Abstract
Roman Britain.—An account by Dr. R. E. Mortimer Wheeler of the first season's excavations at St. Albans, which appears in Discovery for December, admirably summarises the chief points of interest. It was thought that Verulamium, which at one time was the nearest approach to a metropolitan city and the only town in Britain dignified with the title of municipium, might well supply evidence of exceptional importance in its bearing upon Romano-British culture and organisation. This has been confirmed already in a striking manner. The ‘London Gate’, for its size and what must have been imposing appearance, is compared by Dr. Wheeler to the great continental gateways or triumphal arches such as have been found at Aries and Autun. The defences of the city are also impressive, consisting of fosse, wall, and reinforcing bank totalling a width of some 165 ft., and even in one part running to 265 feet. Light is thrown upon economic Conditions in the city and its possible relations with Germany by the excavation of a dwelling-house and another building, probably a shop. The house was rebuilt at least thrice during the Roman occupation, and its successive phases show the rise to prosperity and the subsequent decline of the town. Exploration outside the city wall has revealed a cemetery and a prehistoric earthwork. The purpose of the latter is not yet clear, but one of the alternatives suggested is that it may be the site of the settlement of Cassivelaunus, the most important centre of southern Britain in the first century A.D. These latter discoveries have added thirty acres to the area to be investigated, the site within the Roman walls being 200 acres.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Research Items. Nature 126, 933–935 (1930). https://doi.org/10.1038/126933a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/126933a0