Un campo de refuxiados romano

Do máis interesante o que está a aparecer nas proximidades do campamento romano de Vindolanda, un dos núcleos centrais da organización militar da defensa da Muralla de Hadriano, que protexía a Britania romana de Escocia. Nada menos que un posible campo de refuxiados, composto por centos de cabanas, posiblemente de tribos ao norte da muralla vistas como traidoras polas outras tribos escocesas, ás que se lle deu refuxio na banda sur da impoñente muralla nun momento concreto do século III d.C. . En The Guardian:

“A major dig close to Hadrian’s Wall has revealed traces of a suspected refugee camp which would have housed tribespeople fleeing south from a breakdown of society north of the imperial border in the third century AD. (…)

The director of excavations at the site, Dr Andrew Birley, said: “These are very unusual buildings and it looks as though they may number into the hundreds. Events clearly took place here on a large scale to lead to this sort of construction.” (…)

“Roman soldiers did not build roundhouses but were billeted in large rectangular barracks (…) These are unique structures to be found inside a Roman fort. They are simple and very much the sort of housing you might expect to find north of Hadrian’s Wall in this period, in settlements used by small farming communities.

“It is quite possible that what we have here is the Roman army providing for these farmers – creating a temporary refuge for the most vulnerable people from north of the wall.”

Por se alguén está interesado, o doutor Birley explicará os achados o 25 de agosto no centro de interpretación de Vindolanda, e antes poñen unha copa de viño, que é un magnífico xeito de comezar unha conferencia. :-)