Roman cities in Britain

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For a list of modern cities in the UK, see List of cities in the United Kingdom. For a list of all Romano-British settlements, see List of Roman place names in Britain.

File:Roman Britain 410.jpg
Traditional arrangement of the Roman provinces after Camden,[1]

This is a list of cities in Great Britain during the period of Roman occupation from 43 AD to the 5th century. Roman cities were known as civitas in Latin. They were mostly fortified settlements where native tribal peoples lived, governed by the Roman officials. The majority of the cities (civitates) listed are either former Iron Age tribal capitals, strategic settlements on Roman roads, trading posts between tribal groups or, occasionally, ports, although the latter two were more usually not defined as civitas. A small number of these cities were settlements of Roman origin, the most famous of which is Aquae Sulis, modern day Bath. At least 26 of the current 63 cities in England and Wales were fortified civitates during the Roman era, the most famous being Camulodunum, modern day Colchester, the first capital of the Roman province of Britannia, and Londinium, modern day London, the later capital of the province and current capital of both England and the United Kingdom today. This list covers cities throughout Great Britain but does not include Cornwall or Scotland where the Romans had less influence. The list shows the modern (Anglo-Saxon) settlement names as well as the native Brythonic and Roman names for the settlement. Civitates were prefixed with Caer in Brythonic which roughly equates to the same word in modern Welsh, meaning "stronghold", "fortress", or "citadel", usually written in Anglo-Saxon as -caster, -cester, and -chester. The eighth century Welsh monastic author of the Historia Brittonum, Nennius, recorded 28 civitates, which together make up a large proportion of the cities in this list (26 out of the 28 are listed with their likely locations, but several are by no means certain). However, "Caer Custoeint" and "Caer Brithon" are not included, the former having an unknown location and the latter being in Scotland and unlikely to actually have been a Roman civitas.[2] Many of the Roman civitates transitioned into Anglo-Saxon settlements during the Dark Ages, remaining as cities or large towns today. Others, however, fell into disrepair and little but ruins remain, often close to small villages.

