Archaeologists unearthed a Roman town near the A417. It offers insights into life on Ermin Street in Roman Britain.
They dug a lot near the A417 road between Cowley and Brockworth. It was a pretty big project where archaeologists found a Roman town. It covered almost eight hectares!
The town sat right on Ermin Street, a super important road in Roman Britain. Romans expanded into Britain around 43 AD and needed roads to control the area. Places like Cirencester grew because of this.
Seventy archaeologists studied this town closely. They found homes, wells, ovens, and farms. The team also recovered tons of artifacts, including 460 coins, 15 brooches, and 420 kg of pottery. Bones and everyday stuff turned up too.
All these things show what life was like. The town was likely a Roman rest stop where people traveling Ermin Street could trade and rest.
One project manager said this site was amazing, exceeding expectations. Studying a roadside town like this is rare, and its link to the road makes it very cool. He likened it to a 2,000-year-old service station!
Another manager wants to share these discoveries, adding to the Cotswolds story and leaving knowledge for the local people.
Professor Alice Roberts hosted the TV show. She met the dig team on location, which helped her learn a lot more.
After the show, things get organized again. The findings will be in local museums soon, allowing people to learn about local history.