There seems to be one fact that most of us are overlooking Re: the Romans/Romano Britains. When they first arrived, and later invaded Britain, they were 'Pagans'thenmselves for the most part.
I've noticed in the TMA book that Copey consistently gets it wrong RE: Roman practices and sacred sites. In one instance (i forget which) he bemoans a road bisecting several 'sacred' sites perched upon hilltops....well of coarse they would, cos' that's how Romans built their roads, siting from hill to hill, and using a basic surveying device called a Groma (kinda like a horizontal cross of wood with plumb lines hanging from each of the arms) for the sections they couldn't see directly. I'm not sure I've come across any evidence for them 'decomissioning' sacred sites, rather, they seemed to want to 'over-awe' the populous with their technical abilities. Hence the amount of roads/forts/mansio's etc... near to, or bisecting former, out of use 'sacred' sites. Personally, i don't view the Romano Britains in the same hateful way most peeps here do, I'm consistently impressed by there engineering skills, and abilities to confront problems head on. Anyhow, as ever, it's just an opinion, but i do feel Cope gets it sooo wrong Re: the Romans and the subjigation of Britain. We were just a useful tool to 'the empire' as far as mineral extraction and good farmland goes.
 Reply | with quote | Posted by Monganaut
21st August 2003ce
20:22 |
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Head To Head 
Re: The Roman subjigation of a sacred space (FourWinds)