This well-known Roman fort is sited just north of the B1022 Maldon Road near Brickwall Farm, Stanway (TL963227), within the earthworks of the oppidum of the Trinovantes tribe a few hundred yards to the north-west of the British royal enclosure.

The fort’s defenses consisted of a single wide ditch backed by an earthen rampart 10-12 feet wide revetted front and back with timber. Roughly square in plan and measuring about 495 feet north-south by 485 feet transversely (c.150 x 147 m), these defences enclosed an area of about 5½ acres (c.2.2 ha) and from its construction is probably of a pre-Flavian date. Two Auxiliary units have been recorded at Stanway, both of which were composed of a nominal five-hundred peregrine (i.e. non-Roman) troopers, one cavalry Ala or ‘wing’, and a mixed unit of horse and foot soldiers, a Cohors Equitata.

RIB 201 - Funerary inscription for Longinus Sdapeze

Longinus Sdapeze son of Matucus, duplicarius from the First Cavalry Regiment of Thracians, from the district of Sardica, aged 40, of 15 years’ service, lies buried here his heirs under his will had this set up.

LONGINVS SDAPEZE
MATYCI DVPLICARIVS
ALA PRIMA TRACVM PAGO
SARDI ANNO XL AEROR XV
HEREDES EXS TESTAM [...] C
H S E
  • Above the niche is a winged sphinx, flanked on either side by a lion; round the body of either lion is twined a snake, whose tail the lion holds beneath one paw. In the niche the cavalryman, who once had a hemispherical helmet, is in scale-armour, with oval shield on left arm, and is riding to the right on a richly caparisoned horse, beneath whose belly crouches a naked barbarian with his left hand holding his shield under him. In the right hand of the cavalryman there is a dowel-hole, presumably once filled by a metal weapon.
  • Sardi(ca), or more usually Serdica, in Thrace (now Sofia).
  • A duplicarius, duplarius or duplaris was soldier receiving twice the basic rate of pay, in particular the second-in-command of a turma
  •  Sdapezematygus may not be a Thracian name.

The First Wing of Thracians was a five-hundred strong cavalry unit recruited from among the tribes living along the lower Danube in southern Romania and Bulgaria.

RIB 205 - Fragmentary funerary inscription

To the spirits of the departed: … of the First Cohort of Va[…] who served … by contributions ..

D [...]
AR[...]
RE[...]
VAL[...]
I VA[...]
QVI [...]
EX [...  ...]

No commentary.

RIB 205 - Fragmentary funerary inscription

To the spirits of the departed: … of the First Cohort of Va[…] who served … by contributions ..

D [...]
AR[...]
RE[...]
VAL[...]
I VA[...]
QVI [...]
EX [...  ...]

No commentary.

Map References for Stanway

NGRef: TL 963 227 OSMap: LR89

OS National Grid Reference: TL963227
Dimensions: c.495 x 485 ft (c.150 x 147 m)
Area: c.5½ acres (c.2.2 ha)

Roman Roads near Stanway

None identified

Sites near Stanway Roman Fort