Fishbourne Roman Palace

Fishbourne Roman Palace is in the village of Fishbourne in West Sussex, England. This large palace was built in the 1st century AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain, on the site of Roman army grain stores which had been established after the invasion, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. The rectangular palace was built around formal gardens, the northern half of which has been reconstructed. There were extensive alterations in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, with many of the original black and white mosaic floors being overlaid with more sophisticated colored ones, including a perfectly preserved mosaic of a dolphin in the north wing. More alterations were in progress when the palace burned down around 270 AD, after which it was abandoned.

Local people had long believed that a Roman palace once existed in the area. However, it was not until 1960 that the archaeologist Barry Cunliffe, of Oxford University, first systematically excavated the site, after workmen accidentally uncovered a wall while laying a water main. The Roman villa excavated by Cunliffe’s team was so grand that it became known as Fishbourne Roman Palace, and a museum was erected to preserve some of the remains. This is administered by the Sussex Archaeological Society.

In its day, the completed palace would have comprised four large wings with colonnaded fronts. The north and east wings consisted of suites of private rooms built around courtyards, with a monumental entrance in the middle of the east wing. In the north-east corner, there was an assembly hall. The west wing contained state rooms, a large ceremonial reception room, and a gallery. The south wing contained the owner’s private apartments. The palace included as many as 50 mosaic floors, under-floor central heating, and a bathhouse. In size, Fishbourne Palace would have been approximately equivalent to some of the great Roman palaces of Italy and was by far the largest known Roman residence north of the European Alps, measuring about 500 feet (150 m) square. A team of volunteers and professional archaeologists are involved in ongoing archaeological excavation on the site of nearby, possibly military, buildings.>> Form đăng kí giải đề thi thật IELTS 4 kĩ năng kèm bài giải bộ đề 100 đề PART 2 IELTS SPEAKING quý đang thi (update hàng tuần) từ IELTS TUTOR

The first buildings to be erected on the site were constructed in the early part of the conquest in 43 AD. Later, two timber buildings were constructed, one with clay and mortar floors and plaster walls, which appears to have been a house of some comfort. These buildings were demolished in the 60s AD and replaced by a substantial stone house, which included colonnades and a bath suite. It has been suggested that the palace itself, incorporating the previous house in its south-east corner, was constructed around 73–75 AD. However, Dr. Miles Russell, of Bournemouth University, reinterpreted the ground plan and the collection of objects found and suggested that, given the extremely close parallels with the imperial palace of Domitian in Rome, its construction may more plausibly date to after 92 AD.

With regard to who lived in Fishbourne Palace, there are a number of theories. For example, one proposed by Professor Cunliffe is that, in its early phase, the palace was the residence of Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, a local chieftain who supported the Romans and may have been installed as king of a number of territories following the first stage of the conquest. Cogidubnus is known from a reference to his loyalty in Agricola, a work by the Roman writer Tacitus, and from an inscription commemorating a temple dedicated to the gods Neptune and Minerva found in the nearby city of Chichester. Another theory is that it was built for Sallustius Lucullus, a Roman governor of Britain in the late 1st century, who may have been the son of the British prince Adminius. Two inscriptions recording the presence of Lucullus have been found in Chichester, and the redating by Miles Russell suggests that if the palace was designed for Lucullus, it may have only been in use for a few years, as the Roman historian Suetonius records that Lucullus was executed by the Emperor Domitian in or shortly after 93 AD.

Additional theories suggest that either Verica, a British king of the Roman Empire in the years preceding the Claudian invasion, was the owner of the palace, or Tiberius Claudius Catuarus, following the recent discovery of a gold ring belonging to him. The palace outlasted the original owner, whoever he was, and was extensively re-planned early in the 2nd century AD and subdivided into a series of lesser apartments. Further redevelopment was begun in the late 3rd century AD, but these alterations were incomplete when the north wing was destroyed in a fire around 270 AD. The damage was too great to repair, and the palace was abandoned and later dismantled.

A modern museum has been built by the Sussex Archaeological Society, incorporating most of the visible remains, including one wing of the palace. The gardens have been re-planted using authentic plants from the Roman period.

Questions 1–6

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?

