The Port of Roman London

Many books on Roman London have been written but none has concentrated on the city as a port. This is simply because much of the vital evidence has only recently been revealed. From 1979 to 1982, an intensive programme of rescue excavations was mounted near London Bridge and Billingsgate in advance of the imminent redevelopment of the area. As a result, dramatic evidence of activity in the heart of the Roman harbour was recovered. This illustrated discussion of that remarkable material plots the development of this crucial area of the Roman city, while other chapters are devoted to considerations of the dating evidence, the Roman bridge, the well-preserved quay structures, warehousing, the ancient River Thames with its fishing and oyster industries, its ships and barges and the traffic and trade it handled. In conclusion, a critical reappraisal of the role of this important Roman provincial port is outlined. This synthesis of the results of a major urban excavation programme has much to offer Romanists, urban and nautical archaeologists, those interested in the study of ports and harbours, and anyone fascinated by the history of the ancient City of London. The text, edited by Gustav Milne of the Museum of London, is written by the archaeologists who excavated the sites and the specialists who examined the site material at first hand.