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what were roman settlements like

by Caitlyn Turner Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Although it is not apparent in the map above, Roman towns were generally laid out in a similar fashion with two main streets meeting in a crossroads at the centre. These streets were called the cardo maximus and the decumanus maximus.

The Roman towns were full of fine buildings and temples. The Romans liked everything to be organised and orderly. Streets were laid out in neat, straight lines, like on a chess-board. In the middle there was a large square, called the forum.

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What was the highest rank a community could attain?

Why were colonies established?

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What are Roman settlements?

colony, Latin Colonia, plural Coloniae, in Roman antiquity, a Roman settlement in conquered territory. The earliest colonies were coast-guard communities, each containing about 300 Roman citizens and their families. By 200 bc a system of such Roman maritime colonies maintained guard over the coasts throughout Italy.

What type of settlement was ancient Rome?

Ancient Rome began as an Italic settlement, traditionally dated to 753 BC, beside the River Tiber in the Italian Peninsula. The settlement grew into the city and polity of Rome, and came to control its neighbours through a combination of treaties and military strength.

How were Roman towns Organised?

They had a central square, the forum, with the main buildings and the market, and the rest of the town was organised into streets which formed a grid. Near the forum, there were shops, markets and workshops.

What were Roman towns in Britain like?

People mainly lived in small villages of wooden houses with thatched roofs. The biggest city in Roman Britain was Londinium (London). Aquae Sulis (Bath) was a town famous for its baths.

Where did people first settle in Rome?

Palatine HillHistorical - Rome was likely first settled around 1000 BC. The first settlement was built on Palatine Hill because it was easily defended. Over time, the six other hills around Palatine were also settled. As the settlement grew, it became a city.

Why did people choose to settle in Rome?

They settled on either side of the Tiber River in a region they called Latium. The seven nearby hills offered them some protection, and the river gave them a valuable resource, water. Flatland near the Tiber was perfect for farming. The area offered everything they needed to thrive.

What was life like in Roman cities?

They enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle with luxurious furnishings, surrounded by servants and slaves to cater to their every desire. Many would hold exclusive dinner parties and serve their guests the exotic dishes of the day. Poorer Romans, however, could only dream of such a life.

What buildings were in a Roman town?

Inside the Roman towns were different buildings beside the temples, including homes, places to meet, workshops, bathhouses, shops, toilets, and even an amphitheater. The towns were very large and designed so that the streets would cross the towns, and they would make different blocks, which were called insulae.

How did the Romans try to make their towns healthy?

The Romans, being technologically adequate, resolved to provide clean water through aqueducts, to remove the bulk of sewage through the building of sewers and to develop a system of public toilets throughout their towns and city's.

What a Roman town looked like?

The Roman towns were full of fine buildings and temples. The Romans liked everything to be organised and orderly. Streets were laid out in neat, straight lines, like on a chess-board. In the middle there was a large square, called the forum.

What was Roman housing like?

The term “Roman housing” can encompass many kinds of living spaces. Poorly built and maintained tower blocks in cities known as insulae housed the lower echelons of society in hazardous and overcrowded conditions. In the countryside, the poor lived in small villages or farms, in stone-built structures.

What were Roman houses made of?

Fine Roman homes were built with stone, plaster, and brick. They had tiled roofs.

Was Rome a Greek colony?

The city was an Arcadian colony and was founded by Evander. Strabo also writes that Lucius Coelius Antipater believed that Rome was founded by Greeks.

What is ancient Rome known for?

A people known for their military, political, and social institutions, the ancient Romans conquered vast amounts of land in Europe and northern Africa, built roads and aqueducts, and spread Latin, their language, far and wide. Use these classroom resources to teach middle schoolers about the empire of ancient Rome.

What was the geography of ancient Rome?

Rome began as a small village near the Tiber River in Italy on a peninsula close to the Mediterranean Sea. The city was also far enough inland to provide some protection from the sea. The Tiber River was a source of freshwater and rich soil needed to support the development of people, animals, and crops of Rome.

What are 5 facts about ancient Rome?

