View source for Verulamium

{{short description|Ancient town in Roman Britain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{infobox historic site
|name = Verulamium
|image = 20050410-009-verulamium-wall.jpg
|caption = Remains of the city walls, with distinctive Roman brick tiles. St Albans Cathedral is in the background.
|alt = Mortared wall with stacked thick stone layers over thin red brick layers, with a triangular tunnel through
|location = [[Hertfordshire]], England
|locmapin = United Kingdom Hertfordshire#UK England
|gbgridref = TL136070
|coordinates = {{Coord|51.7500|-0.3539|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Verulamium''' was a town in [[Roman Britain]]. It was sited southwest of the modern city of [[St Albans]] in [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]]. The major ancient Roman route [[Watling Street]] passed through the city, but was realigned in medieval times to bring trade to St Albans. It was about a day's walk from London.

A large portion of the Roman city remains unexcavated, being now park and agricultural land, although due to ploughing on the privately owned agricultural half of the city a lot of damage has been done, as proven by parts of mosaic floors that have been found on the surface, and results of ground penetrating radar show outlines of buildings as smudges rather than clearly defined walls like those protected by the parkland. 
Part of the Roman city has been built upon, such as the small settlement around the Anglo-Saxon [[St Michael's Church, St Albans|St Michael's Church]].<ref>[http://pleiades.stoa.org/places/79739/boundary-of-settlement-walls-approx./ Boundary of settlement walls], Pleiades</ref> Much of the site and its environs is now a [[scheduled monument]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1003515 |access-date=13 November 2013}} and related schedules.</ref>

==History==
Before the Romans established their settlement, there was already a tribal centre in the area which belonged to the [[Catuvellauni]]. This settlement is usually called [[Verlamion]]. The etymology is uncertain but the name has been [[linguistic reconstruction|reconstructed]] as *''Uerulāmion'', which would have a meaning like "[the tribe or settlement] of the broad hand" (''Uerulāmos'') in [[Common Brittonic|Brittonic]].<ref name="Isaac">Isaac, Graham R. "Place-Names in Ptolemy's Geography: An Electronic Data Base with Etymological Analysis of the Celtic Name-elements". Aberystwyth : CMCS Publications, 2004. Computer file : CD-ROM.</ref> In this pre-Roman form, it was among the first places in [[Great Britain|Britain]] recorded by name. The settlement was established by [[Tasciovanus]], who minted coins there.

The Roman settlement was granted the rank of ''[[municipium]]'' around AD&nbsp;50, meaning its citizens had what were known as "Latin Rights", a lesser citizenship status than a {{Lang|la|[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]}} possessed. It grew to a significant town, and as such received the attentions of [[Boudica]] of the [[Iceni]] in 61, when Verulamium was sacked and burnt on her orders: a black ash layer has been recorded by archaeologists, thus confirming the Roman written record. The rebuilt town grew steadily; by the early 3rd century, it covered an area of about {{convert|125|acre|km2}}, behind a deep ditch and wall. It is the location of the martyrdom of the first British martyr saint, [[Saint Alban]], who was a Roman patrician converted by the priest [[Amphibalus]].<ref>This story is recorded by [[Bede]] and also by the monks of the abbey of the town, notably Brother [[Matthew Paris]] in his Anglo-Norman ''Vie de Seint Auban''.</ref>

Verulamium contained a [[forum (Roman)|forum]], [[basilica]] and a [[Roman theatre (structure)|theatre]], much of which were damaged during two fires, one in 155 and the other in around 250. One of the few extant Roman inscriptions in Britain was found in the remnants of the forum (see [[Verulamium Forum inscription]]). The town was rebuilt in [[Rock (geology)|stone]] rather than [[timber]] at least twice over the next 150 years. Occupation by the Romans ended between AD 400 and 450.

