Editing History of London (section)

===Roman London (AD&nbsp;47–410)===

{{main|Roman London}}
[[File:Antoninianus Carausius leg4-RIC 0069v.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Carausius]] coin from Londinium mint]]
[[File:Constantius I capturing London after defeating Allectus Beaurains hoard.jpg|thumb|200px|A medal of [[Constantius I]] capturing [[London]] (inscribed as {{Smallcaps|lon}}) in 296 after defeating [[Allectus]]. From [[Beaurains Treasure|Beaurains treasure]].]]
''Londinium'' was established as a civilian town by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] about four years<ref>[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/no1poultry_molas_2007/ Number 1 Poultry (ONE 94), Museum of London Archaeology, 2013]. Archaeology Data Service, The University of York.</ref> after the [[Roman conquest of Britain|invasion of AD&nbsp;43]]. London, like Rome, was founded on the point of the river where it was narrow enough to bridge and the strategic location of the city provided easy access to much of Europe. Early Roman London occupied a relatively small area, roughly equivalent to the size of [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]]. In around AD&nbsp;60, it was destroyed by the [[Iceni]] led by their queen [[Boudica]]. The city was quickly rebuilt as a planned Roman town and recovered after perhaps 10 years; the city grew rapidly over the following decades.

Although some sources claim that during the 2nd century AD ''Londinium'' replaced [[Camulodunum|Colchester]] as the capital of [[Roman Britain]] (Britannia) there is no surviving evidence to prove it was ever the capital of Roman Britain. Its population was around 60,000 inhabitants. It boasted major public buildings, including the largest [[basilica]] north of the Alps, [[Roman temple|temples]], [[Thermae|bath houses]], an [[amphitheatre]] and a large [[fort]] for the city garrison. Political instability and recession from the 3rd century onwards led to a slow decline.

At some time between 180 and 225, the Romans built the defensive [[London Wall]] around the landward side of the city. The wall was about {{convert|3|km|mi|0}} long, {{convert|6|m|ft|0}} high, and {{convert|2.5|m|ft|0}} thick. The wall would survive for another 1,600 years and define the [[City of London]]'s perimeters for centuries to come. The perimeters of the present City are roughly defined by the line of the ancient wall.

Londinium was an ethnically diverse city with inhabitants from across the Roman Empire, including natives of Britannia, [[continental Europe]], the [[Middle East]], and [[North Africa]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34809804 DNA study finds London was ethnically diverse from start], [[BBC]], 23 November 2015</ref>

In the late 3rd century, Londinium was raided on several occasions by Saxon pirates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=2246|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804183841/http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=2246|url-status=usurped|archive-date=4 August 2016|title=Londinium – Excavating London's Past|date=2015-07-30|website=Rome Across Europe|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-15}}</ref> This led, from around 255 onwards, to the construction of an additional riverside wall. Six of the traditional seven city gates of London are of Roman origin, namely: [[Ludgate]], [[Newgate]], [[Aldersgate]], [[Cripplegate]], [[Bishopsgate]] and [[Aldgate]] ([[Moorgate]] is the exception, being of medieval origin).

By the 5th century, the Roman Empire was in rapid decline and in 410, the Roman occupation of Britannia came to an end. Following this, the Roman city also went into rapid decline and by the end of the 5th century was practically abandoned.