go 
PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 
1919 
and onwards. The fine directness of line of these roads was 
contrived by means of smoke columns and observation of the 
marked eminences of the landscape. Their changes of direction 
usually occur at the steeper hills, as at Birdlip, where was a 
‘ statio.’ 
Meanwhile, the Roman soon glorified the tribal town- 
market into a Forum, made a Justice Court or Basilica 
near it and a prison, and presently baths and (perhaps) a 
theatre. 
Meanwhile, with the advance of the legionary centres 
to permanent strongholds at Caerleon ( new post) and Deva 
{Chester), Duro-Comovium ceased to be of military importance, 
and it became more and more a commercial emporium on the 
Fosse, with additional road-feelers stretching out farther and 
farther into the land in all directions. 
It is probable that the solid eight-foot walls which enclosed 
the well-developed area of this prosperous town were only 
built after Duro-Comovium 1 (later, Corinium), became the 
capital of one of the five departments of Diocletian s Britain, 
that is in the end of the third or beginning of the fourth 
century after Christ. It was then the second largest town in 
Britain. By that date it was undoubtedly handsome, with 
many a columned mansion and public building, a central Basilica, 
having statues of important people, elaborate drainage, tesselated 
floors and stencilled-coloured wall-plasters, and with temples 
and baths, oftentimes improved or rebuilt, all paid for by a 
thriving trade in cloth and corn. The houses, some of wood 
and some of stone, were tiled with stone ; and plenty of small, 
rather debased coinage passed from hand to hand. 
At this date provincial cities of importance, whether of 
military character or not, imitated Rome herself, and surrounded 
themselves with solid defences. And doubtless the neighbour- 
ing villas looked to them as places of natural retreat in times 
of crises or civil war. 
This state and type of Roman civilisation lasted (though 
after a.d. 360 in' a declining condition) right on until the 
Romano-British influences and customs became extinguished 
1 Note — It is quite likely that the change of name may have become official 
when the Diocletianic revision of the province came about. 
