218 ROMAN VILLAS DISCOVERED IN DORSET. 



outsider to initiated students of the period. When we consider 

 the vagueness of our mental answers to such inquiries as the 

 above, we perceive that much is still left of this fascinating 

 investigation which may well occupy the attention of the Club 

 in future days." 



Yes, these are indeed questions to set one thinking. Yet, 

 even if we were able thus to see Durnovaria as it appeared 

 in Roman times, there are further matters to be taken into 

 consideration before we can justly estimate the influence 

 which Roman civilisation exerted upon the ancient inhabitants 

 of our beloved Dorset, the Durotriges. 



We must try to ascertain something as to their mode of 

 life, the kind of dwellings they occupied, the dress they 

 wore, the tools they used, the arts and crafts they were 

 acquainted with ; then we can better judge of their progress 

 under Roman influence. It will assist us if we trace the 

 history of those early years, from the first contact of Britain 

 with Rome to the time of the final withdrawal of the Romans 

 from our shores. 



Some of our earliest information is found in Csesar's Com- 

 mentaries. His first expedition was made in 55 B.C. The 

 conquest of Britain seemed to him a small matter. A few 

 weeks of summer (exigua parte cestatis reliqua) were left, 

 which he thought sufficient for the purpose ; but he found 

 it a harder task than he anticipated. It was a " terra 

 incognita " ; also he did not know his enemies' manner of 

 fighting ; and so he sends C. Volusenus to explore. Repre- 

 sentatives from some of the states arrive, promising 

 submission ; after which Volusenus, who, by the way, never 

 dared to leave his ship, returns to Csesar and reports. Csesar 

 starts, and, we are glad to see, finds much difficulty in landing. 

 In spite of their promises the Britons make a good resistance 

 (pugnatum est ab utrisque acriter), but in the end submit, 

 and Csesar returns to Gaul, after having much trouble with 

 his ships in the Channel. 



His expedition in the following year, 54 B.C., meets with 

 better success, and in his account of this campaign we learn 



