The Grapes
14 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AN
Claudius succeeds, where Caesar failed
Emperor Claudius needed a big hit – and the invasion of England in AD 43 was it. With an overwhelming force of 40,000 troops and elephants he achieved what Julius Caesar failed nearly 100 years earlier. But London wasn’t the goal – there was nothing to it back then. Colchester was the real prize, home to the Iceni tribe that had been running guerrilla attacks into Gaul, brazenly seizing the people and assets of the western Roman empire.
The invasion force, under the command of Plautius, set off from Boulogne and landed at Richborough in Kent before travelling to Canterbury. Proceeding along the south bank of the marshy and tidal River Thames the lowest crossing point was in London. And with the aid of a pontoon bridge the force crossed the ‘Tamesis’ where London Bridge stands today.
Heading up Fish Street Hill, then along Gracechurch Street and onto Colchester the Romans quelled the Iceni and cut a deal with their leader, King Prasutagus, to cease hostilities in exchange for his liberty and allegiance. A few years later Governor Scapula captured King Caratacus of the neighbouring Catuvellauni tribe and paraded him through the streets of Rome, at least as an honoured captive.
In AD 60 Prasutagus died and Governor Paulinus reneged on Plautius’ deal; subsequent conflict led to the rape of Prasutagus’ daughters and the flogging of his wife, Boudica. A year later Boudica wreaked revenge by attacking Londinium’s unprepared Roman forces and British collaborators. The scorched-earth attack resulted in 70,000 deaths – a layer of burned earth still remains seven metres below the City today.
The moderate Classicianus replaced Paulinus and in time the colony thrived. Londinium was regarded as the de facto capital of Britain and the biggest Roman town north of the Alps. It was a strategic location sited between two low hills; Cornhill (where St Peter’s Church probably became the first site of Christian worship in London) and Ludgate Hill (topped by St Paul’s Cathedral) – both separated by the fresh-water River Walbrook. The Thames enabled passage 80 miles inland to Oxford (to access Cotswold wool) and was opposite the River Rhine in the east – the major river flowing through Europe. London would become a key market, importing all types of Mediterranean produce, whilst exporting mainly tin, wool and grain.
In AD 43, the Roman invading force marched a stone’s throw past where The Grapes is located today – it’s attractive wood-panelled Victorian pub with copper lights hanging over the bar, selling a range of beers and wines. Located in Leadenhall Market, built on the footprint of the Roman Forum, it’s an appropriate venue to muse how the market sellers have been replaced by City workers spilling out of Lloyds of London after hours.
The Anthologist
58 Gresham St, London EC2V 5AY
Everyday life in Londinium
After the shock and calamity of the Boudiccan attack – and the responding annihilation of the Iceni – the Romans got to work building a defendable and sustainable capital. The remains of the Roman forum (market) and basilica (town hall) still lie beneath the Victorian Leadenhall Market in Gracechurch Street. The Roman amphitheatre, discovered as recently as 1988, rests underneath Guildhall Yard with a section of it exposed in situ in the Guildhall Art Gallery. A Roman fort and garrison was installed near Noble Street, holding 1,000 troops as a deterrent against any further transgressions by the native Celtic tribes – at least those who had not fled to the west of England or Ireland (territories that held no interest to the Romans). Late in the occupation a wall was constructed around the City – today, most evident at Coppers Place. As well as being defensive, it was probably intended as border crossing to control passage and enforce taxation. The wealthy would hang out at a bathhouse resembling the Billingsgate Roman Baths (having separate tepidarium, caldarium and frigidarium). Whilst the officer class would worship the cult of the god of Mithras at a temple near Walbrook, now splendidly brought to life in the basement of Bloomberg’s European headquarters – including an exhibit of the earliest known inscription of ‘Londinium’ on a wooden tablet.
At its peak in AD200, Londinium had a population of around 100,000 along with the civil infrastructure of a town council. The main imports were olive oil (from Africa and Iberia), wine (from the Rhineland and Mediterranean) and pottery, lamps and tableware from Italy and Gaul. Tin, being a key compound of Bronze was Britain’s principal export owing to its relative rarity in continental Europe – and along with wool the most likely reason the Romans stayed. Much was learned about everyday life in Londinium from the artefacts recovered from an archaeological dig at Poultry, now exhibited in the (renamed) London Museum.
Decline started in the late 200s when Roman Britain joined a breakaway Gallic empire (although London was later won back for Rome). Reducing imperial trade and conflict in the east with the Huns and Goths resulted in an evaporation of proper funding for London, causing the garrison to mutiny and invade Gaul and Spain for plunder. The Romano-British citizens also revolted due to high taxes. Even the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in AD312 did little to change the trajectory of decline. By AD410, migrating tribes were causing such disruption in Europe that Roman Emperor Honorius recalled all troops to Rome – leaving London to the mercy of the invading Saxons. Centrally heated homes would not return to London for 1,400 years!
The Anthologist is situated opposite the Guildhall and site of the former Roman Amphitheatre. It’s a modern open-plan bar-deli, also serving breakfasts with a strong appeal.
Excerpt from The Pub Lover’s Guide to London by Callum Moy (White Owl, June 2024, RRP £14.99).
This informative guide showcases 52 pubs and describes significant history that occurred near each – ‘like an historical field trip with beer!’ (Goodreads reviewer).
