Much of Roman Chester has been lost through post-Roman dismantling and `recycling' of building materials, though excavations over recent years have added substantially to our knowledge of the town known as Deva. In this companion volume to Chester: AD 400-1066, David Mason traces the early history of this military stronghold: the construction and early years of the fort, and the development of the garrison town and the surrounding civilian settlement. This is essentially the first study to focus solely on Roman Chester, other than excavation reports, and it represents a well-written informative history of the rise, burgeoning and decline of the Roman town and its inhabitants.

In this latest edtion, updated in the light of the many new discoveries made since the first edition appeared in 2001, the author provides a comprehensive account of Roman Chester. The buildings are described in detail and the fascinating everyday lives of these early Cestrians are illustrated by the details provided by tombstones and other objects.