- published: 18 Feb 2009
- views: 27573
The city of London (Latin: Londinium) was established by the Romans around AD 43. It served as a major imperial commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.
Londinium was established as a town by the Romans after the invasion of AD 43 led by the Roman Emperor Claudius. Archaeologists now believe that Londinium was founded as a civilian settlement or civitas by AD 50. A wooden drain by the side of the main Roman road excavated at No 1 Poultry has been dated by dendrochronology to AD 47, which is likely to be the foundation date.
Prior to the arrival of the Roman legions, the area was almost certainly lightly rolling open countryside traversed by streams such as Walbrook. Londinium was established at the point where the Thames was narrow enough to build a bridge, but deep enough to handle sea-going marine vessels. Remains of a massive Roman pier base for a bridge were found in 1981, close to the modern London Bridge.
It was traditionally thought that Londinium started as a civilian settlement, although there is also slight evidence that there was a Roman fortress. However, archaeological excavation undertaken since the 1970s by the Department of Urban Archaeology of the Museum of London, now called MOLAS, has failed to unearth any convincing traces of military occupation on the site, so many archeologists now believe that Londinium was the product of private enterprise. Its site on a busy river-crossing made it a perfect place for traders from across the Roman Empire to set up business.
London never sleeps, it just sucks
The life out of me
And the money from my pocket
London always creeps, showbiz hugs
The life out of me
Have some dignity, honey
Euston, Paddington train station please
Make the red lights turn green
Endlessly
My black cab rolls through the neon disease
Endlessly, endlessly
London never sleeps, it sucks
The life out of me
Show some dignity, honey
Sushi bars, wet fish, it just sucks
The life out of me
And the money from my pocket
Euston, Paddington train station please
Make the red lights turn green
Endlessly
My black cab rolls through the neon disease
Endlessly, endlessly
I come alive outside the M twenty five
I won't drink the poison Thames
I'll chase the sun out West
It's Londinium now, Londinium now
It's Londinium now, Londinium now
Euston, Paddington train station please
Make the red lights turn green
Endlessly
My black cab rolls through the neon disease
Endlessly, endlessly
Euston, Paddington train station please
Make the red lights turn green
Endlessly
My black cab rolls through the neon disease