BattlefieldsRoman Catterick — Cataractonium Garrison and Road Defence
Roman Period

Roman Catterick — Cataractonium Garrison and Road Defence

71–400
North Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Cataractonium Roman fort · Catterick road junction defence
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
North Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
raiders; routine garrison defence.
VS
Victor
Romans
Forces
Romans (garrison and patrol forces) c.300–500
Outcome
Cataractonium guarded the key junction of Dere Street and the Pennine roads throughout the Roman period
The Battle

History & Significance

Catterick (Cataractonium) was one of Roman Yorkshire's most important road junctions, where Dere Street heading north met the road across the Pennines to Carlisle via Scotch Corner. The fort was occupied throughout the Roman period and into the sub-Roman era. The name Catterick appears in the Y Gododdin poem as Catraeth — the site of the famous dark-age battle c.600 AD. Its military significance stretched from the Roman garrison through the post-Roman British kingdoms.

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