Beneath an old office building in London, archaeologists unearthed the ruins of a 2,000-year-old Roman basilica that was remarkably well-preserved.
It was built around 80 C.E. and was part of the forum, a public meeting place where citizens and politicians could shop, socialize, and make important decisions about the growing city.
It was also London’s first public building. The basilica and the forum were discovered underneath an office building located at 85 Gracechurch Street in the middle of London’s financial district. The plan was to demolish the old office building and replace it with a new 32-story tower.
But as construction began, archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) stumbled upon the basilica’s intact ruins.
They had not expected the ruins to be so well-preserved after all these years, especially given the centuries of development that have since taken place in London.
The archaeologists dug a series of narrow test trenches in the concrete floor of the office building. The third pit was dug between two filing cabinets, which was where they found a large chunk of Roman masonry.
As the excavations continued, they uncovered limestone foundation walls that measured more than three feet wide and 13 feet deep.
The basilica was likely around the size of an Olympic swimming pool. Other artifacts were recovered as well, including a roof tile with an official city stamp.
The basilica was erected just a few decades after the Roman invasion of Britain. During that time, Agricola ruled the territory between 78 and 84 C.E.
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It was built on a hill that looked over the rest of Londinium, as the city was known back then. Citizens could shop there, socialize, and listen to speeches from the city’s leaders.
“It’s the beating heart of the city,” said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, the head of public impact at MOLA. “It kind of towers above the city. And so, it’s a real symbol of Roman power and authority.”
However, the structure was not in use for very long. After 20 years, the first basilica and forum were replaced with larger versions, reflecting Londinium’s growing population. The second forum stayed in use until the Romans left Britain about three centuries later.
Modern architects have now tweaked their plans to accommodate the Roman ruins. Fewer elevators will be installed, and the height of the building will be reduced.
Roman ruins in London are a common occurrence. For instance, in 2022, MOLA came across a rare Roman mausoleum filled with mosaics. In 2013, Bloomberg’s skyscraper office tower was constructed atop the 2,000-year-old Temple of Mithras.
There has been talk of turning the basilica into an archaeological museum with a glass floor overlooking the ruins and interactive exhibits about London in Roman times.
