Isurium Brigantum

Roman floor mosaic depicting the Romulus and Remus myth. Discovered at Aldborough and exhibited at Leeds City Museum.

Isurium Brigantum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Aldborough, in North Yorkshire, England.

Possible Roman fort

It has been supposed that Isurium was originally the site of a 1st century Roman fort at the crossing of Dere Street (the Roman Road running north out of Eboracum) over the River Ure. A single tile find marked by the Ninth Legion might suggest it was their base. However, excavations in 1993 located two successive forts at adjoining Boroughbridge, so 1st century finds at modern Aldborough may come from a related civilian site.

Civilian town

Isurium seems to have had substantial buildings from an early period. Probably by the early 2nd century, it had become the civitas capital of the widespread Brigantes tribe and bank and ditch defences were erected later in the century. Stone walls and four gates were added in the mid-3rd century. The town flourished for the next hundred years, with the building of elaborate private homes with fine decorative mosaic floors. In the middle of the 4th century, bastions were added to the defences and general unrest across the Empire seems to have affected the town's prosperity. There is little evidence of occupation after the Roman departure from Britain and by the 7th century the Anglo-Saxons had taken over the area.

Remains

The Aldborough Roman Site, run by English Heritage, consists of the in situ remains of some of town's defences and two mosaic pavements, part of a large town house. Many artefacts from the site are on display in the site museum.

External links

• English Heritage: Aldborough Roman Site