Roman towns Before the Romans came, people lived in villages, although some big settlements were like towns but with only wooden buildings. The Romans built towns with walls and gates and used stone, brick and tiles. There were shops, workshops, houses, the forum (the market and meeting area), and the basilica (a law court and town hall). Many Roman towns had public baths, and an amphitheatre. If a place-name has 'chester' or 'cester' in it (from castrum, the Roman word for a fort), it's almost certainly Roman. Colchester London Before the Roman conquest of Londinium was founded by the Romans. Britain it was already a centre of The City of London is the oldest part of power for Cunobelin, king of the London, dating back to 50 AD. Roman Catuvellauni. Later the town invaders built a bridge over the Thames – served as the first provincial the only crossing into the City for 1,700 capital of Roman Britain. years – and created a settlement around it. Colchester Castle It was destroyed by the Iceni during Boudica’s revolt, but soon it became the Roman Amphitheatre largest city in the province and the capital of Roman Britain. St Albans The Museum of London Its Latin name was Verulamium. It developed from a Celtic settlement. Verulamium was sacked and burnt by the Iceni on Boudica’s orders, but it continued to grow steadily. St Albans Museum Bath The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis c.60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although hot springs were known even before then. The Roman Baths York Chester It was founded by the Romans as It was founded as a “castrum” or Eboracum in 71 AD. The Emperors Roman fort with the name Deva Hadrian, Septimius Severus and Victrix in the reign of the Emperor Constantius I held court in York during Vespasian in 79 AD. It was one of their campaigns. the main army camps in Roman Yorkshire Museum Britain. Grosvenor Museum.