Lindum Colonia

Lincoln began as Lindum Colonia, a Roman legionary fortress founded in the 1st century AD. It stood on a hill overlooking Brayford Pool, a widened stretch of the River Witham. The Ninth Legion Hispana garrisoned the site before moving to York around 71 AD. Later the Second Legion Adiutrix took over until it left for Chester in 77–78 AD. By the late 1st century the settlement became a colonia for retired soldiers, expanding down the hillside toward the river. The colonia grew into a major town with a forum, baths, temples and shops enclosed by stone walls. Public buildings rose in the 2nd century, including a basilica and lifesize equestrian statues. The hilltop held private houses while the slopes became the commercial centre. A fine octagonal fountain and an advanced sewerage system served up to eight thousand people at its peak. Temples to Apollo and Mercury stood among the streets, and the town had a pottery suburb across the river. Today visitors walk the same hilltop streets where Roman veterans once lived. The Newport Arch marks part of the upper wall, and fragments of the aqueduct still trace the route of the city’s water supply. Below, Brayford Pool reflects the same waters that gave the place its name. Excavations have uncovered bathhouses and a large timber church built on the old forum site, showing how Lincoln remained a living centre long after Rome.