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Reconstructed Roman Farmstead at Upton Park nr. Poole, Dorset

DORSET has a special place in the history of the Roman invasion of Britain because the victorious legions relied, like any campaigning army, on a constant stream of supplies and the Roman generals chose to land those supplies in Dorset's unique Poole Harbour, still a flourishing port into the 21^st century. In fact, Roman mariners and traders were no strangers to the harbour for it seems that they had been regular visitors there since the 3^rd century BC or even earlier.

Vespasian, commanding the invading 2nd Legion Augusta, used an inlet on the Hamworthy peninsula near the existing Iron Age settlement as a supply port. A road was built to connect the supply port to the base near Wimborne Minster which was the Roman headquarters in Britain until about 60AD when the fortress was dismantled. It is likely that supplies were also trans-shipped at Poole.

Although Dorset was subjugated by the Romans, the tribes in the "civitates" of Durotriges held out against the invaders for as long as possible.

PURBECK 'MARBLE '
The Romans valued Purbeck 'Marble', named after the 'Isle' of Purbeck where it is found, for construction and quarried it - a jetty found at Ower in Poole Harbour may have been used for loading the stone into Roman ships.

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IRON-AGE DORSET
SAXON DORSET
Britain ROMAN BRITAIN
The Durotriges

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Dorset

Agglestone

According to legend, the mound under the Agglestone contains the grave of a British chieftain who died fighting the Romans.

Badbury Rings nr. Wimborne Minster

The Romans captured the Iron Age hill fort and built a road running west towards the river Stour through nearby modern Shapwick.

Child Okeford

The Romans captured the Iron Age hill fort overlooking the river Stour at nearby Hod Hill and built a small fort within it.

Dorchester

The Romans established a fortified town here in AD 43, shortly after their conquest of nearby Maiden Castle. It became their chief town in the south west.

Maiden Castle

The Romans captured Maiden Castle, the last stronghold of the Britons in Dorset, in AD 43 and estalished the fortified town of Dorchester nearby.

Hengistbury Head

The Iron Age port and settlement may have been occupied during the Roman occupation and possibly known as "Dunium".

Poole

Poole Harbour

The discovery of huge Iron Age masonry quays indicate that Poole was the primary British port for trade with Europe and must have been well known by Roman traders. This may be the reason why they chose it as their main port of supply for the invasion of AD 43 for which they established their headquarters at nearby Wimborne Minster.

Shaftesbury

King Alfred the Great (c.871-c.901) founded Shaftesbury Abbey on the site of a Roman temple.

Wimborne Minster

The Romans set up their headquarters for the invasion on the opposite side of the river Stour to modern Wimborne Minster, perhaps because of its proximity to Poole Harbour. The station was dismantled after the invasion was completed.

The Dorset Coast

The Romans supplied their invading force through Poole Harbour which was the principal Iron Age port in Britain. Roman coins have been found on Chesil Beach from the many shipwrecks in the English Channel.

CORNWALL DEVON DORSET HAMPSHIRE ISLE OF WIGHT SOMERSET WILTSHIRE

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