Cataractonium

Cataractonium was a fort and settlement in Roman Britain. The settlement evolved into Catterick, located in North Yorkshire, England.

Name

Cataractonium likely took its name form the Latin word (ultimately derived from Greek , ), meaning either "waterfall" or "portcullis". Some linguists have suggested that this was a misinterpretation of an original Brittonic placename meaning " lace ofbattle ramparts". The name is attested as in two 2nd-century Vindolanda tablets. The British section of the 2nd-century Antonine Itinerary mentions Catterick three times, but declines it variously as and , implying the scribe considered it a 3rd-declension name. It is spelled ( grc-gre, Κατουρακτόνιον, ) in Ptolemy's ''Geography'' and misspelled in the Ravenna Cosmography. The name was spelled , , and by Bede in the 7th century and in the Domesday Book compiled around 1086.

Origins

There is considerable evidence for Pre-Roman activity in the environs of the eventual Roman settlement.Wilson, P. 2002. ''Cataractonium – Roman Catterick and its hinterland: Excavations and research 1958–1997. Part 1'' (CBA Research Report 128). York: Council for British Archaeology. pp. 8–10 Evidence on both sides of the Swale suggests both Bronze Age and Iron Age activity. The Bronze Age remains take the form of a chambered cairn some 500m south-east of Catactonium, a ceramic vessel 200m north and a bronze rapier 150 north-east. The cairn has associated domestic occupation which continues into the Iron Age in the form of a multi-period roundhouse.

Though there is no definitive date for the building of the fort, it is likely to have been around AD 70 during the governorship of Q. Petillius Cerialis to support the campaign of Agricola in Scotland. It was also likely to have been in use during the Brigantes revolt in 155 under the governorship of Gn. Julius Verus. The first site appeared to be little more than a timber hill fort, but the later and bigger settlement was constructed in stone and had a civilian population too.

Military

No direct evidence exists of which military units may have been stationed at the fort, but it is likely that an auxiliary unit from Bremetenacum Veteranorum (Ribchester) would have been posted here. Tiles found nearby were stamped BSAR. This would suggest that over the years of occupation, soldiers from the Ala II Asturum, Numerus Equitatum Sarmatarum and Cuneus Sarmatarum armies were used as detachments for the fort.

Culture

Among the artifacts excavated at the site was a theatrical mask, suggesting there may have been a theatre or small amphitheatre.

In one of the large cemetery groups, a unique group of 'fist-and-phallus' pendants, dating to AD 160–200 were discovered in the grave of an infant.

Economy

A 1995 project that mapped the site from the air, located at least sixteen identifiable buildings and the partial remains of several others. These were likely to have been shops.

Roads

Cataractonium was a crossroads where the road north from Eboracum (York) and Isurium ( Aldborough) split into Dere Street running 12  Roman miles northeast to Vinovium (Binchester)Antonine Itinerary. British Routes. Route 1. and the Roman equivalent of Watling Street running 16Antonine Itinerary. British Routes. Route 2. or 18  Roman milesAntonine Itinerary. British Routes. Route 5. northwest to Lavatrae (Bowes). These roads communicated with and supplied Hadrian's and the Antonine Wall.

Rivers

The fort was located to the south of the River Swale. The early fort was used as a marching camp for patrols in the area and as defence for the trunk road's bridgehead.

Archaeological remains

Little can be seen above ground as most of the area is now covered by Catterick Racecourse and the A1(M) road. The most visible is a section of wall. There was evidence of at least four altars of worship. They were dedicated to ''Veterus'', an ancient German ancestral god, ''Suria'', another name for ''Ceres'', the third to ''Matribus Domesticae'', the mother goddess of the house and lastly to an unnamed god of ''roads and pathways''.

The 1995 aerial study of the area around Catterick, identified several possible remains in and around the site of the Roman fort. On the north banks of the river are crop marks running parallel to the course of Dere Street that could be a wall. The same survey also confirmed the existence of a temporary fort about a quarter of a mile east of the main camp. The north and east walls have been identified, but the west part of the camp now lies under the nearby racecourse. The north wall is about in length with a gate and traverse, whilst the east wall is about long. The walls are connected by a curved structure. Some of the early excavations unearthed two carved stone lions, an aureus of Nero, two cruciform gilt Saxon fibulae and a very large Bronze urn. The buildings that have been uncovered range from the second century to the third. There is evidence that the entire layout of the camp was altered in the fourth century.

An excavation by Sir William Lawson around 1840 revealed the foundations to the walls of the fort.

Excavations in 2014–2016, as part of a scheme of improvements on the A1 road have recorded thousands of additional artifacts from the Roman town.

See also

*Roman Britain
*Dere Street
*Isurium Brigantum
*Eboracum
* Morbium

References

{{reflist, 2

Archaeological sites in North Yorkshire
Roman towns and cities in England
History of North Yorkshire
70s establishments in the Roman Empire
1st-century establishments in Roman Britain
Roman sites in North Yorkshire
Roman auxiliary forts in England