Roman Foundations

Roman Wall, Barbican

a.d  50            Londinium founded by the Romans.

 First bridge across the river Thames.

a.d  60            Boudicca (Queen of the Iceni) revolts & burns London.

a.d  61            Romans start rebuilding the city.

a.d  70            Amphitheatre built (remains under today’s Guildhall Yard).

a.d  80-125    Forum & Basilica built.

a.d  200          Romans build defensive wall around the city against threat of attack.

a.d  290          London Mint in production.

a.d  368          Londinium renamed Augusta.

a.d  410          Rome falls to the Goths, Romans abandon Londinium (Augusta).

a.d  457          Anglo/Roman army  suffers defeat & retreat within the city walls.

Historical dark period, no news of the city or its inhabitants (if any) until the Saxons arrive.

a.d 600’s        Saxons build a new London outside the city walls, and call it Lundenwic. It

                         covers, East to West, from today’s Aldwych to Charing Cross, and from Covent

                         Garden down to the Thames, North to South. 

a.d  604          St.Paul’s Cathedral built & Mellitus appointed Archbishop of London.

840’s-880’s   Danish Vikings attack Lundenwic repeatedly over this period.

                          The Saxons lose and then regain Control.

a.d  886          King Alfred tires of Viking attacks and retreats back inside the walls of the old city (now

                          called Lundenberg). The two saxon settlements are now Lundenwic (outside the walls)

                          and Lundenberg (within the walls).