London in the Roman World

incAn original, authoritative survey of the archaeology and history of Roman London.London in the Roman World draws on the results of latest archaeological discoveries to describe London's Roman origins. It presents a wealth of new information from one of the world's richest and most intensively studied archaeological sites, and a host of original ideas concerning its economic and political history. This original study follows a narrative approach, setting archaeological data firmly within its historical context. London was perhaps converted from a fort built at thetime of the Roman conquest, where the emperor Claudius arrived to celebrate his victory in AD 43, to become the commanding city from which Rome supported its military occupation of Britain. London grew to support Rome's campaigning forces, and the book makes a close study of the political and economicconsequences of London's role as a supply base. Rapid growth generated a new urban landscape, and this study provides a comprehensive guide to the industry and architecture of the city. The story, traced from new archaeological research, shows how the city was twice destroyed in war, and suffered more lastingly from plagues of the second and third centuries. These events had a critical bearing on the reforms of late antiquity, from which London emerged as a defended administrative enclave onlyto be deserted when Rome failed to maintain political control. This ground-breaking study brings new information and arguments to our study of the way in which Rome ruled, and how the empire failed.

List of contents

• PART 1: APPROACHES TO ROMAN LONDON


• 1: Introduction


• 2: Recovering Roman London


• 3: Understanding Roman London


• 4: Before London


• PART 2: MAKING LONDON


• 5: The Roman invasion (c. AD 43)


• 6: A supply base (c. AD 43-52)


• 7: Shaping the city (c. AD 52-60)


• 8: The Boudican revolt (c. AD 60-61)


• 9: Post-war reconstruction (c. AD 61-70)


• PART 3: MONUMENTS OF ROME


• 10: Bread and circuses (c. AD 70-80


• 11: Britain's capital? (c. AD 80-90)


• 12: Episodes of renewal (c. AD 90-110)


• 13: The great forum (c. AD 110-125)


• PART 4: THE WORKING CITY


• 14: The urban hinterland


• 15: The region and its resources


• 16: Economy and supply


• 17: London at work


• 18: People and society


• PART 5: DESTRUCTION AND RECOVERY


• 19: The Hadrianic fire (c. AD 125-135)


• 20: The Walbrook skulls


• 21: Antonine sophistication (c. AD 135-165)


• PART 6: LONDON DIMINISHED


• 22: Antonine contraction (c. AD 165-180


• 23: Severan revival (c. AD 180-225)


• 24: Britannia Superior (c. AD 225-250)


• 25: The third-century 'crisis' (c. AD 250-270)


• PART 7: THE LATE ANTIQUE CITY


• 26: Restoration (c. AD 270-285)


• 27: City of emperors (c. AD 285-350)


• 28: Augusta (c. AD 350-380)


• 29: Endings (c. AD 380-400)


• PART 8: BEYOND ROME


• 30: Fifth-century landscapes


• 31: Afterword


• APPENDIX: EXCAVATIONS REFERRED TO IN THE TEXT

About the author

Dominic Perring is the Director of the UCL Centre for Applied Archaeology and a former lecturer in archaeology at the University of Leicester, University of York, and American University of Beirut. He has spent over fifty years leading archaeological research into Roman cities, including major programmes of research in London, Beirut, and Milan. He has written more than 100 academic papers and contributed to various television broadcasts on these and related topics.

Summary

incAn original, authoritative survey of the archaeology and history of Roman London.

London in the Roman World draws on the results of latest archaeological discoveries to describe London's Roman origins. It presents a wealth of new information from one of the world's richest and most intensively studied archaeological sites, and a host of original ideas concerning its economic and political history. This original study follows a narrative approach, setting archaeological data firmly within its historical context. London was perhaps converted from a fort built at the time of the Roman conquest, where the emperor Claudius arrived to celebrate his victory in AD 43, to become the commanding city from which Rome supported its military occupation of Britain. London grew to support Rome's campaigning forces, and the book makes a close study of the political and economic consequences of London's role as a supply base. Rapid growth generated a new urban landscape, and this study provides a comprehensive guide to the industry and architecture of the city. The story, traced from new archaeological research, shows how the city was twice destroyed in war, and suffered more lastingly from plagues of the second and third centuries. These events had a critical bearing on the reforms of late antiquity, from which London emerged as a defended administrative enclave only to be deserted when Rome failed to maintain political control. This ground-breaking study brings new information and arguments to our study of the way in which Rome ruled, and how the empire failed.

Additional text

This is an excellent book for teachers, schools and students to be engaging with and will make a fine addition to any school library.

Report

Accessible... engagingly written... This book is an excellent and thoughtful exploration of London at a macro level, exploring the forces that governed its wider fate, and placing it firmly in context as part of a wider empire. Agree or disagree, this book will be central to discussions of the city for decades to come. Owen Humphreys, Current Archaeology

Product details

• Authors: Perring , Dominic Perring, Dominic (Director of the Ucl Centre for A Perring, Dominic (Director of the UCL Centre for Applied Archaeology Perring, Perring Dominic
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.01.2022
• EAN: 9780198789000
• ISBN: 978-0-19-878900-0
• No. of pages: 592
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; Non-fiction book > History > Pre and early history, antiquity; HISTORY / Ancient / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, Archaeology, Ancient World, Ancient History, Archaeology by period / region, Ancient history: to c 500 CE