Write:

• TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. Fishbourne Palace was the first structure to be built on its site.
2. Fishbourne Palace was renovated more than once.
3. Fishbourne Palace was large in comparison with Roman palaces in Italy.
4. Research is continuing in the area close to Fishbourne Palace.
5. Researchers agree on the identity of the person for whom Fishbourne Palace was constructed.
6. Fishbourne Palace was burnt down by local people.

Questions 7–13

Complete the notes below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Fishbourne Palace

Construction

• The first buildings on the site contained food for the 7…
• The palace building surrounded 8…
• In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, color was added to the 9… of the palace.

Discovery

• The first part of the palace to be found was part of a 10…

Possible Inhabitants

• Congidubnus - he is named in several writings
• Sallustius Lucullus - he may have lived there until approximately 11… AD
• Verica - a British king
• Catuarus - his 12… was found there

Present Day

• A 13… has been built on the site to help protect it.

1. Palace

• Vietnamese: Cung điện (một dinh thự lớn và trang trọng, thường dành cho hoàng gia hoặc giới quý tộc).

• Example from the text: "Fishbourne Roman Palace is in the village of Fishbourne in West Sussex, England."

• Translation: Cung điện La Mã Fishbourne nằm ở làng Fishbourne, Tây Sussex, Anh.

2. Conquest

• Vietnamese: Cuộc chinh phục (việc chiếm đóng một vùng đất bằng quân sự).

• Example from the text: "This large palace was built in the 1st century AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain."

• Translation: Cung điện lớn này được xây dựng vào thế kỷ thứ 1 sau Công nguyên, khoảng ba mươi năm sau cuộc chinh phục nước Anh của người La Mã.

3. Grain stores

• Vietnamese: Kho chứa ngũ cốc (nơi lưu trữ lương thực như lúa mì, ngô, v.v.).

• Example from the text: "This large palace was built on the site of Roman army grain stores."

• Translation: Cung điện lớn này được xây dựng trên nền của kho chứa ngũ cốc của quân đội La Mã.

4. Mosaic

• Vietnamese: Tranh khảm (nghệ thuật tạo hình bằng cách ghép các mảnh nhỏ từ đá, thủy tinh, hoặc gốm).

• Example from the text: "Many of the original black and white mosaic floors were overlaid with more sophisticated colored ones."

• Translation: Nhiều sàn khảm đen trắng ban đầu được phủ lên bằng những tác phẩm khảm màu tinh xảo hơn.

5. Dolphin

• Vietnamese: Cá heo (một loài động vật biển có vú).

• Example from the text: "A perfectly preserved mosaic of a dolphin in the north wing."

• Translation: Một bức tranh khảm cá heo được bảo tồn hoàn hảo ở cánh phía bắc.

6. Excavated

• Vietnamese: Khai quật (việc đào bới để tìm kiếm di tích hoặc hiện vật cổ).

• Example from the text: "The archaeologist Barry Cunliffe first systematically excavated the site in 1960."

• Translation: Nhà khảo cổ Barry Cunliffe lần đầu tiên khai quật có hệ thống địa điểm này vào năm 1960.

7. Colonnaded

• Vietnamese: Có hàng cột (kiến trúc với các hàng cột trang trí).

• Example from the text: "The completed palace would have comprised four large wings with colonnaded fronts."

• Translation: Cung điện hoàn thiện sẽ bao gồm bốn cánh lớn với mặt tiền có hàng cột.

8. Monumental

• Vietnamese: Đồ sộ, hoành tráng (có quy mô lớn và ấn tượng).

• Example from the text: "A monumental entrance in the middle of the east wing."

• Translation: Một lối vào hoành tráng ở giữa cánh phía đông.

9. Bathhouse

• Vietnamese: Nhà tắm công cộng (một công trình kiến trúc La Mã dùng để tắm và thư giãn).

• Example from the text: "The palace included a bathhouse."

• Translation: Cung điện bao gồm một nhà tắm công cộng.

10. Under-floor central heating

• Vietnamese: Hệ thống sưởi trung tâm dưới sàn (hệ thống sưởi được lắp đặt dưới sàn nhà).

• Example from the text: "The palace included under-floor central heating."

• Translation: Cung điện bao gồm hệ thống sưởi trung tâm dưới sàn.

11. Timber buildings

• Vietnamese: Công trình bằng gỗ (các tòa nhà được xây dựng từ gỗ).

• Example from the text: "Later, two timber buildings were constructed."

