Particularly in regard to its influence on the County of Wilts. 197 



The only other Roman remains of which I have a record are the 

 nineteen little images or Penates found in 1714, close to the site of 

 the present Southbroom House, which is out of the track of known 

 roads. A Roman road along the fertile Vale of Pewsey would, 

 however, be natural enough, and Harepath in Burbage has been 

 said to be on such a road, local antiquaries connecting it with A. S . 

 here-pad. 



Is it not likely also that the station of Verlucio was joined by a 

 cross-road to Sorbiodunum ? This would naturally pass through 

 the site of Devizes. Roman coins of the age of Constantine are 

 also said to have been found at Imber. 



Having thus made a very rapid sketch of the existing Roman 

 remains in the county, I think it may be useful to connect this 

 sketch with what is known of the general history of the conquest 

 of Southern Britain. The materials for this purpose have been 

 gathered by many persons, for instance by Mr. Thomas Wright, in 

 his useful and compendius volume, " The Celt, the Roman, and the 

 Saxon," and with greater learning and more special knowledge of 

 the monuments by Prof. Emil Hiibner, in a paper called "Das 

 Romische Heer in Britannien" (Berlin, Wiedmanns, 1881, reprinted 

 from the sixteenth volume of the Hermes). 



The invasion of Julius Caesar in the first century B.C. is im- 

 portant for the light which it throws on the early condition of the 

 country, and as affording the pretext on which after invasions were 

 founded, viz., the non-payment of the tribute or import and export 

 duties which he imposed ; but it is well known that he " retired 

 quickly " (as Strabo observes) " having effected nothing of conse- 

 quence " (iv., p. 20U=" Mon. Hist. Brit./' p. vii.) It was not till 

 A.D. 42, in the reign of Claudius, that anything serious was done 

 in respect of Roman occupation. A fugitive king Bericus, whom 

 it is natural to identify with Verica, King of the Atrebates, son of 

 the Commius mentioned by Csesar, supplied, in accordance with 

 precedent, the proximate cause or pretext of the invasion, and 

 probably acted as guide and intermediary with the more friendly 

 tribes. (Dion Cassius, lx., 19, no doubt founded on the lost books 

 of Tacitus, cp. Hiibner, I.e., pp. 7, 8.) 



