Level 3 - Life in Roman Sussex - Invasion & Consolidation

Invasion & Consolidation

Consolidation of Power

'Certain tribal areas were given to King Togidubnus - he in fact remained totally loyal down to our times - in accordance with the Roman People's old and long-standing policy of making even kings their agents in enslaving peoples.'

(Tacitus, Agricola 14: 1st - 2nd century AD)

'To Neptune and Minerva this temple (is dedicated) for the safety of the Divine house on the authority of Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus, King and Legate of Augustus in Britain, the guild [collegium] of smiths and its members from their own resources, Clemens (?) son of Pudentius presenting the site.'

By AD 47, southeastern Britain was regarded as sufficiently pacified for the main Roman forces to advance further north and west. Verica's Atrebatic kingdom had been rewarded for its loyalty with the granting of client Kingdom status, whereby it continued to govern its own internal affairs. This also freed up Roman troops and administrative staff to concentrate on more problematic regions. The ruler of this client kingdom, Togidubnus, was either a successor from Verica's household, or else an elite noble selected by the Romans. In either case, despite Tacitus's cynical account quoted above, he was clearly very motivated in his attempts to construct a Roman way of life in his territory.

The Army had left behind an extensive harbour facility and road network, and soon, a flourishing new town was evolving at Chichester, called Noviomagus Reginorum ('the new market [or clearing] of the people of the kingdom). A dedicatory inscription to the Emperor Nero found on East Street demonstrates that by c.AD 58, the town was quickly developing along Roman lines. At Fishbourne, an extensive masonry structure was built c.AD 60, which has been interpreted both as a 'proto-palace' and as a baths complex. It was incorperated into the much larger Fishbourne palace in c.AD 75-80.

Upon Togidubnus's death towards the end of the 1st century AD, his kingdom contained a number of large villas, an extensive road system and the thriving town of Noviomagus. It was then probably divided into three and incorporated into the province of Britannia, with most of Sussex becoming part of the civitas of the Regni.