r. Possibly there were tribal
settlements on the eastern wolds in the neighbourhood in earlier and
still more barbarous times, before the Brigantes found it safe to make a
permanent home in the valley, but this is all conjecture. It is not
until the Roman conquest of Britain that York enters into history. The
Brigantes were subdued between the years 70 and 80 A.D. by Patilius
Cerealis and Agricola. The Romans called the city by the name of
Eburacum. The derivation is not known. It has been suggested that it was
taken from the river Ure, a tributary of the Ouse, but variations of the
word are common in the Roman Empire, as, for example, Eburobriga,
Eburodunum, and the Eburovices. These are probably all derived from some
common Celtic word. In process of time, perhaps in the reign of the
Emperor Severus--that is to say, about the beginning of the third
century A.D.--the name was changed to Eboracum: from this was derived
the later British name Caer Eabhroig or Ebrauc. The Anglo-Saxon name was
Eoferwic, corrupted by the Danes into Jorvik or Yorvik, which by an easy
change was developed into the modern name of York. In the York Museum is
preserved a monument to a standard-bearer of the 9th legion, which is
probably of the period of Agricola, and it is likely that Eburacum
became the headquarters of the Roman army in the north soon after the
conquest. It became the chief military town in the island; for, whereas
the southern tribes were soon subdued, those in the north were long
rebellious, and it was natural that the chief centre for troops should
be established in the more disturbed parts of Britain. Close to York was
the town of Isurium (Aldborough), where remains of pavements have been
discovered, and where it is probable that the wealthier citizens of York
had their homes. Eburacum was fortified in or before the reign of
Trajan, and was connected by a system of roads with other important
Roman towns. The Roman Camp lay on the east side of the river, on or
near the site of the present minster. One of its corner towers and
fragments of the wall still remain, and parts of the city gates have
been discovered. The camp at first covered about seventy acres of
ground; it was afterwards enlarged on the south. The modern streets of
Petergate and Stonegate represent the roads which passed through this
camp, and Bootham Bar is on the site of one of the gates. Remains of
Roman pavement have been discovered below Stonegate. The city i