• In 44AD Longthorpe fortress was built.
• Between 44 and 48AD and 61 and 62AD are put forward as the likely limits of the Roman military occupation.
• In 62AD, the Fortress was abandoned (coins depicted the year) and the ninth legion built a fortress at Lincoln later that year.
• In 1967, excavations of the Fortress began for the NVRC by Sheppard Frere and J.K. St.Joseph. It showed the ditches of the large front to be rock cut and averaged at 1.8m (6ft) deep and 3.4m (11ft) wide.
• Between 1967 and 1973 a campaign fortress of 27 acres with timber buildings, accommodating a Legionary Vexillation together with auxiliary troop were found.
• In the summer of 1969, some additional excavations were made but the report was never published.
• In September 1970, the granary and barracks were found.
• The old site is now a golf course in Ferry Meadows, Longthorpe.

Architecture:

The Longthorpe Fortress parallels the position and layout of Newton on Trent's fort in Lincolnshire. It was built 1,000 yards south west of Longthorpe church, on limestone and river gravel. The Roman fortress was built over two phases.

Timber buildings covered the 27-acre site. A granary 10.4m (34ft) by 33.5m (110ft) was beside the street leading to the North Gate which yielded evidence of demolition. The gatehouse consisted of two twin portals each 3.8m (12.5ft) between guard chambers 3.1m (10ft) square. A 15.2m (50ft) causeway divided the two rock cut ditches, each 3.1m (10ft) and 3.5m (11.5ft) wide. The ditch of the smaller fort was 2m (6.5ft) deep and 4m (13ft) wide.

The larger fort, Longthorpe I, was almost square with rounded angles and occupies just over 27.5 acres. It was defended on all sides by two rock cut ditches, 1.8m (6ft) deep and 3.4m (11ft) wide, some 6.1m (20ft) apart centre to centre by a rampart made of rubble and turf. The garrison did not exceed 2,800 men.

Longthorpe II was not a purpose built fort but it contained its own appropriate buildings. It was a smaller fort also with rounded angles, covered 12 acres and was defended by a single ditch. The south side was common to both. A linear ditch, probably part of the settlement, intersects the east side of the large fort.

The whole interior of the fort was laid out with timber buildings. Articles recovered include Samian and coarse pottery ware (mostly late Claudian), bronze fittings of military type and coins.

The large size of the Centurians house of Barrack I 577m2 (6,210sq.ft) suggests that it was resident of the primus pilus.

The gates are near the centre of all sides of the larger fort. In front of the north gate on the larger fort, was another north gate where the ditches are discontinued for 15.2m (50ft) in front of a 13.7m (45ft) wide timber gatehouse. The gatehouse consists of two guard chambers, 3.1m (10ft) by 6.2m (20ft), and one on either side of the gate, which had twin carriageways, each 3.8m (12.5ft) wide.

To the west of the street leading to the gate, a timber granary, 10.4m (34ft) by 33.5m (110ft) overall was identified.

Social history:

• The late Iron Age was divided into tribal areas or kingdoms.
• In 48AD at Stones in Cambridgeshire the Roman Governor of Britain, Ostorius Scapula, sent auxiliary soldiers to quell the rebellion of non legionary soldiers. Ostorius wanted to push past the Roman boundaries into Wales to defeat the British tribes there and cover himself after the trouble with the East Anglian Iceni tribe.
• In 60AD, the Governor of Britain 'Sentorius Paulinus' took the main Roman field army through Wales onto the Isle of Mona (Anglesey) to destroy the Celtic Druids.
• Also in 60AD, Queen Boudica started her notorious rebellion. She attacked Colchester, and Hispana Pettilius Cerialis, the Commander, hastily led out half of the Legion IX. They were ambushed and only Cerialis escaped with his cavalry (around 1,000) and returned to 'his fort' at Longthorpe.
• Longthorpe was only a three-day march from Colchester as apposed to six days from Lincoln; where the other half of the 9th legion were. After Boudica's defeat, Nero sent over 2,000 German legionaries, "to bring the ninth up to strength" due to the other half being destroyed.
• Corn was stored in the Granary. Italian and Spanish wine was drunk and olive oil imported. Hare and red deer roamed the area in small quantities as did Oxen and Pig.
• In 61AD, the Iceni tribe were totally eradicated and the area became an Imperial Estate. No more military evidence has come to light.