10 Fun Facts about Ancient Rome for Kids (plus cool places to...Rome was founded by two brothers nursed by a she-wolf. ... The Ancient Romans worshipped a lot of different gods and goddesses. ... Sometimes the Romans would flood the whole Colosseum or Circus Maximus for a boat battle. ... Ancient Rome is underground.More items...•

Colony Definition and Meaning - Bible Dictionary

Colony, a designation of Philippi, in ( Acts 16:12) After the battle of Actium, Augustus assigned to his veterans those parts of Italy which had espoused the cause of Antony, and transported many of the expelled inhabitants to Philippi, Dyrrhachium and other cities.In this way Philippi was made a Roman colony with the "Jus Italicum." At first the colonists were all Roman citizens, and entitled ...

Colonia (Roman) - Wikipedia

Characteristics. The Roman Republic, having no standing army, used to plant bodies of their own citizens in conquered towns as a kind of garrison.Initially these bodies would consist partly of Roman citizens, usually to the number of three hundred; but after Augustus the number was increased, and thousands of Roman legionaries who retired from their legions were granted lands in many coloniae ...

Ancient Roman colonies | For UNESCO World Heritage Travellers

Suggestions? Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Ancient Roman colonies?. Send it to me! A connection should: Not be "self evident" Link at least 3 different sites; Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.

Colonization in the Roman Empire - Classics - Oxford Bibliographies - obo

Introduction. In the 1st century BCE, the role of colonization gradually changed.Up to the Gracchan period, colonization had been under the control of the Senate, but the Gracchi had tried to establish colonies solely by the vote of the popular assembly.

Have we missed something?from historic-uk.com

Although we've tried our hardest to list every Roman site in Britain, we're almost positive that a few have slipped through our net... that's where you come in!

What was the Alchester town made of?from british-history.ac.uk

Since remains of wattle-and-daub, (fn. 35) but no stone foundations, have been found in the earliest levels, it must be assumed that the town was composed of timber buildings and wattle-and-daub huts. The post-holes and sleeper-beam trenches that would be visible on a drier site were obliterated in the damp conditions at Alchester. About the turn of the century the wooden houses were replaced by stone-built houses and the gravel rampart backed by a stone rampart-wall. Stone buildings of this age have been found in the NW. (fn. 36) and NE. (fn. 37) angles of the central cross-streets, and also inside the NE. corner. (fn. 38) The stone rampartwall was reinforced, presumably at each corner, by an internal tower of stone. The foundations of that at the NE. were examined in 1927–8, but were very fragmentary, (fn. 39) and its plan could not be ascertained. On the north side of the east gate foundations of what may have been an internal angle-turret built of concrete were found in 1927, (fn. 40) but the remains were not completely uncovered and this interpretation of them is not certain. The stone rampart-wall itself was about 9 ft. wide in its foundation-courses, (fn. 41) the stones of which were set on edge and slightly tilted. Nothing but foundations remained except for one or two roughly squared single stones laid horizontally in cement upon them. That all these works date from the time of Hadrian is suggested by the pottery found in the buildings in the centre of the town, (fn. 42) and in the stratum between the foundations of the NE. corner-tower and the underlying 1st-century ditches. (fn. 43)

Why is Caesaromagus called Caesaromagus?from en.wikipedia.org

The town was given the name of Caesaromagus (the market place of Caesar), although the reason for it being given the great honour of bearing the Imperial prefix is now unclear – possibly as a failed 'planned town' provincial capital to replace Londinium or Camulodunum. Camulodunum (Roman Colchester ).

How big was Templeborough Roman Fort?from en.wikipedia.org

A reconstruction of Templeborough Roman Fort which covered an area of 2.2 hectares (5.5 acres) when it was rebuilt in stone in the 2nd century.

What remains of the Antonine Wall fort?from historic-uk.com

Not much remains of this Antonine Wall fort except for a single wall ditch and two beacon platforms.

How big was the Roman town of Alchester?from british-history.ac.uk

The Roman town, whose Latin name is unrecorded, (fn. 48) occupied, if the account of the ramparts recently published (fn. 49) is correct, an area of some 13½ acres (Fig. 26). It was therefore but half the size of Alchester and was only large enough to contain some few hundred inhabitants. There were, however, considerable settlements outside the ramparts, as is proved by finds of coins and small antiquities in the fields on all sides of the town.

