Editing Castlefield (section)

===Roman period===
{{main|Mamucium}}
A [[Roman Britain|Roman]] [[castra|fort]] (''{{lang|la|castra}}''), [[Mamucium]] or Mancunium was established in what is now Castlefield around AD&nbsp;79 near a crossing place on the [[River Medlock]].<ref name=Gregory>{{Harvnb|Gregory|2007| pp=1,3}}</ref> The fort was sited on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the River Medlock and [[River Irwell|Irwell]] in a naturally defensible position.<ref name=Gregory/> It was erected as a series of fortifications established by [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] during his campaign against the [[Brigantes]], who were the [[Celts|Celtic]] [[list of Celtic tribes|tribe]] in control of most of northern England.<ref>Mason (2001), pp.&nbsp;41–42.</ref> It guarded a central stage of the [[Roman road]] (equivalent to [[Watling Street]]),{{Original research inline|date=February 2015}} between [[Deva Victrix]] ([[Chester]]) and [[Eboracum]] ([[York]]). Another road branched off to the north to [[Bremetennacum]] ([[Ribchester]]).<ref>Gregory (2007), pp.&nbsp;1–2.</ref> The neighbouring forts were [[Castleshaw Roman fort|Castleshaw]] and [[Northwich]].<ref>Walker (1999), p.&nbsp;15.</ref> Built first from turf and timber, the fort was demolished around 140. When it was rebuilt around 160, it was again of turf and timber construction.<ref>Gregory (2007), p.&nbsp;3.</ref> Around the year 200, the fort underwent another rebuild enhancing its defences by replacing the gatehouse in stone and facing the walls with stone.<ref>Philpott (2006), p.&nbsp;66.</ref> The fort would have been garrisoned by an [[cohort (Roman military unit)|infantry cohort]] of around 500 [[Roman auxiliaries in Britain|auxiliary troops]].<ref name="guide">{{cite web |title=A guide to Mamucium |author=Norman Redhead |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/04/10/100408_roman_manchester_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC |date=20 April 2008}} Retrieved on 20 July 2008.</ref>

Evidence of [[Celtic paganism|pagan]] and [[Celtic Christianity|Christian]] worship has been discovered. Two altars have been found and there may be a [[Mithraeum|temple of Mithras]] at the site. A [[sator square|word square]] was discovered in the 1970s that may be one of the earliest evidences of Christianity in Britain.<ref>Shotter (2004), p.&nbsp;129.</ref> A [[vicus (Rome)|civilian settlement]] (''{{lang|la|vicus}}'') grew in association with the fort, made up of traders and the soldiers' families. An area which has a concentration of furnaces and industrial activity has been described as an [[industrial estate]].<ref>Shotter (2004), p.&nbsp;117.</ref> The civilian settlement was probably abandoned by the mid-3rd century, although a small garrison may have remained at Mamucium into the late third and early fourth centuries.<ref>Gregory (2007), p.&nbsp;190.</ref>

A reconstructed part of the fort stands on the site and is open to the public.