Owlscrying Posted October 2, 2008 #1 Share Posted October 2, 2008 The 'lost' beach where the Romans landed 2,000 years ago to begin their invasion of Britain has been uncovered by archaeologists. The remains of the shingle harbour were buried beneath 6ft of soil nearly two miles inland from the modern Kent coast. It lies close to the remains of the Roman fort of Richborough near Sandwich, one of the most important Roman sites in England and once the gateway to the British Isles. At the time of the invasion Richborough sat at the southern end of the wide Wantsum Channel that separated the Isle of Thanet from mainland Britain. Over the centuries, the channel silted up. The discovery sheds new light on how Claudius's army occupied Britain and the military tactics used to control the country. The invasion of 43AD was one of the most significant events in British history, changing the language, culture and diet, and creating cities and towns that thrive today. However, the location of the beach was lost centuries ago as the coastline of Kent changed. After a four-month dig on previously untouched land at Richborough, it was rediscovered on Tuesday. At the time of the invasion, Richborough Roman Fort overlooked a sheltered lagoon. It was the perfect safe anchorage for a fleet crossing from France. As well as becoming a port, Richborough had an amphitheatre and a 25-yard tall monumental arch celebrating the army's victory. go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted October 3, 2008 #2 Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) Fascinating how the lay of the land has change in just 2,000 years. Just great owlscrying. You post some amazing subjects. One rarely comments simply because the jaw dropping nature of such facts leave one with nothing to add. Many thanks for your continued contributions. Awesome reading. Edited October 3, 2008 by psyche101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickian Posted October 3, 2008 #3 Share Posted October 3, 2008 So 2000 years ago sea levels were high enough to encroach 2 miles further inland? Or is it the land itself that changed altitude? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1.618 Posted October 3, 2008 #4 Share Posted October 3, 2008 So 2000 years ago sea levels were high enough to encroach 2 miles further inland? Or is it the land itself that changed altitude? It's swings and roundabouts really. Some land is lost in places whereas in others it is gained. Owl... Excellent find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma_Acid Posted October 3, 2008 #5 Share Posted October 3, 2008 The location of the beach was lost centuries ago as the coastline of Kent changed. It was rediscovered on Tuesday. I love how pedestrian they make it sound. Great reading anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattshark Posted October 3, 2008 #6 Share Posted October 3, 2008 It's swings and roundabouts really. Some land is lost in places whereas in others it is gained. Owl... Excellent find! Yep very, it will no doubt be a beach again at some point since the south east of England is sinking due to Scotland rising thanks to the after effects of glaciation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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