==Remains of the Roman period==
As well as the items in the museum, there are a few remains of the Roman city visible, including
* parts of the [[city walls]]. These originally surrounded the city apart from a section protected by the River Ver
* a [[hypocaust]] still [[in situ]] under a mosaic floor,  
* [[Roman Theatre, St Albans|the theatre]]
Although there are other Roman theatres in Britain (for example at [[Camulodunum]]), the one at Verulamium has been claimed<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=The Gorhambury Estates Company |title=The Roman Theatre - The Gorhambury Estate |url=https://www.gorhamburyestate.co.uk/The-Roman-Theatre |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=www.gorhamburyestate.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> to be the only full excavated example of its kind, being a theatre with a stage rather than an [[amphitheatre]]. The theatre is on the grounds of and therefore run by the Gorhambury Estate.<ref name="GE">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gorhamburyestate.co.uk/The-Roman-Theatre |title=The Roman Theatre |website=gorhamburyestate.co.uk |access-date=2017-07-26}}</ref>
[[File:RomanTheatreVerulamium-PS1.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|alt=Roman theatre packed-earth entryway and central stage surrounded by grass-covered seating hillocks (ruins)|[[Roman Theatre, St Albans]]]]
[[File:A lidar view of part of Verulamium in Hertfordshire including the Roman theatre.jpg|thumb|A [[lidar]] view of part of Verulamium including the Roman theatre]]

More remains under the nearby agricultural land which have never been excavated were for a while seriously threatened by deep [[ploughing]].
Although recent results of GPR ( ground penetrating radar) have revealed more damage than originally thought has been done to most buildings, especially the north western part of the old Roman city.

Verulamium is mentioned in a Latin inscription on a [[wax tablet]], dated to AD 62, discovered in London during the Bloomberg excavations, 2010–14:<ref>Tomlin, R.S.O., Roman London's first voices. Writing tablets from the Bloomberg excavations, 2010–14, London 2016, writing tablet 45.</ref>
<blockquote>
::<small>P(ublio) Mario Ce<lso=XIII> L(ucio) Afinio Gallo co(n)s(ulibus) XII Kal(endas) Nove//mbr(es) M(arcus) Renn[iu]s Venusrus me condux{s}isse a C(aio) Valerio Proculo ut intra Idus Novembres perferret a <nowiki>[[Londi]]</nowiki> Verulamio penoris onera viginti in singula |(denarii) quadrans vecturae ea condicione ut per me mora |(assem) I Londinium quod si ulnam om[n]e[m]</small>

In the consulship of Publius Marius Celsus and Lucius Afinius Gallus, on the 12th day before the Kalends of November (21 October AD 62). I, Marcus Rennius Venustus, (have written and say that) I have contracted with Gaius Valerius Proculus that he bring from Verulamium by the Ides of November (13 November) 20 loads of provisions at a transport-charge of one-quarter denarius for each, on condition that … one as … to London; but if … the whole …<ref>{{cite web|url=https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/TabLondBloomberg45|title=Tab.Lond.Bloomberg <WT45>. Stylus tablet|website=romaninscriptionsofbritain.org|accessdate=27 April 2022}}</ref>
</blockquote>

==Post-Roman times==
[[St Albans Cathedral|St Albans Abbey]] and the associated [[Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|Anglo-Saxon]] settlement were founded on a hill outside the Roman city. The site of the abbey may have been a location where there was reason to believe that [[St Alban]] was executed or buried. More certainly, the abbey is near the site of a Roman cemetery, which, as was normal in Roman times, was outside the city walls. It is unknown whether there are Roman remains under the medieval abbey. An archaeological excavation in 1978, directed by [[Martin Biddle]], failed to find Roman remains on the site of the medieval [[chapter house]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stalbanscathedral.org/history/chapter-house/history |title=Chapter House History - The Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban |publisher=Stalbanscathedral.org |access-date=2013-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113154308/http://www.stalbanscathedral.org/history/chapter-house/history |archive-date=13 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

David Nash Ford identifies the community as the {{nowrap|''Cair Mincip''}}<ref>[[Nennius]] ({{abbr|attrib.|Traditional attribution}}). [[Theodor Mommsen]] ({{abbr|ed.|Editor}}). [[s:la:Historia Brittonum#VI. CIVITATES BRITANNIAE|''Historia Brittonum'', VI.]] Composed after AD&nbsp;830. {{in lang|la}} Hosted at [[s:la:Main Page|Latin Wikisource]].</ref> ("[[Caer|Fort]] [[Municipium]]") listed by [[Nennius]] among the 28 cities of [[Sub-Roman Britain|Britain]] in his ''[[Historia Brittonum|History of the Britons]]''.<ref name=nashford>Ford, David Nash. "[http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html The 28 Cities of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415120312/http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html |date=15 April 2016 }}" at Britannia. 2000.</ref> As late as the eighth century the Saxon inhabitants of St Albans nearby were aware of their ancient neighbour, which they knew alternatively as ''Verulamacæstir'' or, under what [[H. R. Loyn]] terms "their own hybrid", ''Vaeclingscæstir'', "the fortress of the followers of Wæcla".<ref>Loyn, ''Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest'', 2nd ed. 1991:11.</ref>