What is the first notice of the site in literature?from british-history.ac.uk

The first notice of the site in literature appears to be Camden's brief reference: ( fn. 9) '. . . adiacent desertae stationis paucae reliquiae, Alchester vocant . . .,' from which we can infer that, three centuries ago, there was little more to be seen on the site in the way of ruins than there is to-day. Stukeley's engraving of one hundred years later (Fig. 20) tells the same tale, for it only marks the still existing banks of the town itself, the Castle mound, and the Roman roads in the neighbourhood.

How did the Romans divide the land?

When the Romans conquered a country, or a large area of a country, they immediately set about restructuring the land into manageable divisions. In such places as Britain, this was made easier by the way in which the current natives had divided the country into regions based on the land occupied by individual tribes. The Romans gave these areas the name of civitas with a constitution and carefully laid out duties and rights. The main town within this area was designated the civitas capital. In Britain, the Romans saw no evidence of a large town anywhere after the invasion. In 49 AD. they began to teach the Roman way of living to the British by founding Colchester on the sight of an abandoned fortress. In doing so they were making use of land that the Romans had ownership over.

What were the three towns that the Romans created?

When the Romans arrived, they changed the landscape by creating centres scattered around the country. The larger of these, Londinium, Colchester and Verulamium were designated the three largest towns in Britain.

What was the name of the city in Rome that had an internal governor?

Within each area would be the main town ( civitas capital) where the Romans would have an internal governor. This would be someone high in Roman office who reported to the provincial governor of Britain, who, in turn, reported directly to Rome.

How did the Romans build their towns?

2000 years ago the Romans built their towns in the fashion of 'blocks' ( insulae). Rectangular and square plots surrounded by streets. Take a look at the layout of any Roman town and a clear pattern of square and rectangular areas is evident. The picture left shows Colchester, one of the largest towns in Britain, and clearly shows the square layout of the areas between the streets.

What were the rules of the Romans?

The Towns Themselves. The Romans have very strict rules when planning towns and the streets and buildings within them. As mentioned above, the towns where built around a square format with all the streets either being parallel or at right angles to each other.

What was the forum used for?

The forum was used for political gatherings and also for a wide range of activities such as markets with the customary traders plying their wares. Therefore of a settlement had a basilica and a forum, it could safely be referred to as a town. Considering that most of these have a military appearance to them leads us to believe that the architects used had their origins in designing forts and army buildings.

What was the basilica used for?

The basilica was a long aisled hall and at each end were raised platforms, used by the magistrates for official business. On the side away from the forum were a series of rooms which were used by council officers and for meetings. One room placed in the centre was reserved for statues of the emperors or local protective deities.

Why did the Romans build towns?

The Romans built Britain's first towns. They built towns all over Britain as centers to administer the people they had conquered. Within 17 years of the invasion, they had several major towns in place. connected by the famous Roman roads. Towns soon became important places for meetings and trade.

What were the Roman towns like?

The Roman towns were full of fine buildings and temples. The Romans liked everything to be organised and orderly. Streets were laid out in neat, straight lines, like on a chess-board. In the middle there was a large square, called the forum. It was used as a market place and for meetings.

What were Roman buildings made of?

Buildings were made of stone and brick. They were so well built that we have been able to excavate many Roman buildings and even towns.

What were the buildings at the end of the Forum called?

Most towns would also have shops as well as the forum. At one end of the forum was a large building called the basilica. There were temples too where the Roman gods were worshipped. Some towns had public baths, an open-air theatre and huge monumental arches.

What were the main things that the rich used to bring water to their houses?

Many towns had running water and sewers. Aqueducts were bridges for bringing water to the towns. Only the rich had water piped to their houses; everyone else used water from public fountains. The only toilets were public lavatories, which were built around the town and connected to underground sewers.

How wide were Roman towns?

The streets of Roman towns were between five and eight metres wide. Their width depended upon their importance. Each town had two main roads.

