Liquid cement appears to have been poured over the floor,
filling up the interstices, after which the surface would be rubbed down
and polished.
As to the probable date and occupation of the floor, it may be observed
that the site of this pavement was near the center of the western Roman
town. It is near the Jewry Wall, that is, near the military station and
fortress. It was obviously the principal house in the place, and as
clearly, therefore, the residence of the Praefectus, the local
representative of the imperial power of Rome. The Roman occupation of
the district began with the propraetorship of Ostorius Scapula, A.D. 50.
He was succeeded in 59 by Suetonius Paulinus, who passed through
Leicester from the Isle of Anglesea when the insurrection under Boadicea
broke out. In the service of Suetonius was Julius Agricola, who was
elected consul and governor of Britain about the year 70. He is commonly
described as a wise and good governor, who introduced the arts of
civilized life, taught the natives to build, and encouraged education.
He left Britain about the year 85, and from that time to the decline of
the Roman power is but about 300 years. We shall not be far from the
truth, therefore, if we assign this work to the time or even to the
personal influence of Agricola, 1,800 years ago.
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