British and Roman Antiquities of Bath. 1 7 



abundance in and around Bathj some of them are recorded 

 in " Aquse Solis," p. 97 and following. 



It is impossible to arrive at any correct idea 



Population. . ri^-i- i -ii 



of the population of the City and neighbour- 

 hood in Roman times. 



From the many Roman villas, the remains of which are 

 found on both sides of the River Avon, and along the sides 

 of the principal roads, there seems to have been a consider- 

 able period of quiet and prosperity, which would cause a 

 growth of population, of which a large proportion were pro- 

 bably slaves. 



The Roman Roads, taking Bath as the centre, have been 

 already noticed. The great road called the " Foss," trace- 

 able from Ilchester to Lincoln, or even beyond, to the sea- 

 shore at Seaton on the South coast, and to the estuary of 

 the Humber on the East, passed through Bath. For an 

 account of the course of this road, see "Aquae Solis," 

 p. 107. At Batheaston it was met by the Roman road 

 from Silchester (Calleva), which passed through Marlbro' 

 (Cunetio) on its way to Bath, and coincided with the Foss 

 until it passed out of the city. 



The Foss continued its course up HoUoway, in the direc- 

 tion of Camerton, and on to Ilchester (Ischalis), while the 

 Road called usually the " Via Julia " kept on the North side 

 of the Avon to Bitton (Abone ?) and passed on to the 

 estuary of the Severn, with a branch to Sea Mills, S.W. of 

 Bristol, where a station existed, and where the remains of 

 ancient docks have been found, and an inscribed stone, — 

 though Aust seems to have been the usual ferry in the 

 Roman age. (See Ormrod's " Strigulensia," p. 20 and 

 following.) The 14th Iter of Antoninus is carried along 

 this Road, " from Isca (Caerleon) to Calleva " (Silchester). 



