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The evidence begius with the desirableness of Camerton as a 

 residence on account of its strong position and its proximity to the 

 lead • mines. There is no doubt that the early invaders of our 

 country, down to English times, valued her most for the yield of 

 metals, and this would influence their choice of a locality for settled 

 residence and central government. It is but a" general probability, 

 but as in the distribution of Roman roads of the second class, one 

 sees that mineral traffic was the matter of importance, and as one 

 hears of no other export imless of slaves and fish, the probability 

 may be worthy of notice. Csesar, Mr. Skinner goes on to say, 

 describes the continental settlements of the Belgse as Dunums or 

 Downs several miles round, on which the people formed groups of 

 villages, the intervening country being morass and forest bare of 

 inhabitants. These hills were not regular fortified cities, but 

 nevertheless had lines of defence and thus resembled the 

 Camulodunum of Tacitus. Now, though Sir Richard Hoare treats 

 Camerton as a mere vicus or village on the Fossway, we may 

 perhaps go with Mr. Skinner safely so far as to admit that the 

 great down on which the remains were found was a Dunum of 

 British Belgse, but the second step he asks us to take, that this was 

 a Camulodunum, is much less sure. In our local nomenclature 

 Cam and Camel are supposed to mean winding streams, and 

 rejecting the patronage of the God Camulus, Cam, Mr. Skinner 

 says, is the name of the stream which moated his Dunum ; he 

 appositely quotes Domesday for the earliest mention of Camerton, 

 where it is spelt Camelerton, and it is certainly possible that there 

 were more Camulodunums than one in Britain. Then comes the 

 third step, more than dangerous ; he says that Camerton is the 

 Camulodunum of Tacitus and Dion. In A.U.C. 803 or A.D. 50, 

 Ostorius was in command in Britain, and lead of about that date, 

 that is the ninth tribuneship of Claudius, has been found in 

 Meiidip. Ostorius made a chain of forts from the Severn to a 

 river whose name has been read Antona and Aufona. To oppose 

 this fortification the Iceni made war, and were defeated. The Iceni 

 are usually thought to be East Britons, and the reading Aufona 

 with the translation, the Nen or Northamptonshire river, have the 

 authority of Richard of Cirencester, and of Camden, and an obvious 



