128 ON ITER XV. OF THE ITINERARY OF ANTONINUS. 



dividing into two branches, one of which, runs to the S.E. the 

 other to the S.W. of the entrenchment. The former crosses 

 Kingston Lacy Park, and the meadows below, and the river 

 Stour, and thence in a straight course across Lytchet Common to 

 Hamworthy, on the Bay, where it is lost. The latter branch 

 crosses the Stour at Shapwick, and continues on by the Winter- 

 borne villages towards Dorchester. 



Hence it is manifest that the Oppidum of Badbury was well 

 known to the Romans as a strategic position of great importance. 

 In this respect it is not inferior to Sorbiodunum, and may be in- 

 deed superior to it as a hill fortress, for its situation is more 

 commanding ; and the outlook extends over a wider extent of 

 country. Each, like the other, an ancient British fortress, or 

 Oppidum, and as the one commanded the fords of the Avon, so 

 the other the fords of the Stour, a border fortress, in fact, in 

 connexion with Hod and Hamildun, Dudsbury, and St. Cathar- 

 ine's. 



That the Romans fully recognised the importance of Badbury 

 as a military position, and utilized it for their own purposes 

 after the pacification resulting from Vespasian's conquest, is 

 attested by the discovery within the camp of Roman relics. No 

 systematic explorations has been made there, so far as we 

 know ; but incidentally, from time to time, have been dug up 

 Roman swords, coins, and vessels of fictile ware. It would seem 

 to be inconceivable that a camp of such importance should be 

 passed over in the Itinerary, and utterly ignored in those maps 

 and plans which we believe were transmitted to Headquarters 

 in Rome from the Provinces of Britain, and from which we 

 believe that the Military Road-book of Antoninus was compiled, 

 to be circulated through the Empire by the Imperial Authority. 

 But we must be driven, however reluctantly, to that conclusion, 

 if Sir Richard Hoare was right in identifying Vindogladia with 

 the site on Gussage Cow-down, as in that case Badbury finds 

 no local habitation and name in Antonine's Itinerary ! 



The evidences of Roman occupation on the Gussage Down 

 cannot be denied, but in comparison with those of Badbury they 



