Wroxeter

Site of a Roman town in southwestern England, founded in the 1st century AD and from c 90 AD the tribal capital (civitas) of the Roman province of Cornovii. In 130, it was enlarged to add a grid street plan and a forum in honor of Hadrian. The town became the fourth largest in Roman Britain. There is also a basilica, Roman and Romano-Celtic temples, bath buildings, shops, housing, and an aqueduct.

[Roman Viroconium Comovi-orumj. 5 km from Shrewsbury in southwestern England, Wroxeter was from about 90 ad the large tribal capital (civitas) of the Cornovii. The Romans had earlier used the site first as an auxiliary and then as a legionary fortress. The town became the fourth largest in Roman Britain, extending to some 69 hectares. Most of the site still lies unexcavated under open countryside, and excavation has been limited to the central sector. This shows forum, basilica, Roman and Romano-Celtic temples, bath buildings, shops, housing, and an aqueduct. Remarkable are a small open-air swimming pool (demolished by the 3rd century, possibly because of inclement climate), an inscription recording the building of the forum by the civitas Cornoviorum in 130, and the 5th-century tombstone of the Irishman Cunorix.