The London that was Rome

The Imperial City Recreated by the New Archaeology

Michael Harrison

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781032388830
• eBook ISBN: 9781000809770
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

First published in 1971 The London that was Rome is both a detective story and a tale of buried treasure. Some years ago, Michael Harrison set out to discover the truth about Roman London. Did it survive the Saxon onslaught in the fifth century or (as many historians have claimed) did it lie sacked, ruined, and abandoned for about a century and a half? Searching for an answer, Harrison forged himself a new 'truth detecting' method of discovery; but even he could not anticipate the immense success of this method.

With 'New Archaeology' he has not only recovered the street plan of Roman London, but also replaced the buildings-temples, barracks, banks, baths, picture-galleries, treasuries and so on – which lined those streets. In many cases he has been able to name the streets and at the same time vividly describe for us the social and economic life of a London, which under the Caesars, ranked among the principal cities of the Empire. This book is an interesting read for students of archaeology, history, and for general readers interested to know about London.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Author’s Foreword
• Introduction
• I The Problem of London’s ‘Disappearance’
• II The Birth of a Theory
• III The Convincing Proof – ‘St Botolph of Icanhoh’
• IV The Five – or Six? – Londons
• V The Gods of Roman London
• VI The Cult of Artemis, the Bear Goddess – London’s Patron Deity
• VII Hotels, Picture Galleries, Restaurants and Baths
• VIII The Defences of Londinium Augusta
• IX Food and Finance in Londinium
• X A Walk through Roman London
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Index