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The amazing Roman Roads -- hoards of gold and silver: treasure in the garden?

 

 

 

For anyone in Europe who happens to live alongside an ancient Roman road, it transpires that dreams of digging for and finding buried treasure, that children may have, are not a pure fantasy in such a situation. A few years ago, the largest, most valuable hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold, silver and jewelled items ever found was unearthed. The hoard consists of 3,500 items, and was located immediately adjacent to an old Roman road. (The discovery has personal resonance because it occurred just a few kilometres north of Aldridge, site of early upbringing). Many other similarly-located finds are made near these ancient roads.

 

Why is buried treasure found by ancient Roman roads? Because of the near absence of new road-building after the Romans left Britain until the development of rail and the motorways (freeways), the Roman roads continued as the main routes of all communication, and remained centrally involved in British history. So, throughout the 1700 years from roughly 100 AD to 1800 AD, in the complete absence of banks or other secure repositories, anyone travelling from point A to point B, and with an urge or need to hide their wealth, is likely to have done so within a short distance of a Roman road!

 

But seriously, Roman roads are a wonder of wonders. To so dominate communications, over such a vast period, how much have they influenced the modern world?

 

Anyway, in Britain, check whether you live by a Roman road!

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