Modern Settlement Brythonic Name Roman Name Tribe Associated Historic County Flag Current Status Image Mentioned by Nennius
Alcester Caer Alen Alauna Local Tribe Warwickshire Town File:Old road bridge, Alcester - geograph.org.uk - 1877198.jpg No
Aldborough Caer Isurion Isurium Brigantum Brigantes West Riding of Yorkshire Village File:Roman ruins in Aldborough (8093).jpg No
Bath Caer Baddon Aquae Sulis Roman Settlement Somerset File:Flag of Bath.png City File:Roman Baths, Bath, 2017.jpg No
Brough Caer Petuar Petuaria Parisi East Riding of Yorkshire Town File:HER Museum 6 July 2018 Petuaria 2.jpg No
Builth Wells Caer Peris Unknown Ordovices & Silures Brecknockshire Town File:Gateway to Caer Beris - geograph.org.uk - 1042227.jpg Yes
Caernarfon Caer Segeint Segontium Ordovices Caernarfonshire Town File:Segontium ruins in Caernarfon (7553).jpg Yes
Caistor (Thancaster) Caer Correi Caistor Corieltauvi Lincolnshire Town File:Spa Top, Caistor - geograph.org.uk - 3400456.jpg No
Cambridge Caer Grauth Duroliponte Catuvellauni Cambridgeshire File:Flag of the City of Cambridge.png City File:Roman Road towards Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 1017375.jpg Yes
Canterbury Caer Ceint Durovernum Cantiacorum Cantiaci Kent File:Flag of Canterbury.png City File:Canterbury - Castle01.jpg Yes
Cardiff Caer Teim Tamium Silures Glamorgan File:Flag of Cardiff.svg City File:Cardiff Castle - North Gate - 2022-08-18 (1).jpg No
Carlisle Capital of Britannia Valentia Caer Ligualid Luguvalium Carvetii Cumberland File:Flag of Carlisle.png City File:Birdoswald 2014 27.jpg Yes
Carmarthen Caer Merddyn Moridunum Demetae Carmarthenshire Town File:Amphitheatre Moridunum - geograph.org.uk - 777546.jpg Unlikely
Catterick Caer Catarauc Cataractonium Brigantes North Riding of Yorkshire Village File:Agricola Bridge, Catterick - geograph.org.uk - 276655.jpg Yes
Chepstow (Caerwent) Caer Guent (possibly) Venta Silurum Silures Monmouthshire Town (Village) File:CaerwentWall.jpg Yes
Chester Caer Legion Deva Victrix Cornovii (Midlands) Cheshire File:Flag of Chester.png City File:The Roman Amphitheatre, Deva Victrix (Chester, UK) (8391144271).jpg Yes
Chichester Caer Cei Noviomagus Reginorum Regni Sussex File:Flag of Chichester.png City File:Along the City Walls, Chichester - geograph.org.uk - 2475033.jpg No
Cirencester Capital of Britannia Prima Caer Ceri Corinium Dobunnorum Dobunni Gloucestershire Town File:Roman Amphitheatre, Cirencester - geograph.org.uk - 2827606.jpg No
Colchester Early Capital of Britannia Caer Colun Camulodunum Trinovantes Essex File:Colchester Flag.png City (2022)[3] File:South-east corner of Colchester's Roman wall - geograph.org.uk - 545333.jpg Yes
Conwy (Caerhun) Caer Canovion (Informally)[4] Canovium Deceangorum Deceangli Denbighshire Town (Village) File:Caerhun lychgate and church.jpg No
Doncaster Caer Daun Danum Roman Settlement West Riding of Yorkshire File:Flag of Doncaster.png City (2022)[3] File:Roman Road heading north - geograph.org.uk - 2602375.jpg Yes
Dorchester Caer Durnac Durnovaria Durotriges Dorset Town File:Roman Town House, Dorchester.jpg No
Dunster Caer Draitou Unknown Dumnonii Somerset Village File:Dunster, Exmoor - geograph.org.uk - 3259946.jpg Yes
Durham (Binchester) Caer Weir Vinovia Brigantes County Durham File:Flag of Durham.svg City (Village) File:Binchester Roman Fort.jpg No
Exeter Caer Uisc Isca Dumnoniorum Dumnonii Devon File:Exeter Flag.png City File:Tower, city walls, Exeter - geograph.org.uk - 1082975.jpg No
Gloucester Capital of Britannia Secunda Caer Glout Glevum Dobunii Gloucestershire File:Gloucester Flag.png City File:Chedworth Roman Villa 2012 - View from northeast.jpg No
Hereford (Kenchester) Caer Fawydd Magnae Dobunnorum Dobunni Herefordshire File:Flag of Hereford.png City (Village) File:Roman Road crosses the Wye, near Kenchester - geograph.org.uk - 25275.jpg No
Ilchester Caer Pensa vel Coyt Lindinis Lendinienses, part of Durotriges? Somerset Village File:Ilchester, below Ilchester Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 3018084.jpg Yes
Leicester Caer Lerion Ratae Corieltauvorum Corieltauvi Leicestershire File:Flag of the City of Leicester.png City File:The Jewry Wall - geograph.org.uk - 2115631.jpg Yes
Lichfield (Wall) Caer Luit coyt Letocetum Cornovii (Midlands) & Corieltauvi Staffordshire File:Flag of Lichfield.png City (Village) File:Letocetum - Wall Roman Site (32033944682).jpg Yes
Lincoln Capital of Britannia Flavia Caer Lind-colun Lindum Colonia Corieltauvi Lincolnshire File:Flag of Lincoln.svg City File:Newport Arch.jpg No
City of London Later Capital of Britannia Caer Londein Londinium Catuvellauni & Trinovantes Middlesex File:Flag of the City of London.svg City File:Londinium Roman Wall (40333720812).jpg Yes
Manchester Caer Maunguid Mamucium Roman Settlement Lancashire File:Flag of Manchester.png City File:Romeinse ruines (2).jpg Yes
Monmouth (The Doward) Caer Guorthigirn Blestium Silures Monmouthshire / Herefordshire File:Monmouth flag.jpg Town (Village) File:View from The Great Doward 1 - geograph.org.uk - 1397853.jpg Yes, Probably
Norwich (Caistor St Edmund) Caer Guin Truis (possibly) Venta Icenorum Iceni Norfolk File:Flag of Norwich.svg City (Village) File:Venta Icenorum - geograph.org.uk - 1999974.jpg No
Newport (Caerleon) Caer legion guar uisc Isca Augusta Silures Monmouthshire File:Flag of Newport.png City (Town) File:Caerleon Amphitheatre 20171016 west entrance seen from arena.jpg Yes
Portsmouth (Portchester) Caer Portus Portus Adurni Belgae Hampshire File:City Flag of Portsmouth.svg City (Village) File:Landgate Tower, Porchester Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1416754.jpg No
Rochester Caer Dourbruf Durobrivae Cantiacorum Cantiaci Kent Town File:Remains of Roman wall (≈200 D.C.) - panoramio.jpg No
Salisbury (Old Sarum) Caer Sallwg Sorbiodunum Atrebates Wiltshire File:Salisbury Flag.svg City File:OLD SARUM ruins.jpg Yes
Shrewsbury (Wroxeter) Caer Guricon Viroconium Cornoviorum Cornovii (Midlands) Shropshire Town (Village) File:Viroconium Cornoviorum 07.jpg Yes
Silchester Caer Celemion Calleva Atrebatum Atrebates Hampshire Village File:The southwest wall of Calleva Atrebatum - geograph.org.uk - 2046014.jpg Yes
St Albans Caer Municep Verulamium Catuvellauni Hertfordshire File:FlagOfStAlbans-PS01.svg City File:The Roman Theatre at Verulamium, St Albans (14027376710).jpg Yes
Whitchurch Caer Meguidd Mediolanum Cornovii (Midlands) Shropshire Town File:Farmland beside the Kingsclere to Whitchurch road - geograph.org.uk - 813552.jpg Yes
Winchester Caer Guent (possibly) Venta Belgarum Belgae Hampshire File:Winchester Flag.png City File:Steps at Winchester, Hampshire - geograph.org.uk - 1744000.jpg Yes
Worcester Caer Guiragon Vertis Dobunii & Cornovii (Midlands) Worcestershire File:Flag of Worcester.png City File:Track of Roman road approaching Worcester - geograph.org.uk - 2666761.jpg Yes
York Capital of Britannia Maxima Caer Ebrauc Eboracum Brigantes North Riding of Yorkshire File:Flag of York.svg City File:York UK Wall Roman Foundation.JPG Yes

References

  1. ↑ Camden, William (1610) [Original text published 1586], "The Division of Britaine", Britain, or, a Chorographicall Description of the most flourishing Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, Translated by Philemon Holland
  2. ↑ "Britannia Articles: Nennius' Twenty-Eight British Cities". 15 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Platinum Jubilee: Eight towns to be made cities for Platinum Jubilee". BBC. 20 May 2022.
  4. ↑ "Roman Britain: Deceangi Tribe". roman-britain.co.uk. 21 May 2022.
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