Fourth century villas in the Coln Vally, Gloucestershire : Identifying patrons and viewers

Mosaics were an integral part of the wealthy villas in south-west Britain during Late Antiquity. These villas seem to have been the centres of social and economic life and a large number of them possessed elaborate mosaic floors indicating more groups of mosaicists. Mosaic floors were an important element of the architectural contexts as seen in the villa in Chedworth, Withington, Whittington Court, Listercombe Bottom, Bibury, and Coln St Aldwyns. The mosaics provided a context for display of wealth and taste and signalled that these patrons formed part of an empire-wide aristocracy.