. Finds of military equipment established that it was initially a military post in about 55–60 AD, although no parts of a fort structure have been found. Forts were sited at close intervals along the Fosse Way to protect the Roman territory from the hostile Brigantes and Iceni tribes. A civilian settlement then developed in about 70–80 AD on either…