small civilian settlement, especially one outside a fort

Vicus is the Roman word for a type of civilian settlement found outside a Roman fort.

In the history of the Roman empire, a vicus (pl. vici) was an ad hoc provincial civilian settlement that sprang up close to and because of a nearby official Roman site, usually a military garrison or state-owned mining operation.

Vicus was an important early culture in Peru from 1000BC to 300AD. These settlers in the Piura region were known for their work in ceramics and gold. Living mainly on the coastal deserts, they used the native clay and local dyes to produce natural and religious symbols; modern day pottery from the town of Chulucanas is said to closely resemble the ancient art.