page_title: Museum of London Archaeology
section_title: Roman London
hierarchical_section_title: Museum of London Archaeology / Findings / Roman London
caption_attribution_description: English: London, Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Display of achaeological finds, found at the site of the theater during renovation work.
context_page_description: MOLA is an archaeology and built heritage practice and independent charitable company registered with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, providing a wide range of professional archaeological services to clients in London and across the country. It is one of the largest archaeological service providers in the UK, and is the only one with IRO status.
  MOLA’s operations were historically focused within Greater London but are increasingly nationwide. It employs over 300 staff across 4 locations: the central London headquarters, and further offices in Northampton, Basingstoke, and Birmingham.
  MOLA is a registered charity with its own academic research strategy and extensive community engagement and education programmes including the Thames Discovery Programme, CITiZAN and the Time Truck.
  Commercial services offered include expertise and advice at all stages of development from pre-planning onwards: management and consultancy advice, impact assessments, excavation, mitigation, standing building recording, surveying and geomatics, geoarchaeology, finds and environmental services, post-excavation and publication, graphics and photography, editing, and archiving.
context_section_description: Excavations by the DUA and DGLA in the 1970s and 1980s revealed that the history of the Roman founding and development of Londinium was much more complex than previously realised. London was established on a militarily-strategic and economically important location which is now the site of the City of London and North Southwark. The settlement was formed shortly after AD 43 AD, probably around the year 47, and a permanent river-crossing was established very near to the current position of London Bridge. Londinium grew rapidly in the 50s but was destroyed in the Boudican revolt around AD 60. The town was rebuilt shortly afterwards and became the provincial capital, enjoying  substantial public investment and spectacular economic growth until its height in the early 2nd century. An extensive fire, economic changes, and plague saw growth stagnate in the mid-2nd century, though defensive walls were added around AD 200 during or after the contention between Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus. Later Roman London experienced urban renewal in many areas and remained an important centre, though it was no longer a large port or centre of trade. The town suffered a final decline in the late 4th century and was rapidly abandoned, with little evidence of occupation soon after the Roman withdrawal from Britain. Work in recent years by MOLA has continued to add significant information, with recent research findings including extramural Roman settlement in Westminster at St Martin-in-the-Fields and a post-Boudican fortified enclosure at Plantation Place on Cornhill.
caption: Display of finds at the Lundenwic site
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