What happened to Pompey and Caesar?from worldhistory.org

With Crassus gone, the First Triumvirate disintegrated and Pompey and Caesar declared war on each other. Pompey tried to eliminate his rival through legal means and had the Senate order Caesar to Rome to stand trial on assorted charges. Instead of returning to the city in humility to face these charges, Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with his army in 49 BCE and entered Rome at the head of it.

What did the ruling class call themselves in Rome?from worldhistory.org

Even so, Rome found itself divided across class lines. The ruling class called themselves optimates (the best men) while the lower classes, or those who sympathized with them, were known as the populares (the people). These names were applied simply to those who held a certain political ideology; they were not strict political parties nor were all of the ruling class optimates nor all of the lower classes populares.

How big was Templeborough Roman Fort?from en.wikipedia.org

A reconstruction of Templeborough Roman Fort which covered an area of 2.2 hectares (5.5 acres) when it was rebuilt in stone in the 2nd century.

What did the optimates hold?from worldhistory.org

Advertisement. In general, the optimates held with traditional political and social values which favored the power of the Senate of Rome and the prestige and superiority of the ruling class. The populares, again generally speaking, favored reform and democratization of the Roman Republic.

What was the city of Ephesus?from worldatlas.com

The city of Ephesus was an ancient port which served as an important trading post within the Mediterranean. It was originally a Greek city, but was later gifted to the Roman Empire after the death of King Attalos III. During Roman rule, Ephesus was the capital city of its Asian province, where it continued to be an important trading center. The city had a population of roughly 250,000 people during Roman rule. The city was also important in biblical times, and was an important location for the development and spread of Christianity. Ephesus is now in modern-day Turkey, near the town of Selçuk.

How did Rome grow?from worldhistory.org

Originally a small town on the banks of the Tiber, Rome grew in size and strength, early on, through trade. The location of the city provided merchants with an easily navigable waterway on which to traffic their goods. The city was ruled by seven kings, from Romulus to Tarquin, as it grew in size and power.

What did the Etruscans do to the Romans?from worldhistory.org

The Etruscans, to the north, provided a model for trade and urban luxury. Etruria was also well situated for trade and the early Romans either learned the skills of trade from Etruscan example or were taught directly by the Etruscans who made incursions into the area around Rome sometime between 650 and 600 BCE (although their influence was felt much earlier). The extent of the role the Etruscan civilization played in the development of Roman culture and society is debated but there seems little doubt they had a significant impact at an early stage.

What were Roman settlements protected by?

Roman settlements were protected by huge walls and panted the seeds for many of the British towns and cities we know today. Pictured is an artist's impression of the Roman town Calleva Atrebatum in Berkshire around the Third Century AD Credit: Alamy

How to use the Roman map?

To use the map, first pick a spot to explore. Roman settlements are marked with black and red boxes. You can zoom in on locations by clicking and using the mouse wheel, or by hitting the zoom in and zoom out buttons in the top right. Roman walls, which were used to protect places of interest, are marked in black. 5.

What was the Roman wall used for?

Roman walls, which were used to protect places of interest, are marked in black.

How long did the Roman occupation last?

Created by Heritage Daily, it allows you to see how different Britain was during Roman occupation, which lasted from 43 to 410 AD.

Why did Roman rule end in Britain?

Roman rule ended in Britain when soldiers were recalled to Rome to protect other parts of the Empire.

Where was Calleva Atrebatum?

Pictured is an artist's impression of the Roman town Calleva Atrebatum in Berkshire around the Third Century AD Credit: Alamy. Many of the UK's major towns and cities were founded by the Romans, including London (Londinium), Manchester (Mamucium) and York (Eboracum). To use the map, first pick a spot to explore.

When did Britain become part of the Roman Empire?

A Roman force of 40,000 led by Aulus Plautius landed in Kent and took the south east in 43 AD. Key tribal leaders surrendered, and within three years Britain was declared part of the Roman Empire. Londinium (London) was founded in 47 AD and became the country's capital. Networks of roads were built across the country.

How thick was the Stone Wall?

