 In areas of civil control, such as the territories of a "civitas", the fortification and occupation of hill forts was banned as a matter of Roman policy.However, further inland and northward, a number of pre-Roman hill forts continued to be used in the Roman Era, while others were abandoned during the Roman Era, and still others were newly occupied.The inference is that local leaders who were willing to accommodate Roman interests were encouraged and allowed to continue, providing local leadership under local law and custom.