Editing Lullingstone Roman Villa (section)

=== Eras of occupation ===

==== 1st century AD ====
During the original excavations of the site in the 1950s, evidence from various centuries was discovered, creating a timeline for the villa. The earliest evidence comes from the 1st century AD. Many shards of pottery were found on the slope that the excavation site was located on. The shards found are considered to be hand-made with elements of "Belgic culture".<ref name=":33">{{Cite journal|last1=Meates|first1=Lieutenant-Colonel G. W. Meates|last2=Greensfield|first2=E.|last3=Birchenough|first3=Edwyn|date=1950|title=The Lullingstone Roman Villa|url=https://kentarchaeology.org.uk/node/11077|journal=Archaeologia Cantiana|volume=63|pages=5}} {{open access}}</ref>

==== 2nd century AD: the Flavian to Antonine period ====
At the original excavation, the full extent of the house built and maintained during the [[Flavian dynasty|Flavian]] dynasty to the [[Nerva–Antonine dynasty|Nerva-Antonine]] dynasty was unknown.<ref name=":0">Meates, Lt. Col. G. W. ''Lullingstone Roman Villa''. p. 33. London. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1984.</ref> However, it is thought that the Bath Room and the Basement Room may have been built during this era. From geological evidence, such as different layers of clay, it is suggested that the few stairs leading to the basement were built during this period rather than the 4th century AD, as originally thought.<ref name=":0" />

==== 3rd century AD ====
Based on pottery evidence, it is thought that the Lullingstone Roman Villa was abandoned for at least the first half of the 3rd century AD.<ref name=":33" /> Coins found at the site provide evidence that the occupation of the villa resumed sometime during the last half of the 3rd century during the reigns of [[Claudius Gothicus|Claudius II]] and [[Allectus]].<ref name=":33" /> It is thought that the pagan shrine and other Christian rooms were constructed during this era after the period of abandonment.<ref name=":65"/> In addition to the Christian elements that were added to the villa, the 3rd century AD was also when some of the villa's main external buildings, including the granary and the temple, were constructed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lullingstone Roman Villa: Granary and Temple|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/lullingstone-roman-villa/history/|access-date=March 1, 2021|publisher=English Heritage}}</ref>

==== 4th century AD ====
The 4th century was an eventful era for the villa, with large renovations taking place, and probably the fire. Some of the renovations of the villa include the designing of the mosaic floor in Room 5 and the construction of another room.<ref name=":33" /> Excavators were able to date the construction of the mosaic floor in Room 5 using coins depicting [[Constantine II (emperor)|Constantine II]] that were accidentally mixed into the concrete.

==== Post-Roman period ====
At the initial excavation in the 1950s, there was no evidence that suggested occupation of the villa or its site from its destruction until at least medieval times.<ref name=":33" /> From English Heritage, there is documentation of some findings including a "[[hanging bowl]]" and other [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] potsherds.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Lullingstone Roman Villa: Medieval Lullingstone|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/lullingstone-roman-villa/history/|access-date=March 1, 2021|website=English Heritage}}</ref> This evidence suggests that the site may have been used as a burial ground in early Anglo-Saxon Britain.<ref name=":7" />