The actual defensive works were constructed in layers. First was the stone wall—10 feet (3 metres) thick in the east, 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 metres) thick elsewhere, and originally 15 feet (4.6 metres) high to the rampart walk. The wall was supplemented with a deep ditch in front (i.e., on the northward side) and regularly spaced milecastles and towers (two to a mile) attached to it for patrols, together with 16 forts for the fighting garrison, all connected by a road behind it. On the high moors between Chollerford, Northumberland, and Gilsland, Cumberland, its traces are still plain, as it climbs from hill to hill and winds along precipices. In the west the wall was at first of turf but was gradually replaced in stone, on the same line except for two miles at Birdoswald near Gilsland.

What were the three main roads in the North of Britain?

One led due north from York past forts at Catterick (Cataractonium), Piercebridge, Binchester (Vinovium), Lanchester (Longovicium), Ebchester (Vindomora), and Corbridge to Hadrian’s Wall and to Scotland.

Why was Scotland abandoned?

About this time Strathmore was evacuated, and the whole of Scotland was abandoned early in the 2nd century, probably in connection with Trajan ’s conquest of Dacia in central Europe. Early in Hadrian ’s reign the Britons were in revolt, and the 9th Legion faded from history.

What was the cause of the delay in the 60s?

Progress was delayed in 60–61 ce by a revolt in the nominally conquered lowlands led by Queen Boudicca of the Iceni. Boudicca’s forces burned Colchester, St. Albans ( Verulamium ), and London and destroyed the 9th Legion.

How big was Antoninus Pius' fort?

In each case the barracks rooms were of wood, and the headquarters buildings, granaries, commandant’s house and the baths of stone. In size the forts range from just over one acre to just under seven.

Why was the road system laid out?

The road system was laid out to meet the strategy of Roman conquest, which was carried out in stages.

What were the causes of the action of Claudius?

Two causes coincided to produce the action: Claudius desired the political prestige of an outstanding conquest ; and Cunobelinus, a pro-Roman prince (known to literature as Cymbeline ), had just been succeeded by two of his sons, Caratacus and Togodumnus, who were hostile to Rome.

How many people lived in Oppidum Bibractemapnear Autun?

Oppidum Bibractemapnear Autun (E France) had around 5-20.000 inhabitants on an estimated 200ha during the 2ndcentury BC. This was however a rather small settlement. Caesar's remarks concerning the fortification with a murus gallicus(Gallic Wall) match archaeological finds reconstruction. At Bibractethere was a mint. This manufacturing of coins gives proof to economic advances and a rather developed self-confidence.

What is the name of the town in Germany that has a lot of shiny metal?

In Germany, settlements, are again similarto the hill-forts of France, but are known as Fürstensitze, or princely sites, these include places like the Heuneburg, which include lots of nice shiny metal burials (hence the name 'princely') and are made up of a central prominent site with evidence for settlements surrounding the foci of the Heuneburg itself.

How many saloons were there in 1897?

In 1897 there were a quarter of a million US saloons, or 23 for every Starbucks franchise today. Every back alley and country crossroads had one, and they were the go-to option for socializing business meetings, and politics. What was the impact when the US made them illegal during prohibition?

What is the name of the underground tunnels in Paris?

Paris' catacombs and sewer tunnels are famously labyrinthine. Did any French Resistance groups use these underground locations as bases of operation against their German occupiers during WWII?

How did the Bronze Age society work?

Bronze age (pre-Halstatt) social organization in the North-Alpine complex was likely dominated by autonomous political communities of ~100 people, distributed into five to eight smaller settlements. Three forms of settlement become widespread during this period: 1 farms clustered around a religious monument or burial site led by a chief living in one of the farms, 2 several farmsteads clustered around a village – there are more agricultural units than the previous form but paradoxically less evidence of wealth disparity, 3 same as the second form but with a fortification instead of a village. These settlements appear to have come about due to their control of trade routes, especially in metals. Halstatt, what early Celtic material culture is named after, exploited local salt mines, for example. Each autonomous territory was 7 to 15km in diameter.

What are the two sources of the Celts?

