Lindum Colonia

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Lindum Colonia (otherwise simply Lindum or, more formally, Colonia Domitiana Lindensium) was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Lincoln, located in the English county of Lincolnshire.

Contents 1 Fort and name 2 Town development 3 Decline 4 References

[edit] Fort and name

The Romans conquered this part of Britain in AD 48 and shortly afterwards built a legionary fortress, possibly south of the River Witham. This was soon replaced, around AD 60, by a second fort for the Ninth Legion, high on a hill overlooking the natural lake formed by the widening of the River Witham (the modern day Brayford Pool) and at the northern end of the Fosse Way Roman road. That pool is very likely to have given Lincoln its name. One line of thought derives the name from the Celtic Lindu (modern Welsh Llyn du), meaning "Dark Pool". It was subsequently Latinized to Lindum.

[edit] Town development

Around AD 80, the fort was converted to a colonia after the legion moved on to Eboracum (York) in the year 71. This was an important settlement for retired legionaries, established by the Emperor Domitian within the walls and using the street grid of the hilltop fortress, with the addition of an extension of about equal area, down the hillside to the waterside below.

It became a major flourishing settlement, accessible from the sea both through the River Trent and through the River Witham. Public buildings, such as the forum (with lifesize equestrians statues) and basilica and the public baths, were erected in the 2nd century. The hilltop was largely filled with private homes, but the slopes became the town's commercial centre. They gained stone walls, like the upper region (including the Newport Arch), around AD 200. There was also an industrial suburb over the river which had pottery production facilities. The town had the best developed sewerage system in the province and a fine octagonal public fountain and part of its aqueduct have been partly uncovered. There were temples dedicated to Apollo and Mercury. Lindum became the provincial capital of Flavia Caesariensis when the province of Britannia Inferior was subdivided in the early 4th century and it sent a bishop to the Council of Arles in AD 314. The original church at St Paul-in-the-Bail may have been late Roman.

[edit] Decline

The town and its waterways eventually fell into decline and, by the close of the 5th century, the city was virtually deserted. However, the church of St Paul continued as a place of worship until 450 and its churchyard was in use into the 6th century. When Saint Paulinus visited in 629, it was apparently under the control of a Praefectus Civitatis called Blecca. The name Lindum Colonia even survived, being shortened on the tongues of the later, English speakers, to become 'Lincoln'.

[edit] References

• Lincoln City and County Museum (c. 1995). A Walk about Roman Lincoln. Lincoln: Lincoln City Council. 
• Ford, David Nash (1996). The 28 Cities of Britain as listed by Nennius. Early British Kingdoms. Retrieved on 2007-02-03.

v • d • e Major towns of Roman Britain Eboracum (capital of Britannia Inferior) - now York • Londinium (capital of Britannia Superior) - now London Bannaventa* • Caesaromagus - now Chelmsford • Calleva Atrebatum* • Camulodunum - now Colchester • Corinium Dobunnorum - now Cirencester • Deva Victrix - now Chester • Durovernum Cantiacorum - now Canterbury • Durnovaria - now Dorchester • Glevum - now Gloucester • Isca Augusta - now Caerleon • Isca Dumnoniorum - now Exeter • Isurium Brigantum - now Aldborough • Lactodurum - now Towcester • Lindum Colonia - now Lincoln • Moridunum - now Carmarthen • Noviomagus Reginorum - now Chichester • Petuaria - now Brough-on-Humber • Ratae Corieltauvorum - now Leicester • Venta Belgarum - now Winchester • Venta Icenorum* • Venta Silurum* • Verulamium - now St Albans • Viroconium Cornoviorum* See also: List of Roman places in Britain * Towns labeled with an asterix have not grown into a modern UK location