Archaeological evaluation of the extramural monumental complex ('the Southern Canabae') at Caerleon, 2011

The excavations at Caerleon in the summer of 2011 were focused on the complex of monumental buildings outside the fortress of Isca. This impressive suburb extended over about 5 hectares, including some of the largest Roman buildings in Britain, and this report presents the results of the nine trenches opened across the full extent of the complex. The preliminary study of the pottery assemblage indicates the suburb could have been first constructed at about the same time as the fortress (i.e. A.D. 70s), but that the majority of the buildings would seem to have been abandoned perhaps as soon as the early-third century. They were possibly used for the disposal of rubbish, including the remains of unusually large quantities of pigs and birds, during the late Roman period after which the buildings were stripped of their stone and tile before disappearing for 1,500 years. The final discussion looks to provide possible answers to the project’s original research questions, concluding with some observations regarding the layout and architecture of the Southern Canabae and its relationship with the fortress and the legionary command in this part of Britannia.