With the Celts we have two kinds of sources colliding: The Roman and Greek records , among them Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico, and the archaeological finds.

Why did Ernest Hemingway kill himself?

It's thought that Ernest Hemingway killed himself because nobody believed him that he was under consant FBI surveillance. This surveillance later turned out to be true. Just how many people was the FBI surveilling during the red scare years?

What was the highest rank a community could attain?

This policy was maintained until the 2nd century ad. Thereafter, colonia became simply the highest rank that a community could attain. Colonies were often named for their founders and later benefactors, which often included the emperors.

Why were colonies established?

By the late 2nd century bc, colonies were established not only for defensive purposes but for offering work to landless freedmen and veterans. Julius Caesar and Augustus regularized the practice of founding colonies for veterans and proletarians in conquered territories outside Rome.

What did the Romans prefer?

The Romans preferred this form of coastal defense to the use of a fleet. The colonists kept their Roman citizenship, with all the rights thereof. The larger Latin colonies were established for defensive purposes outside Roman territory.

What was the first colony?

The earliest colonies were coast-guard communities , each containing about 300 Roman citizens and their families. By 200 bc a system of such Roman maritime colonies maintained guard over the coasts throughout Italy. The Romans preferred this form of coastal defense to the use of a fleet.

What is an encyclopedia editor?

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ...

When did the Romans become citizens?

At first, the Romans who moved to such colonies exchanged their Roman citizenship for generous land grants, but after 177 bc Latin colonists were considered Roman citizens. The colonists could exercise full political rights in Rome and elect their own magistrates, who had limited judicial and financial power.

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1.colony | ancient Roman settlement | Britannica

Url:https://www.britannica.com/topic/colony-ancient-Roman-settlement

18 hours ago Webcolony, Latin Colonia, plural Coloniae, in Roman antiquity, a Roman settlement in conquered territory. The earliest colonies were coast-guard communities, each containing about 300 …

2.Roman Settlements - Historic England

Url:https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-roman-settlements/heag231-roman-settlements/

20 hours ago Webother rural settlements by the degree of adoption . of ‘Roman’ traits, with rectilinear buildings forming the bulk of the structures, although ovoid and circular structures are known at …

3.Romans in Britain - Roman Settlements, Towns and Cities

Url:https://www.romanobritain.org/2-arl_life/arl_settlements_towns_cities.php

7 hours ago WebThe Romans took settlements and made towns and cities from what, were not towns as we know them today, just settlements and villages, along with farms and fortress type …

4.What would a small Roman settlement in England look …

Url:https://www.quora.com/What-would-a-small-Roman-settlement-in-England-look-like-and-what-would-they-do

18 hours ago Webheres an example of what Leicester looked like in the Roman era. Most settlements derived from three types of people. Traders, who owned shops and sold items, Artisans: …

5.Towns in Roman Britain - Primary Homework Help

Url:http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/romans/towns.htm

23 hours ago WebThe Roman towns were full of fine buildings and temples. The Romans liked everything to be organised and orderly. Streets were laid out in neat, straight lines, like on a chess-board. …

6.List of cities founded by the Romans - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_founded_by_the_Romans

15 hours ago WebThis is a list of cities and towns founded by the Romans.It lists every city established and built by the ancient Romans to have begun as a colony, often for the settlement of …

7.Ancient Roman street maps of Britain reveal what YOUR …

Url:https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9259867/ancient-roman-street-maps-britain/

34 hours ago Web · Roman settlements are marked with black and red boxes. You can zoom in on locations by clicking and using the mouse wheel, or by hitting the zoom in and zoom …

8.Roman Britain | History, Facts, & Map | Britannica

Url:https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Britain

3 hours ago WebThe lowlands were conquered easily and quickly, though the midlands were garrisoned until about 79 ce. The uplands were hardly subdued completely until the end of the 2nd …

9.What were ancient Celtic settlements like? : …

Url:https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1h92ub/what_were_ancient_celtic_settlements_like/

7 hours ago WebThree forms of settlement become widespread during this period: 1 farms clustered around a religious monument or burial site led by a chief living in one of the farms, 2 several …

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