Current Archaeology

AD 50 - The story of Roman London

Article Index
AD 50 - The story of Roman London
Boudica's burning of Southwark
The heart of the Roman city
The Roman Amphitheatre
The Saxon city
Reoccupation of the city
The excavators
Where was the dig
All Pages

Most Roman towns were sited either over previous towns, or over Roman forts. London was unusual in that it appears to have been founded from scratch. And it wasn't a quick foundation. The Roman invasion was in AD 43, but it was not until around AD 50 that the first coins indicate the foundation of the town of London.

 

The first port

The original Roman crossing of the River Thames was further up river at Westminster: even today, the Roman road, the Watling Street - today the Edgware Road,  comes into London  pointing to a crossing at Westminster. London itself was only founded around AD 50 Here at Regis House, the very first revetment of the river can be seen,   dated by tree-ring dating to AD 52 , probably the earliest attempt to embank the river and turn London into the great port that it soon became.

 

The great rebuilding

Within 10 years, London had grown to become one of the foremost cities in the country. When Boudica launched her revolt in AD 60, London was one of the towns that was sacked - a layer of burning marks the destruction. Soon afterwards however  a new and better city arose. Here we see the waterfront built around AD70 - again the date comes from tree ring dating. this was a solid timber built quayside, where boats could   draw up alongside for unloading.

 

A Roman mystery?

These three pigs of lead were found under the floorboards of the warehouse in the second century AD. How did they get there? Are they the result of nefarious deal,  when this valuable commodity had to be concealed, never to be recovered - at least not until it was recovered by the archaeologists!