Londinium was established as a civilian town by the Romans about four years after the invasion of AD 43. London, like Rome, was founded on the point of the river where it was narrow enough to bridge and the strategic location of the city provided easy access to much of Europe.
What was London before it was London?
What was London known as before?
Fast-forward to the 8th century and Alfred the Great took over the dilapidated, formerly Roman town and anglicized the name to Lundenburh, which eventually got shortened to London.
What was London like in the past?
In the 19th century, London was the capital of the largest empire the world had ever known — and it was infamously filthy. It had choking, sooty fogs; the Thames River was thick with human sewage; and the streets were covered with mud.
When was London first settled?
When was London founded? London's founding can be traced to 43 CE, when the Roman armies began their occupation of Britain under Emperor Claudius. At a point just north of the marshy valley of the River Thames, where two low hills were sited, they established a settlement they called Londinium.
Did London exist before the Romans?
Before the Romans invaded, London didn't exist, says Roman historian Roger Tomlin at the University of Oxford. There were just “wild west, hillbilly-style settlements” scattered around the area.
What was London called in Viking times?
Lundwic By the 8th century, Lundwic was a prosperous trading centre, both by land and sea. The term “Wic” itself means “trading town” and was derived from the latin word Vicus. So Lundenwic can loosely be translated as “London Trading Town.”
What did the Romans call London?
Londinium Londinium, also known as Roman London, was the capital of Roman Britain during most of the period of Roman rule. It was originally a settlement established on the current site of the City of London around AD 47–50.
Was medieval London dirty?
The inhabitants of medieval London (human and animal) produced 50 tons of excrement a day. … Except, unfortunately, it wasn't bare earth – the ground was covered with the excrement of both people and animals, as well as animal entrails and rotting food.
Why was Victorian London so smelly?
The Great Stink was an event in Central London in July and August 1858 during which the hot weather exacerbated the smell of untreated human waste and industrial effluent that was present on the banks of the River Thames.