ROMAN URBAN TOPOGRAPHY in Britain and the western Empire

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93 Jones: New streets for old: the topography of Roman Lincoln
London in the 1st and early 2nd centuries Dominic Perring This brief paper is intended to summarize the current state of our understanding of the early development of the topography of Roman London and is largely drawn from more detailed studies. 1 It is primarily concerned with houses and streets, rather than with the public buildings. The development of London was very much influenced by the nature and position of the site (Fig 64). This consisted of two hills, separated by the Walbrook stream, on the north bank of the Thames. A natural causeway though the marshlands of the south bank determined the location of the bridgehead, while the higher ground on the north permitted the insertion of the timber quays which formed the original port of London. The evidence available at present strongly suggests that this was a planned civilian foundation of c AD 50, although it is still possible to argue that the civilian settlement was preceded by an as yet unidentified Claudian fort. The creation of the town involved the reorganization of the road system, which had probably previously centred on a ford at Westminster. The date is a significant one in the history of urbanization in Britain, roughly coinciding with the creation of the colonia at Colchester and the foundation of Verulamium. As all three places were evidently planned settlements, Roman in character from their inception, it seems likely that they formed part of a coordinated policy of urbanization, presumably directed by the Governor, Ostorius Scapula. This policy combined military and administrative needs with those of the commercial exploitation of the expanding province. That this was seen to be the case by the native population is most strikingly illustrated by the progress of the Boudican revolt a decade later; the choice of London and Verulamium as targets after Colchester is surely significant. London was preeminently a port, and for most of its early life no doubt the main centre of interprovincial trade in Britain. But the fact that it also adopted a major administrative role, at least as the Procurator’s base by 60, but potentially as the Governor’s base of operations from its inception (cf Salway, this volume, p 70), illustrates the Fig 64 London: the topography of the early city; contours at 3ft (c 1m) intervals (Drawn by David Bentley after OS map of Roman London (2 edn) and other sources) 94
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No 59 ROMAN URBAN TOPOGRAPHY in Bri
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Copyright © 1985 Authors and Counc
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Illustrations Fig 1 Miletus Fig 2 C
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Introduction: the study of Classica
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Introduction and the land divided i
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Introduction Fig 3 Timgad: the colo
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Introduction Fig 6 Lepcis Magna: th
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Introduction xvi
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Cunliffe: Aspects of urbanization i
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Cunliffe: Aspects of urbanization i
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PART II THE PLANNING AND BUILDING O
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Dilke: Ground survey and measuremen
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The mechanics of the building trade
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Ling: The mechanics of the building
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Who paid for public buildings in Ro
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Duncan--ones: Who paid for public b
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Duncan-Jones: Who paid for public b
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Civic Pride: a factor in Roman town
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Frere: Civic Pride: a factor in Rom
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Reece: Roman towns and their plans
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Reece: Roman towns and their plans
Page 57 and 58: Wacher: The functions of urban buil
Page 59 and 60: Casey: The Roman housing market leg
Page 61 and 62: Casey: The Roman housing market Evi
Page 63 and 64: Casey: The Roman housing market Rom
Page 65 and 66: Drinkwater: Urbanization in the thr
Page 71 and 72: Forum and Capitolium in the early E
Page 73 and 74: Todd: Forum and Capitolium in the e
Page 75 and 76: The quick and the dead: suburbs, ce
Page 77 and 78: Esmonde Cleary: The quick and the d
Page 87 and 88: Salway: Geography and the growth of
Page 89 and 90: Colchester: the mechanics of laying
Page 91 and 92: Crummy: Colchester: the mechanics o
Page 101 and 102: New streets for old : the topograph
Page 103 and 104: Jones: New streets for old: the top
Page 105 and 106: Jones: New streets for old: the top
Page 107: Jones: New streets for old: the top
Page 111 and 112: Perring: London in the 1st and earl
Page 113 and 114: Perring: London in the 1st and earl
Page 115 and 116: Marsden: London in the 3rd and 4th
Page 125 and 126: Barker: Aspects of the topography o
Page 131 and 132: Fig 81 Wroxeter: the area of excava
Page 133 and 134: probably from Viroconium, the robbi
Page 135 and 136: Forum Iuhi (Cividale) (Italy) 61a f
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