The site near Blandford Forum, Dorset, southern England, of an Iron Age hillfort with evidence for numbers of circular huts, the whole being defended by huge ramparts. It was attacked by Roman artillery under Vespasian in 44 ad. The Romans made use of the northwest comer only, and constructed a fort of some 4.5 hectares. They were able to utilize the existing ramparts on two sides while on the other two directions they built new triple ditch-and-turf rampart defences inside the area of the earlier settlement. The timber buildings were intended perhaps for a garrison of some 600 legionaries and 250 auxiliary cavalrymen. The fortification seems to have been damaged by fire c52-3 ad and not re-used afterwards.
The Macmillan dictionary of archaeology, Ruth D. Whitehouse, 1983Copied