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NOVIOMAGUS REGNESUM

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

NOVIOMAGUS REGNORUM, NOVIOMAGVS REGNORVM

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The site of the Roman civitas capital at Chichester. The earliest structural evidence in the town is found in the north-west quarter and consists of timber buildings of probable Claudian date, indicating military occupation. Several bronzes of Roman military type have also been found to further suggest military origins. This was, however a short lived phase. Succeeding the earlier levels in the Claudio-Neronian period were remains of industrial activity. Two pottery kilns were built and several substantial timber buildings were identified.

In the Flavian-Trajanic period that the street grid appears to be laid out and the baths were constructed.

The sites of a possible Forum, an amphitheatre and a temple are known, as well as cemeteries on the west and east sides of the town. In the later 2nd century an earthen bank was built around the town, which was soon replaced in the third century by a wall of flint and mortar. The foundations of two gates associated with the walls have been proven by excavation, namely Westgate and Northgate, and the location of Southgate is reasonably well established. Bastions are known to have existed.

Occupation has been shown to continue into the late 4th century and possibly beyond.

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(SU85400445) NOVIOMAGVS [R] (1)

Chichester was referred to by Ptolemy as NOEOMAGUM. The two entries in the Ravenna Cosmography indicate a first entry of NOVIOMAGNO and a second entry of NAVIMAGO REGENTIUM (2)

The earliest structural evidence in the town is found in the N-W quarter and consists of fragments of timber buildings of probably Claudian date indicating military occupation. Several bronzes of Roman military type have been found to confirm this view. This was, however a short lived phase. Succeeding the earlier levels in the Claudio-Neronian period were remains of industrial activity. Two pottery kilns were built (SU 80 NE 86) and several substantial timber buildings are recorded.

However it is only with the Flavian-Trajanic period that the street grid appears to be laid out. It is to this period that the construction of the baths can be assigned (SU 80 SE 104).

The sites of a possible Forum (SU 80 SE 105), an amphitheatre (SU 80 SE 103) and a temple (SU 80 SE 101) are known as well as cemeteries on the west (SU 80 SE 108) and east sides of the town (SU 80 SE 102). In the later 2nd century an earthen bank was built around the town soon replaced in the third century by a wall of flint and mortar (SU 80 SE 106). The foundations of two gates associated with the walls have been proven by excavation, namely Westgate (SU 80 SE 107) and Northgate (SU 80 NE 85) and the location of Southgate is reasonably well established (SU 80 SE 109). Bastions are known to have existed.

Occupation has been shown to continue into the late 4th century and possibly beyond. (3)

Detailed discussion of the Roman Town of Chichester (4)

Additional reference (5)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) General reference

OS 1:10000 1980

(2) General reference

Rivet ALF and Smith C 1979 The Place Names of Roman Britain

(3) General reference

Cunliffe B in Down A 1978 Chichester Excavations 3 177-183

(4) General reference

Down A 1988 Roman Chichester Chichester Phillimore (28-56)

(5) General reference

Wacher J 1975 The Towns of Roman Britain London Batsford (239-255)

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