Change and Continuity at the Roman Coastal Fort at Oudenburg from the Late 2nd until the Early 5th Century AD: Volume I: The Site and its Significance within the Wider Context of the Roman North Sea and Channel Frontier Zone

The North Sea and Channel region experienced seaborne attacks, political crises, army reforms, Germanic invasions, and changing imperial defence strategies in the later Roman period. The Shore forts, including the Belgian coastal fort at Oudenburg, have been subject to little study in recent decades, but recent excavations have revealed a well-preserved chronological, spatial, and functional evolution of this military base from the late 2nd to the early 5th century AD. The study of Oudenburg and other Shore forts enables exploration of 'change and continuity' and 'identity' in respect of the everyday lives of soldiers and their interaction with other forts and wider regional spheres. This volume provides a detailed analysis of the Oudenburg site and its significance within the wider context of the Roman North Sea and Channel frontier zone.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2023
Publisher: Sidestone Press

The North Sea and Channel region experienced seaborne attacks, political crises, army reforms, Germanic invasions, and changing imperial defense strategies during the later Roman period. However, literary evidence for this era is limited. On the other hand, Shore forts, which are military installations located along the coast, hold significant potential for providing information about this period. However, they have received limited attention in recent decades. In the first decade of the 21st century, extensive excavations at the Belgian coastal fort at Oudenburg revealed a remarkably well-preserved chronological, spatial, and functional evolution of this military base. The fort's history spans from the late 2nd century AD to the early 5th century AD, with five main fort periods. For the first time, securely datable structural evidence demonstrates the stages in the progression of a mid- to late Roman fort, where the horizons can be related to historically recorded processes and events in the region. The study of Oudenburg, and other Shore forts, provides valuable insights into "change and continuity" and "identity" in the lives of soldiers and their interactions with other forts and wider regional spheres. This is achieved by examining find contexts as reflections of the socio-cultural world. The study of "military identities" is further emphasized through looking at the associated graveyards, which establish a direct relationship with the successive fort periods. It is clear that this fort was a significant military installation during the later Roman period, and its study contributes to our understanding of the region's military history and its impact on the lives of those who served in the military.

Dimension: 280 x 210 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789464260830