Ratae Corieltauvorum - Town Development

Town Development

Ratae seems to have remained a rather poor settlement at first. Although there was a rapid rebuilding programme to develop larger shops and houses, there were few amenities and none of the usual public buildings. Instead of a forum, there was a simple open market place at the centre. However, in the early 2nd century better quality spacious stone houses were erected with central courtyards. A particularly fine excavated example had tesselated and mosaic floors, decorative plaster walls and, around its courtyard, an elaborate frieze of architectural features, theatrical masks, doves, pheasants, cupids and flowers. It was not occupied for long, however, and part of it became a factory for the manufacture of horn objects. Other industries in the town included pottery production and metal and glass working.

Eventually, the forum and basilica was built, though it did not fill the previous market place. The public baths soon followed, just to the west, around AD 145. Fed by an aqueduct, they are of an unusual plan and had a large exercise room alongside. A second market place was laid out in the early 3rd century and a basilican market hall erected. Its offices had decoratively painted plaster ceilings. A stone defensive circuit surrounded Ratae by the end of the 3rd century. There were four gateways with cemeteries outside each and a suburb to the north. Only two suggested temples have been discovered in the town, one a possible mithraeum.