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REVIEW BY TOBY DRIVER
From the outset, the authors of this impressive research report remind us of the importance both of Caerleon Roman fortress and of the excavations and evaluations carried out in the Priory Field between 2007 and 2010. Of three permanent legionary fortresses in Britain (the other two lie beneath Chester and York), Caerleon (Isca) is the only one not to have been substantially built over. This has made it a rare and valuable location for research and excavation over the years, and Isca remains one of the best-understood legionary fortresses in the Roman Empire. Against this background, the investigation of part of a courtyard building, a large military store, was carried out within a tightly designed modern research and training excavation by Cardiff University and UCL Institute of Archaeology. This was also the first time in Caerleon’s history that an excavation had been done to answer specific research questions.
This is a comprehensive volume which opens by introducing Caerleon and its history, the research objectives, and post-excavation processes. This is far from a book about Wales. Chapter 2 brings in ‘Key Themes’, drawing case studies and comparators from across the Roman Empire to set Priory Field in context.
More than half the volume is taken up with the monumental Chapter 4: the ‘Finds Catalogues and Specialist Reports’, reflecting the 1,800 registered finds and 5,000 sherds of pottery recovered. This section, a book in itself, authored by a stellar cast of specialists, surely sets new standards for finds reporting. The opening overview breaks down finds categories, statistics, pie charts, and indices. Then we enter the extensive catalogue with all leading finds beautifully illustrated, clearly described and crisply laid out. From furniture studs, bone pins, and lead inscriptions to the rare remains of a leather chamfron (armoured horse mask) and the discovery of fragmentary sections of Roman armour, this is a catalogue of European importance, peppered with scientific analyses and discussion. There are revelations: a morose figure on a sandstone relief once thought to be a captured barbarian is probably a Triton, part human and part fish, expertly carved by a British sculptor. This book is highly recommended.
Excavations in the Roman Legionary Fortress at Caerleon: the Priory Field store building
Peter Guest and Andrew Gardner
Archaeopress, £50; free eBook
ISBN 978-1803276908
