More information : (Centred SE 938268) Petvaria Roman Town (R) (1)
The civitas of Petuaria has been traditionally identified (see dedication - slab see SE 92 NW 12.1) with the Roman walled enclosure at Brough-on-Humber, but excavations in 1933-37 (2a) and extensively by Wacher in 1958-61 (2) revealed a chronology of military rather than civil fortification. None of the buildings excavated inside the fortified area had parallels with houses and shops normally seen in Roman towns. Wacher (3) (4) later interpreted the site as an extensive naval base, probably connected with the Classis Britannica, which developed in the 3rd and 4th centuries, overlying an earlier military fort. (see SE 92 NE 20 for Wacher's speculative location of the civitas of Petuaria).
Period I (pre-70AD) Substantial traces of mid-1st century huts seen in Bozzes Field circa 1933 (2a) and other evidence of native ccupation at Brough House.
Period IIA and IIB (circa 70-80AD). Temporary Camp of unknown size established, but soon replaced by a permanent auxiliary fort of 4 1/2 acres. (see plan 1).
Period III and IV (circa 80-125 AD) The fort was abandoned circa 80AD although very brief occupation occurs in 125 AD; the defences being refurbished and new internal buildings constructed.
Period V (circa 125-200 AD). After the final excavation of the fort, the area surrounding the site was defended by a rampart and ditch enclosing an area larger than that fortified at a later date (see below).
Period VI (circa 200-270 AD). Second phase of fortifications on a different alignment with new internal buildings; the defences closely resembled turfwork and timber forts of the Antonine period.
Period VII and VIII (circa 270-370? AD). Fortifications converted to stone and new internal buildings constructed, although there appears to have been an interruption of work for a time. Work resumed on the defences circa 290 AD and new buildings were also erected. (see plan 2).
Period IX (circa 370 AD). No evidence of permanent occupation after this date although there were indications of shrinkage in south-west corner of the fortifications. (2-4)
The designation by Wacher of the Brough-on-Humber port as'a base for a naval detachment' during the second half of the 2nd century seems to be largely unsubstantiated, especially since stamped tiles occur in profusion on Classis Britannica sites in the south-east during this period. (5)
'PETUARIA'. Rivet acknowledges Wacher's (authority 3) suggestions about the location of this name (see SE 92 NE 20). (6)
In 1978 excavations at Station Road (SE 937268) examined an area on the haven-side of the Roman town. A rise in sea-level in the later Roman period severely eroded the only surviving Roman feature on the site, a clay-faced (?) rampart with a sand core standing to a height of 40cm. It was more than 1.2m wide and ran parallel and close to the modern road. The nature of construction, and two potsherds found, may point to it being a rampart of the first Flavian camp or fort at Brough. In 1980 excavation north of Welton Road revealed traces of Romano-British buildings and associated features. Occupation spanned the 1st to the early 3rd centuries A.D. It is possible that the buildings represented part of the annexe of the fort, as suggested by Corder and Wacher for this area, although little of a specifically military nature was found (8). (7-8)
Brough Petuaria Roman settlement - Scheduled. (9)
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