Editing Verulamium (section)

==History==
Before the Romans established their settlement, there was already a tribal centre in the area which belonged to the [[Catuvellauni]]. This settlement is usually called [[Verlamion]]. The etymology is uncertain but the name has been [[linguistic reconstruction|reconstructed]] as *''Uerulāmion'', which would have a meaning like "[the tribe or settlement] of the broad hand" (''Uerulāmos'') in [[Common Brittonic|Brittonic]].<ref name="Isaac">Isaac, Graham R. "Place-Names in Ptolemy's Geography: An Electronic Data Base with Etymological Analysis of the Celtic Name-elements". Aberystwyth : CMCS Publications, 2004. Computer file : CD-ROM.</ref> In this pre-Roman form, it was among the first places in [[Great Britain|Britain]] recorded by name. The settlement was established by [[Tasciovanus]], who minted coins there.

The Roman settlement was granted the rank of ''[[municipium]]'' around AD&nbsp;50, meaning its citizens had what were known as "Latin Rights", a lesser citizenship status than a {{Lang|la|[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]}} possessed. It grew to a significant town, and as such received the attentions of [[Boudica]] of the [[Iceni]] in 61, when Verulamium was sacked and burnt on her orders: a black ash layer has been recorded by archaeologists, thus confirming the Roman written record. The rebuilt town grew steadily; by the early 3rd century, it covered an area of about {{convert|125|acre|km2}}, behind a deep ditch and wall. It is the location of the martyrdom of the first British martyr saint, [[Saint Alban]], who was a Roman patrician converted by the priest [[Amphibalus]].<ref>This story is recorded by [[Bede]] and also by the monks of the abbey of the town, notably Brother [[Matthew Paris]] in his Anglo-Norman ''Vie de Seint Auban''.</ref>

Verulamium contained a [[forum (Roman)|forum]], [[basilica]] and a [[Roman theatre (structure)|theatre]], much of which were damaged during two fires, one in 155 and the other in around 250. One of the few extant Roman inscriptions in Britain was found in the remnants of the forum (see [[Verulamium Forum inscription]]). The town was rebuilt in [[Rock (geology)|stone]] rather than [[timber]] at least twice over the next 150 years. Occupation by the Romans ended between AD 400 and 450.