Londinium
Londinium 250-350 CE
- Several construction projects undertaken at this time
- Temples
- 2 inscriptions found referring to the rebuilding of two temples
- 3rd inscription mentions restoration of the temple
to the Mother-Goddess
- Construction of the riverside wall
- Most likely an imperial undertaking
- Blocked access to the quays
- Evidence that some were no longer in use
- Amount of foreign trade had declined
- Happened before construction of the wall
- Construction
- Two styles
- Eastern section
- Western end
- Reused stone may indicate built in a hurry
- Several houses built
- Constructed over leveled remains of earlier buildings
- One discovered under new Lloyd’s building
- Most shops and industrial area did not survive to this period
- Cemeteries
- Inhumation dominated
- Best source of information on people living in Londinium
at this time
Londinium 350-450+ CE
- Last reference to Roman Londinium in late 3rd century
- Roman expeditions to Roman Britain
- In 367 almost a complete breakdown in civil order
- Barbarian incursions
- Londinium still administrative center
- City defenses modified
- Bastions added
- Eastern side added now
- Western side Medieval
- Bastions D-shaped
- Several buildings were abandoned at this time
- Structures demolished
- Robbed of their material
- See revival in waterfront area
- Houses in area completely rebuilt
- Some houses had resurfaced floors
- Several others show continuous use into this period
- Latest occupation of Roman Londinium
- Final years difficult to trace
- No Roman campaigns in the area
- Shrinking foreign trade
- Occupation sites difficult to identify
- Little secure material evidence for the 5th century CE
- Small number of houses continued to be occupied
- Two major aspects for the failure of Roman Londinium
- Most streets covered with dark-earth
- Complete by 5th century
- Was attempt to convert area into agricultural land
- Middle Saxon town of 6th and 7th centuries had little relation to Roman Londinium