Publisher's Synopsis
John Wacher's "Towns of Roman Britain" was published in 1975 and marked a watershed in Romano-British studies. This text is its companion volume and covers the "small towns" of Roman Britain.;The core of the book deals with 5% of the best-known sites, ranging from those that most closely approached the concept of the true city, such as Carlisle and Water Newton, to those that always remained unfortified, such as Bourton-on-the-Water and Braintree. Each site is accompanied by a specially prepared plan and, where the archaeological interpretation is aided, they are illustrated by an aerial photograph.;The first and last sections are devoted to a general review of the subject. Individual chapters deal with the genesis of the small towns, their growth and, in most cases, their subsequent decline. Their morphology and their identifiable functions - social, economic, protective and administrative - which are all important in trying to define their place in the urban hierarchy of Roman Britain are considered in detail. Extensive notes and a comprehensive bibliography complete this survey that untaps much vital new information for Romano-British history.
