A Roman-Britain Era Structure Discovered Under a Commercial Building Was 'Essentially a Town Hall'

Time after time, many excavation projects dig up traces of ancient structures. One such historic building was unearthed recently from beneath the foundations of London's first-ever public building, stated BBC. A team of experts from the Museum of London Archaeology made the fascinating discovery while excavating under the basement of a commercial building in London's financial district. The team believes that the basilica found under the commercial building is roughly 2,000 years old dating to the time when Romans occupied London.

"This is so significant. This is the heart of Roman London," Sophie Jackson, from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), who revealed the new find exclusively, told the news outlet. "This building will tell us so much about the origins of London, why London grew, and why it was chosen as the capital of Britain. It's just amazing. You can see a huge chunk of Roman masonry and incredibly, it survives this well. We're absolutely thrilled that there's so much of it here." Jackson also disclosed that the building was essentially a town hall with a big open marketplace surrounding it. There were various shops and offices outside the basilica. 

"It's the place you came to do business, to get your court case sorted out, it's where laws were made and it's where decisions were made about London but also about the rest of the country," Jackson elaborated. The excavation team found the basilica where the commercial building was demolished and then it was replaced with a 32-storey office tower later on. "The massive foundations and walls were made of flint, ragstone, and Roman tile," the museum said in a statement, stated The New York Times. In some areas, these remnants were over 33 feet long, three feet wide, and 13 feet deep. The basilica was a clear symbol of the Roman power and authority over the land.

Jackson admitted that trying to understand Roman-occupied London is like a puzzle and most of the pieces from the history have been lost. The Romans took over Britain in 43 A.D. and London was previously known as Londinium. The city served as an industrial hub for transportation and roughly fifteen years later in 70 or 80 A.D, Romans started rebuilding the city which was mostly destroyed after the uprising of Britishers. "The discovery of the remains under our building has caused us to significantly revise our plans," Ron Hertshten, the chief executive of Hertshten Properties, the company tasked with the redevelopment of the site, revealed.

"The scheme has been comprehensively adjusted," James Taylor, from the architecture firm Woods Bagot, shared. "Simple things like the columns have had to literally move position, so you're not destroying all these special stones that we found in the ground. To actually see people using and enjoying the space, moving through the public hall and down to see the remains, will be absolutely incredible." Chris Hayward, from the City of London Corporation, mentioned to the news outlet that knowing about Roman London lying beneath people's feet is a "remarkable experience indeed."

"The fact that Roman London is beneath your feet is, frankly, quite a remarkable emotion to experience," Hayward added, hoping more people to experience the link between the past and the present. "You can actually see and visualize how Roman London would have been in those times. And then you can walk outside and you can say, 'Now look at the skyscrapers, now look at the office blocks.' This is progress but at the same time, progress combined with preservation."