==Loss and recovery==
[[File:Verulamium-RomanWalls-PS.jpg|thumb|left | alt= |Stretch of Roman wall by the London Gate]]
The city was quarried for building material for the construction of medieval St Albans; indeed, much of the [[St Albans Abbey|Norman abbey]] was constructed from the remains of the Roman city, with Roman brick and stone visible. The modern city takes its name from [[Saint Alban|Alban]], either a citizen of ''Verulamium'' or a [[Roman army|Roman soldier]], who was condemned to death in the 3rd century for sheltering [[Amphibalus]], a [[Christians|Christian]]. Alban was converted by him to Christianity, and by virtue of his death, Alban became the first British Christian [[martyr]].

Since much of the modern city and its environs are built over Roman remains, it is still common to unearth Roman artefacts several miles away. A complete tile [[kiln]] was found in [[Park Street, Hertfordshire|Park Street]] some {{convert|6|mi|km|spell=in}} from Verulamium in the 1970s, and there is a Roman mausoleum near [[Rothamsted Park]] {{convert|5|mi|km|spell=in}} away.

Within the walls of ancient ''Verulamium'', the [[Elizabethan era|Elizabethan]] philosopher, essayist and statesman [[Sir Francis Bacon]] built a "refined small house" called [[Verulam House, St Albans (17th century)|Verulam House]] that was thoroughly described by the 17th century diarist [[John Aubrey]]. No trace of it is left, but Aubrey noted, "At Verulam is to be seen, in some few places, some remains of the wall of this [Roman] Citie".

Moreover, when Bacon was ennobled in 1618, he took the title [[Baron Verulam]] after ''Verulamium''. The barony became extinct after he died without heirs in 1626.

This title was revived in 1790 for [[James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam|James Grimston]], a Hertfordshire politician. He was later made [[Earl of Verulam]], a title still held by his descendants.

==Verulamium Museum==
{{Main|St Albans Museums}}
[[File:Verulanium Museum St Albans 2024.jpg|thumb|The Verulamium Museum]]
The Verulamium Museum, part of [[St Albans Museums]], is on a site once occupied by the [[Forum (Roman)|forum]]. It is now on the edge of [[Verulamium Park]].

The museum contains much information about the town, both as a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] and [[Iron Age]] settlement, plus Roman history in general. It was established following the excavations carried out by [[Mortimer Wheeler]] and his wife, [[Tessa Wheeler]], during the 1930s.
It is run by the [[St Albans City Council|district council]].

===Collections===
It is noted for the large and colourful mosaics and many other artefacts, such as [[pottery]], jewellery, tools and [[coin]]s, from the Roman period. Many items were found in formal excavations, but some, including the [[Verulamium Forum inscription]]  and a [[coffin]] still containing a male skeleton, were unearthed nearby during building work.

==Other==
The [[asteroid]] [[4206 Verulamium]] was named in honour of the ancient city.

==See also==
*[[St Albans Museums]]
*[[Verulamium Forum inscription]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/verulamium/ Verulamium Museum]
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/excavation Pathe video of excavations at Verulamium in 1957]

{{Major towns of Roman Britain}}
{{Roman visitor sites in the UK}}
{{Listed buildings in Hertfordshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Theatres in Roman Britain|Verulamium]]
[[Category:Archaeological museums in England|Verulamium]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed ruins]]
[[Category:History of Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:History of St Albans]]
[[Category:Museums in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Museums of ancient Rome in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:River Ver]]
[[Category:Roman sites in St Albans|Verulamium]]
[[Category:Roman St Albans]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in England|Verulamium]]
[[Category:Ruins in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in Hertfordshire]]