The Archaeology of Britain: An introduction from ... - waughfamily.ca

• 148 • W.S.Hanson
Figure 8.8 Aerial photograph of the fort and vicus at Old Carlisle, Cumbria.
detrimental to the economic development of the indigenous population, whereas in south Wales
and perhaps in south-eastern Scotland, the opposite was the case (Higham 1989; Hanson and
Macinnes 1991). It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that the military impact on the local
environment in the north, once thought to have been quite dramatic, is likely to have been relatively
limited (Hanson 1997). Much of the forest seems to have been cleared as part of the long-term
expansion of settlement and agriculture by the indigenous population, not to fulfil Roman building
requirements; substantive disruption of the settlement pattern is not readily attested; and no
major changes in agricultural production to cater for the Roman dietary preferences for beef and
wheat are currently detectable.
The nature, extent and effects of contacts with peoples beyond the frontier are also much in
debate. The first problem is that of defining the limit of Roman territory, which is not as
straightforward as might at first appear (an issue discussed further below); the difficulty is further
exacerbated by the fluctuations in the area involved. The second problem is the lack of data.
Apart from a few scant references in the Classical literature, the evidence is restricted to the
distribution of Roman artefacts on native sites (e.g. Macinnes 1989). Whether this material
represents booty from raiding, gifts received to cement diplomatic relations, or is the result of
trading contacts is difficult to determine. Two factors, however, are apparent. Firstly, apart from
a number of coin hoards, the bulk of the material found north of Hadrian’s Wall dates to those
periods when direct Roman occupation was extended into Scotland. Secondly, the material is not
evenly distributed within contemporary native society. In the main, greater access to Roman
material amongst the upper social stratum of native society is indicated (e.g. Macinnes 1984).