Mamucium (Manchester) Roman Fort

When the Roman fort in Castlefield was built, it was located on a naturally defensible sandstone bluff, guarding a nearby crossing over the River Medlock. The fort was situated near a junction between at least two Roman roads. It guarded the road between the legionary fortresses of Deva (Chester) and Eboracum (York) running east to west, as well as the road between Manchester and Bremetennacum (Ribchester) to the north. In addition, Mamucium may also have overlooked a road running north west to Coccium (Wigan).

The fort was one of a chain of fortifications along the Eboracum to Deva road, with Castleshaw fort lying 16 miles to the east, and Condate (Northwich) 18 miles to the west.

Excavations have demonstrated that the fort had three main phases of construction:

one in 79 AD,
the second in 160 AD, and
the third in 200 AD.

The first phase of the fort was built from turf and timber. Mamucium was designed to be garrisoned by a cohort of auxiliaries, about 500 infantry. They would have been drawn from non-citizen soldiers of the Roman army. A civilian settlement (vicus) grew around the fort in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. Around 90 AD, the ramparts surrounding the fort were strengthened. Manchester and the Roman fort at Slack – which neighboured Castleshaw – superseded the fort at Castleshaw in the 120s. Mamucium was demolished some time around 140 AD. Although the vicus grew rapidly in the early 2nd century, but it was abandoned some time between 120 and 160 – broadly coinciding with the demolition of the fort – before it was re-inhabited when the fort was rebuilt.

Source: Wikipedia