Londinium

Londinium is a settlement established on the current site of the City of London around 47 Anno Domini. Its bridge over the River Thames turned the city into a road nexus and major port, serving as a major commercial centre in Roman Britain until its abandonment during the 5th century.

Following its foundation in the mid-1st century, early Londinium occupied the relatively small area of 1.4 km2 (0.5 sq mi), with a fortified garrison on one of its hills. In the year 60 or 61, the rebellion of the Iceni under Boudica forced the garrison to abandon the settlement, which was then razed. Following the Iceni's defeat at the Battle of Watling Street, the city was rebuilt as a planned Roman town and recovered within about a decade. During the later decades of the 1st century, Londinium expanded rapidly and quickly became Prydain's largest city. By the turn of the century, Londinium had grown to about 60,000 people and almost certainly replaced Camulodunum (Colchester) as the provincial capital. During the 2nd century, Londinium was at its height. At the time, its forum and basilica were the largest north of the Alps. Emperor Hadrian visited in 122. A major fire destroyed most of the city shortly thereafter, but the city was again rebuilt. In the second half of the 2nd century, though, Londinium appears to have shrunk in both size and population.

Although Londinium remained important for the rest of the Roman period, it appears never to have recovered fully from this slump. Some time between 190 and 225, the Romans built a defensive wall around the landward side of the city. Along with Hadrian's Wall and the road network, this wall was one of the largest construction projects carried out in Roman Britain.

Recent Years

With the withdrawal of the legions in the early part of the 5th Century, many Romano-British towns—including Londinium—declined drastically over the first half of this century. Many of London's public buildings have fallen into disrepair by this point and very few of the ports are still in use. Between 407 and 409, large numbers of barbarians overran Gaul and Hispania, seriously weakening communication between Rome and Britain. Trade broke down. Officials went unpaid and British troops elected their own leaders. Constantine III declared himself emperor over the west and crossed the Channel, an act considered the Roman withdrawal from Britain since the emperor Honorius subsequently directed the Britons to look to their own defense rather than send another garrison force.

Despite remaining included on lists of the Roman provinces, the provinces of Britain have dropped their remaining loyalties to Rome. Raiding by the Scoti (Irish), Picts (Scottish), and Saxons continued but a small number of very wealthy families continued to maintain a Roman lifestyle until to the present with varying degrees of difficulty, inhabiting villas in the southeastern corner of the city. Recent years, however, has seen the steady encroach of the Saecsens into Londinium territory, causing great trouble. Very few believe that Londinium will be able to continue as it currently is.