In 1988, Museum of London archaeologists made a discovery that was
to change the face of Roman London forever - when they unearthed
the capital's only Roman amphitheatre in Guildhall Yard. Nearly 15
years later, the doors to the amphitheatre opened for the first
time in nearly 2,000 years.
Entry to the amphitheatre is included in the
Gallery's admission. For organised tours please contact the
Museum of London box office, tel 020 78145777 or email
groups@museumoflondon.org.uk.
The discovery
The amphitheatre was first discovered in 1988 when short
stretches of Roman wall were observed at the bottom of four
archaeological investigation trenches. The findings were instantly
famous and the site became a protected monument. The City of London
was keen to integrate the remains into its proposals for a new Art
Gallery and in 1992 work started, with the excavations taking place
at the same time as construction over six years. Since the dig
finished the remains have been protected in a controlled
environment in which they could dry out slowly, thus preventing
damage to the ancient masonry.
Roman London
Britain finally entered the annals of recorded history with
Julius Caesar's two 'invasions' of 55and 54 BC. Although the Romans
thought of them as barbarians, the Britons were, especially in the
south-east, already very influenced by Roman culture and
civilisation. In the century following Caesar's visit, there
continued to be extensive trade in luxury goods, as well as
political links following his treaties with the principal British
tribal leaders. Roman troops may not have been stationed here but
Rome certainly had friends amongst the Britons.
In AD 43 the Emperor Claudius decided to put the relationship
between Rome and Britain on a more formal basis - he ordered
another invasion and the complete subjugation of the island. This
invasion was more thorough, with most of the south-east overrun
within the first year. The Romans, under the personal leadership of
Claudius, seized the most important British town in the south,
Camulodunum (Colchester), to turn it into a military base.
Campaigning then pushed northwards and westwards to subjugate
remaining areas of resistance.
Although Britain, or rather what is now England and Wales, was not
fully conquered until the early 80s AD, there was clearly
considerable confidence amongst the invaders in the early years.
Some tribes in some areas were openly pro-Roman and quickly adopted
Roman customs and laws. In other areas Roman settlers, usually
retired soldiers, formed colonies (eg at Colchester).
In about AD 47 two small hills on the north side of the Thames -
currently occupied by St Paul's Cathedral and Leadenhall Market -
were selected as the site for a new town, to be run by and for the
traders who handled the importing of large quantities of luxury
goods (wine, oil, cloth) and the exporting of raw materials such as
slaves. It was called Londinium and quickly grew to be the most
vibrant town in the whole province. The town benefited from easy
access to the sea, and a position at the borders rather than the
centres of existing tribal groups. By the early 2nd century AD, the
Roman historian Tacitus was able to describe Londinium as 'famous
for its wealth of traders and commercial traffic'.
The arena
St Augustine, writing in the 4th century on the subversive
appeal of the arena, describes a visit to one made by his Christian
friend, Alypius: ….the whole place was seething with savage
enthusiasm, but he shut the doors of his eyes and forbade his soul
to go out into a scene of such evil. If only he could have blocked
up his ears too. For in the course of the fight some man fell;
there was a great roar from the whole mass of spectators …he was
overcome by curiosity and opened his eyes, feeling perfectly
prepared to treat whatever he might see with scorn and to
rise above it ... He saw the blood and he gulped down the savagery
... drunk with the lust of blood. He was no longer the man who had
come there but was one of the crowd to which he had come.
After the Romans
Following dismantling and abandonment in the 4th century the
site of the amphitheatre lay derelict and empty for hundreds of
years. It was only in the mid 11th century that pressure on space
in bustling Saxon and Norman London led to the reoccupation of the
area. The excavations uncovered a number of well-preserved timber
and wattle buildings, probably domestic houses, animal byres and
small workshops.
In the early 12th century the first Guildhall was built a few
metres to the north. By the 13th century the area was developing
rapidly into the focus for the City's self-government and ever
grander buildings were added to the complex between then and the
16th century. Before the great changes of the Reformation these
included the Guildhall itself, Guildhall chapel, Guildhall college
and library, the church of St Lawrence Jewry, and Blackwell Hall.
Of these only the 15th-century Guildhall still stands.