Fosse Way Fosse Way The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter ("Isca Dumnoniorum") in South West England to Lincoln ("Lindum Colonia") in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester ("Lindinis"), Bath ("Aquae Sulis"), Cirencester ("Corinium") and Leicester ("Ratae Corieltauvorum"). It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at "Venonis" (High Cross) south of Leicester, and joined Ermine Street at Lincoln. The word "Fosse" is derived from the Latin "fossa", meaning "ditch". For the first few decades after the Roman invasion of Britain in CE 43, the Fosse Way marked the western frontier of Roman rule in Iron
Isca Augusta legion was needed to repel a potential invasion from the Continent. The stone from Isca may have been used for building defences on the south coast. There may still have been an occasional military presence as late as the early 4th century, but the fortress was probably later taken over by the people of the surrounding vicus. The basilica of the baths was used as a cattle pen. Recent finds suggest Roman occupation of some kind as late as AD 380. According to the Gildas (followed by Bede), Roman Caerleon was the site of two early Christian martyrdoms in Britain,