The Tower's Roman Origins
Although the Tower was built in 1077, the history of the site's form and fortification reaches back to the Roman Era. London (originally called Londonium), was founded soon after the Roman conquest of England near the River Thames. After a hesitant start, which included an attack by Boudicca’s army, the town quickly grew outwards. A large masonry structure was built, perhaps coincidentally, where the Tower would later stand and adjoining marshland was reclaimed, the physical origin of much of the Tower's later grounds. There was also a wharf, which soon turned into a complex of wooden buildings along the river front.
A City Wall
Around 200 CE many of the wooden buildings were torn down, as they were throughout London, to allow for the construction of a large city wall. This two mile long fortification passed through the Tower site on a north-south access, ending at the river's banks. The 'large masonry structure' – archaeologists don't really know what it was or what it did – remained intact despite being very close to the wall, an indication of either an important use or owner; it is thus possible the political heritage of the Tower site, as with the defensive heritage, extends back into Roman times.Around 250-300 CE a riverfront wall was added to defend against growing Saxon naval incursions. This was replaced shortly after 392 CE by a massive new river wall built slightly north of the old one. At least 3 meters wide, this joined with the city wall at a stout promontory on which catapults could target passing ships. This was one of, if not the, last major Roman fortifications built in Britain. Despite every change that was to follow, it was this corner of walled defences – the meeting of the city wall and the river wall – which was to anchor the later tower.
The Decline of Roman London
Although most Roman forces had left Britain by 402, there are suggestions that the walled corner saw continued building, perhaps even acting as one of the last centers of Roman power in England. Even so, the population of Londinium fell and the tower site lapsed into disrepair and disuse for several centuries. However, the strong Roman walls survived and by the ninth century they'd again attracted a population wishing to hide behind them, as Danes and Saxons fought for mastery of England. Alfred the Great ordered the city restored and there are archaeological hints of a new Saxon fortification on the Tower site. Two churches were built nearby in this era; both would later be enclosed in the Tower's expanding defences. By the reign of Edward the Confessor, London was again Britain's foremost city.