• Translation: Sau đó, hai công trình bằng gỗ được xây dựng.

12. Plaster walls

• Vietnamese: Tường trát vữa (tường được phủ bằng lớp vữa để làm phẳng và trang trí).

• Example from the text: "One building had clay and mortar floors and plaster walls."

• Translation: Một công trình có sàn bằng đất sét và vữa, cùng tường trát vữa.

13. Chieftain

• Vietnamese: Tù trưởng (người đứng đầu một bộ lạc hoặc nhóm người).

• Example from the text: "The palace was the residence of Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, a local chieftain."

• Translation: Cung điện là nơi ở của Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, một tù trưởng địa phương.

14. Inscription

• Vietnamese: Văn bản khắc (chữ được khắc trên đá, kim loại, hoặc các vật liệu khác).

• Example from the text: "An inscription commemorating a temple dedicated to the gods Neptune and Minerva."

• Translation: Một văn bản khắc tưởng niệm một ngôi đền dành cho các vị thần Neptune và Minerva.

15. Subdivided

• Vietnamese: Được chia nhỏ (chia thành các phần nhỏ hơn).

• Example from the text: "The palace was subdivided into a series of lesser apartments."

• Translation: Cung điện được chia nhỏ thành một loạt các căn hộ nhỏ hơn.

16. Redevelopment

• Vietnamese: Tái phát triển (việc xây dựng lại hoặc cải tạo một khu vực).

• Example from the text: "Further redevelopment was begun in the late 3rd century AD."

• Translation: Việc tái phát triển tiếp tục được bắt đầu vào cuối thế kỷ thứ 3 sau Công nguyên.

17. Authentic plants

• Vietnamese: Cây trồng nguyên bản (cây được trồng theo đúng loại và cách thức từ thời kỳ lịch sử).

• Example from the text: "The gardens have been re-planted using authentic plants from the Roman period."

• Translation: Các khu vườn đã được trồng lại bằng các loại cây nguyên bản từ thời La Mã.

Answers

1. FALSE (Đoạn 1, “Fishbourne Roman Palace is in the village of Fishbourne in West Sussex, England. This large palace was built in the 1st century AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain, on the site of Roman army grain stores which had been established after the invasion”)

2. TRUE (Đoạn 1: “There were extensive alterations in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, with many of the original black and white mosaic floors being overlaid with more sophisticated coloured ones, including a perfectly preserved mosaic of a dolphin in the north wing. More alterations were in progress when the palace burnt down in around 270AD, after which it was abandoned.”)

3. FALSE (Đoạn 3, “In size, Fishbourne Palace would have been approximately equivalent to some of the great Roman palaces of Italy” (Cung điện Fishborn có kích cỡ tương đương với một vài trong số những cung điện La Mã lớn ở Ý), nhưng câu hỏi là “Fishbourne Palace was large in comparison with Roman palaces in Italy” (Cung điện Fishborne lớn hơn so với những cung điện La Mã ở Ý”)

4. TRUE (Đoạn 3, “A team of volunteers and professional archaeologists are involved in an ongoing archaeological excavation on the site of nearby, possibly military, buildings.”)

5. FALSE (Đoạn 5, “With regard to who lived in Fishbourne Palace, there are a number of theories;”)

6. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

7. Roman army (Đoạn 1, “This large palace was built in the 1st century AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain, on the site of Roman army grain stores…”)

8. Gardens/ formal gardens (Đoạn 1, “The rectangular palace was built around formal gardens, the northern half of which have been reconstructed.”)

9. Floors/ mosaic floors (Đoạn 1, “…with many of the original black and white mosaic floors being overlaid with more sophisticated coloured ones”)

10. Wall (Đoạn 2, “…first systematically excavated the site, after workmen had accidentally uncovered a wall while they were laying a water main.”)

11. 93 (Đoạn 5, “as the Roman historian Suetonius records that Lucullus was executed by the Emperor Domitian in or shortly after 93 AD.”)

12. Gold ring (Đoạn 6, “Additional theories suggest that either Verica, a British king of the Roman Empire in the years preceding the Claudian invasion, was owner of the palace, or Tiberius Claudius Catuarus, following the recent discovery of a gold ring belonging to him.”)

13. Modern museum (Đoạn 7, “A modern museum had been built by the Sussex Archaeological Society…’)