Colonia Claudia Victricensis (Colchester, Essex, England)
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Festus Didius,
curiales of Colonia Claudia Victricensis at Camulodunum,
Britannia Superiorus,
Britanniae Diocesis,
Northern Tetrachy,
VirtualRome
Strong City, Strong Walls
A legionary fortress of good size once occupied the area that is now the west side of town and had previously been Cunobelinus' city. The fortress was occupied for a scant seven years, up to the founding of the Colonia and the building of the first Temple of Claudius. In those years the town acquired its early ramparts, but it wasn't until a few decades ago that our magnificent and thoroughly modern walls were raised.
The city walls were constructed using alternate courses (four at a time) of stone and tile on the outer faces. As befits the city, the walls are wide enough to ride a chariot atop them (with a careful driver), with rounded angles, interior towers, and earthen rampart-bank. The Triumphal Arch of the Main Gate -- with its double carriageway and two footways on either side, and innovative design -- faces west toward Londinium. We believe it to be the largest gateway in the Britanniae.
Within the walls the cardo maximus runs from the Main Gate to the East Gate, which, though less grand than the western entrance, is still impressive, with one main arch flanked by a smaller one on each side for pedestrian traffic. The north-south street, the decumanus maximus, runs between the more modest Northgate and Southgate. Finally, a postern gate is located in the north wall toward the northeast corner.
Camulodunum Theatre
Learn more about our theatres in the section Entertainment & Fine Dining.
The Temple of Claudius
One enters the temple court from the south through a monumental central
entrance . Around the court stands a series of piers
(brick archways with partly engaged columns) cased with ashlar blocks of shelly limestone. Thin
walls of ornamental plaster work connect the piers, work improved up in recent years by the town's
many fine artisans. (A walking tour around the exterior of the temple court with a discussion of
the scenes depicted in the plaster work is conducted daily at noon except on the Nones; please
ask for Dorotheus at the temple court information booth.)
A gravel footpath leads visitor and worshipper from the court entrance to the large outdoor
altar, surrounded on three sides by an architectural screen decorated with coloured marbles
from all parts of the empire. Standing here, to your left and right you will see on high pedestals
equestrian statuary of the victorious Emperor Claudius.
Temple of Claudius and the temple court occupy their own insula (city block), the largest insula
in town with the exception of the insula of the Basilica and Forum (adjacent to the temple
complex, to the west), and that of the town baths (on the opposite side of the Basilica).
The Temple, the pride of our city's architecture and a memorial not only to the emperor in whose
honour the Colonia is named but also to the brave people of Rome, sits on a podium
rising 20 steps above the plaza.
Beyond the Walls
For an unusual experience visit the theatre of the Trinobantes, south of the city walls. The broad
fairground to the east of the theatre has been the site of many festivals and
gatherings since the early days of the colonia when it served as a tribal meeting place. Check with
the Curiales' office for the times and dates of upcoming events.
Amongst our marvellous array of villas are several temples of local architectural stule. At the
southern end of the old tribal eartworks, where their line curves along with the contour of the
land rather than continuing straight, there is a large temple well worth a visit on your way in
or out of the city. Its double portico encloses a sacred grove and tree
long worshipped by the local population.
SOURCES AND FURTHER INFORMATION:
Crane, Gregory R. (ed.), The Perseus Project, August 2000.
Hawkes, F. C. & M. R. Hull, Camulodunum (1947)
Hull, M. R., "The South Wing of the 'Roman Forum' at Colchester," Trans. Essex Arch. Soc. 25 (1955) 24
___, Roman Colchester (1958)
___, The Roman Potters' Kilns of Colchester (1963)
Wheeler, M., "The Balkerne Gate, Colchester," Trans. Essex Arch. Soc. 16 (1923) 7ff
___, An Insula of Roman Colchester (1921)
Wheeler, M. & P. G. Laver, "Roman Colchester," Journal of Roman Studies 9 (1919)