Lagentium or Legiolum was the Roman name for the fort and surrounding civilian settlement which was built around the year 74 by the Roman Empire. The English town of Castleford, West Yorkshire, is now built on what was the fort.

Etymology

The name Lagentium may be of Brittonic origin. The name may involve the element lagīnā-, with connotations of "spear" and "blade", with the suffix -tjo- affixed. or Watling Street<!--Usually Watling street was thought to go from Kent through London, then on to shropshire-->, with numerous forts strategically positioned along it. Lagentium, along with what is now Littleborough, Bawtry, Tadcaster and Doncaster, was one of these forts.

The fort built in Castleford shared many of the luxuries of any Roman settlement. In the vicus (a settlement just outside the fort) there were temples, houses, shops, alehouses (public house), public bathhouses and brothels. Many other improvements were made to Lagentium, including straight metalled roads, rectangular stone buildings with tiled roofs and glazed windows; the houses had drains and sometimes central heating.

Around 180 Lagentium was abandoned, as the Roman Empire withdrew its legions. The Brigantes returned to power and reoccupied Lagentium around 250, Their culture, now called Romano-British, had been profoundly influenced by that of the Romans. There were no significant changes from the time the Romans had left to the Middle Ages. The Brigantes allowed the fort to grow over, and they continued with the farming way of life that they had had for centuries.

After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066: the land was split up and given to the King's knights. The land in Castleford, Pontefract, Leeds, Wakefield and Morley was given to Ilbert de Lacey. Castleford continued to be a farming village, and remained as one until the Industrial Revolution.

References

  • Lagentium at roman-britain.org