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The Late Roman Period: 306-410 AD |
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We define this as from the proclaiming of Constantine I at York in 306 AD; to the acknowledged date for the departure of the last Roman field army from Britain in 410 AD.
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What we do for the Romans |
| We portray the garrison
troops or limitanei who were stationed around York and on the
Wall, keeping the northern frontier against both land and
sea-born raids. Many would be Germans serving in the Roman
army. The men were likely to be part time soldiers, working at
crafts or trades in the morning, drilling in the afternoon.
These troops received land grants at the end of their service.
Their sons generally served in the same units after them. This
gave rise to soldiers having strong links with the local
area.
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Fighting in Britain |
| Our shield design is
taken from the Notitia Dignitatum, a list of offices, units
and shield design of the Late Roman army in the early 5th
century. It represents a unit called the Praesidienses,
originally from Praesidium, possibly Newton Kyme, near York.
This unit would have left Britain with the usurper Magnus
Maximus in 383AD, or after the expeditions of 396-398AD to
establish security agaist the Irish, Picts and Saxons, ordered
by Stilicho. The Praesidienses later appear as a legio
Comitatensis in the Gallic field army.
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Living in Britain |
| Members demonstrate
crafts and skills from the period, such as bone and
woodworking, cooking, leather work, pottery and medical
skills.
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