Description
Book SynopsisIn Roman times, the area between the Lower Rhine and the Meuse in the present day province of South Holland in the Netherlands, was known as the administrative district of the community of the
Cananefates (the
civitas Cananefatium). The formation of this community, as well as the changes that took place within this group, were researched by means of a systematic analysis of the archaeological remains. In order to understand the role of the Roman state in these processes, the urban and military communities were also studied. In this way an overview was created of an administrative region in which aspects such as the interaction between the different groups, the character of the rural community and the differences with other rural groups along the borders of the Roman Empire could be studied.
Trade Review“
Border Communities delivers an interesting insight into the formation of communities during Roman times. The book is a useful and valuable English-language contribution to the complex subject of regional diversity and identity in the Roman empire.”
- Jeroen van Zoolingen,
Britannia, Vol. 53
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. Introduction 1.1 The Cananefates 1.2 Theme, aims and main research questions 1.3 Rural versus Roman 1.4 Migration and ethnogenesis 1.5 Becoming Roman? 1.6 Returning auxiliary veterans 1.7 Community 1.8 Research history and strategy 1.9 Structure of the text 2 . Landscape and habitation 2.1 Brief geological history of the area from the Iron Age to the beginning of the Roman period 2.2 The landscape according to historical sources 2.3 The landscape according to geological and archaeological sources 2.4 The 'Woudgronden' ('Forest soils') 2.5 Post-Roman erosion and disturbances 2.6 Perception of the landscape 2.7 The settlements 2.8 Administrative division of the area 3 . The Roman military community 3.1 Development of the limes 3.2 Military structures along the limes 3.3 Secondary military structures along the limes 3.4 Military Infrastructure 3.5 Rural settlements in the limes zone 3.6 Military structures in the coastal area south of the limes 3.7 The military economy 3.8 The military community: a synthesis 4 . The urban community 4.1 Roads 4.2 The administrative center in Voorburg 4.3 The urban community 5 . The rural community 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Late Iron Age (250 BC - 1AD) 5.3 A habitation hiatus? 5.4 New inhabitants in the 1st century 5.5 The rural settlements between 50 and 275/300 5.6 Burials and cemeteries 5.7 Religion 5.8 Ditch systems, dams, and culverts 5.9 The rural economy 5.10 The end of the rural habitation 5.11 Continuity into the Early Middle Ages 5.12 The rural community 6 . Synthesis 6.1 The first half of the 1st century 6.2 The second half of the 1st century 6.3 The first half of the 2nd century 6.4 The second half of the 2nd century 6.5 The first half of the 3rd century 6.6 The second half of the 3rd century 6.7 The 4th century and later 6.8 Synopsis 7 . Conclusions Bibliography Abbreviations References Classical sources Modern sources Appendix 1. Roman period settlements in the research area Maps Map 1: Settlements, plotted onto a topographical map Map 2: Detail of the south-western part of the research area, with a cluster of settlements, plotted onto a topographical map of the research area
