- Portus Lemanis
Portus Lemanis was the name of an ancient Roman fort, settlement and port in southern
Kent . The modern village ofLympne derives its name from the ancient port.History
The first mention of the site is found in the late
3rd century "Antonine Itinerary ", where it is mentioned as lying 68,000 paces (68Roman mile s) fromLondinium and 16,000 paces from the cantonal capitalDurovernum Cantiacorum (modernCanterbury ). [ [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Periods/Roman/Topics/Engineering/roads/Britain/_Texts/CODROM/1*.html Thomas Codrington (1903), "Roman Roads in Britain"] ] However, there is evidence of much earlier use as a base of the "Classis Britannica ":tiles stamped "CL BR" have been found on the site, as well as an inscription dated to the first third of the 2nd century ("RIB" 66) on an altar stone, dedicated to the godNeptune from Lucius Aufidius Pantera, who is mentioned asprefect of the "Classis Britannica "."CBA Report 18: The Saxon Shore", p. 29] According to the late4th century "Notitia Dignitatum ", the fort was garrisoned by a "numerus Turnacensium" ("numerus [battalion] of men fromTournai ") and formed part of theSaxon Shore under the "Comes litoris saxonici ". ["Notitia Dignitatum, Pars Occ.", XXVIII.16] The last mention of Lemanis in Latin sources is in the late7th century "Ravenna Cosmography ", by which time however the site, along with the rest of Britain, had long been abandoned by Rome. [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/geography/ravenna.htm The Ravenna Cosmography: British Section | Roman Britain] ]Location and construction
The fort stands on a hill overlooking the
Romney Marsh . In Roman times, a harbour, now silted up, existed to the fort's south and east."CBA Report 18: The Saxon Shore", p. 29] A "vicus " (civilian settlement) had also sprung up in its proximity, situated astride the road that lead to Canterbury.The construction of the Saxon Shore-era fort can be dated to the late 270s, as is evidenced by its late-style characteristics, including forward-projecting towers. [Fields (2006), p. 24] The fort's remains are in bad shape, since the ground, mostly clay, has at places given way. In addition, a later
Anglo-Saxon fort (Stutfall Castle) was built over the site. The southern side of the fort is wholly missing, and elsewhere the remains have been moved at various angles, while little evidence of interior structures (remains of a bath and possibly the "principia ") survives."CBA Report 18: The Saxon Shore", p. 29] The site is still relatively unknown: the only major archaeological excavations were carried out by Roach Smith in 1850 and 1852."CBA Report 18: The Saxon Shore", p. 29]The remains of the main rampart show a strong construction, ca. 3,9 m wide and surviving sections are still between 6 and 8 m in height. The wall is built of recycled material from earlier structures and bonded with bands of
brick , which include several old "tegulae" (roofing tiles). [Fields (2006), p. 21] Originally, the fort had ca. 14 towers. A single main gate survives towards the east, as well as severalpostern s. Its shape was an irregular pentagon, which covered an area of ca. 3,4 ha.References
Sources
*cite book|last=Fields |first=Nic |title=Rome's Saxon Shore - Coastal Defences of Roman Britain AD 250-500 (Fortress 56) |year=2006 |publisher=
Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84603-094-9
*cite journal |last=Johnston |first=David E. |coauthors= et als. |year=1977 |title=The Saxon Shore |journal=CBA Research Report |issue=18 |url=http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/cbaresrep/pdf/018/018tl001.pdf |accessdate= 2007-08-20External links
* [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/portus_lemanis.htm Portus Lemanis | Roman Britain]
* [http://www.favonius.com/romans/lympne.htm Lympne | Favonius.com]
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