Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the vast standing Roman Army (until 284 A.D., c. 28 legions plus their Roman auxiliaries, totalling c. 280,000 troops, of which c. 30,000 deployed in Britain), constituted the three most impressive features of the Roman Empire. In Britain, as in other provinces, the Romans constructed a comprehensive network of paved trunk roads during their nearly four centuries of occupation (43 - 410 A.D.). This article focuses on the c.2,000 miles of roads shown on the Ordnance Survey's Map of Roman Britain ^[1]. This contains the most accurate and up-to-date layout of certain and probable routes that is readily available to the general public. A Roman road in Pompeii The Romans, as a military, commercial and political expedient, became adept at constructing roads; many long sections of them are ruler-straight, but it should not be thought that all of them were. ... Pont du Gard, France, a Roman era aqueduct circa 19 BC. It is one of Frances top tourist attractions at over 1. ... The Roman army is the set of land-based military forces employed by the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later Roman Empire as part of the Roman military. ... See also Legion software and Legion forummer. ... Auxiliaries (Latin: auxilia, help) were troops in the Roman army of the late Republican and Imperial periods who provided specialist support to the legions. ... Part of an Ordnance Survey map at 1 inch to the mile scale from 1945 Ordnance Survey (OS) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom government. ...

The pre-Roman Britons used unpaved trackways for their communications, including very ancient ones running along elevated ridges of hills, such as the South Downs Way, now a public long-distance footpath. In contrast, most of the Roman network was surveyed and built from scratch, with the aim of connecting key points by the most direct possible route. The roads were all paved, to permit even heavy freight wagons to be used in all seasons and weather. Brython and Brythonic are terms which refer to indigenous, pre-Roman, Celtic speaking inhabitants of most of the island of Great Britain, and their cultures and languages, the Brythonic languages. ... Near Beachy Head The South Downs Way is a long-distance bridleway, running along the South Downs in southern England. ...

Most of the known network was complete by 180 A.D. Its primary function was to allow the rapid movement of troops and military supplies, but it also provided vital infrastructure for trade and the transport of goods.

Roman roads remained in use as core trunk roads for centuries after the Romans withdrew from Britain in 410 A.D. Systematic construction of paved highways did not resume in England until the 18th century.

Fig.1: Main Roman roads in Britain. CAUTION: This map is approximative and incomplete. For full picture, see the OS Roman Britain map (link listed under External links)

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 424 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1241 × 1755 pixel, file size: 788 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Изработено от Потребител:Lotroo . ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 424 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1241 × 1755 pixel, file size: 788 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Изработено от Потребител:Lotroo . ...

Key routes

The old Roman proverb that "all roads lead to Rome" was largely applicable in Roman Britain (Britannia) to London (Londinium), the city founded on a virgin site by the Romans, which soon became the province's capital and largest city. The most important trunk roads (Fig.1) were those that linked London with (a) the key ports: Dover (Dubris), Chichester (Noviomagus) and Porchester (Portus Adurni); and (b) the main Roman Army bases: the three permanent fortresses housing the legions (castra legionaria): York (Eboracum), base of the Ninth Legion: Legio IX Hispana, later the Sixth: Legio VI Victrix; Chester (Deva), base of the Twentieth: Legio XX Valeria Victrix; and Caerleon (Isca Augusta), base of the Second: Legio II Augusta. Principal sites in Roman Britain Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Londinium may refer to: An ancient Roman name for London (see History of London) Londinium (movie) A song by Catatonia A fictional planet in the TV show Firefly, (see moons and planets in Firefly) Londinivm, a free MMORPG. Londinium (album), an album by the band Archive This is a disambiguation... Roman Dover Dubris or Portus Dubris, Roman name for Roman-founded town of Dover, Kent, England. ... Noviomagus is a Latin composite name for Preroman Celtic placenames containing the Celtic word magos = field or plain, Latin novio means new. ... Portus Adurni was a Saxon Shore Fort in the Roman province of Britannia. ... This article is about the English city. ... Legio IX Hispana was a Roman legion probably levied by Julius Caesar before 58 BC, for his Gallic wars. ... Legio VI Victrix (Victorious) was a Roman legion founded by Octavian in 41 BC. It was the twin legion of VI Ferrata and perhaps held veterans of that legion, and some soldiers kept to the traditions of the Caesarian legion. ... An original section of the Roman Fortress wall is visible from the Northgate Foundations of the Roman South-East Corner Tower The Roman Quay Wall Chesters Roman Amphitheatre Roman Antefix Deva Victrix, or simply Deva, was a fort and town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... Legio XX Valeria Victrix was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus sometime after 31 BC. It served in Spain, Illyricum, and Germany before participating in the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, where it remained and was active until at least the beginning of the 4th century. ... Remains of the amphitheatre Isca Augusta (or, simply, Isca) was a legionary fortress in the Roman province of Britannia. ... Legio II Augusta, or Second Augustan Legion, was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in 4th century. ...

From Chester and York, two key roads led to Hadrian's Wall, for most of the period Britannia 's northern border, where most of the three legions' auxiliary units were deployed. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

From London, six core routes radiated. Ignoring their later Saxon nomenclature (see note to Saxon names of Roman roads below), they are as follows:

I London - Dover via Canterbury ('Durovernum) Durovernum Cantiacorum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ...

II London - Chichester

III London - Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum, near Reading). At Silchester, this route split into 3 major branches:(a) Silchester - Porchester via Winchester (Venta Belgarum) and Southampton (Clausentum); (b) Silchester - Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) via Salisbury/Old Sarum (Sorviodunum) and Dorchester (Durnovaria); (c) Silchester - Caerleon via Gloucester (Glevum) Categories: Stub | Archaeological sites in Britain | Berkshire | Hampshire | Roman sites in England ... Principal sites in Roman Britain Venta Belgarum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this articles infobox may require cleanup. ... The main road through Dorchester Dorchester is a market town in south west Dorset, England, situated on the River Frome and A35 road 20 miles west of Poole and five miles north of Weymouth. ... Gloucester (pronounced ) is a city in south-west England, close to the Welsh border. ...

IV London - Chester via St Alban's (Verulamium), with continuation to Carlisle (Luguvalium) on Hadrian's Wall Remains of the city walls Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. ... Luguvalium (or, possibly, Luguvalium Carvetiorum) was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

V London - York via Lincoln (Lindum), with continuation to Corbridge (Coria) on Hadrian's Wall Lindum Colonia (otherwise simply Lindum or, more formally, Colonia Domitiana Lindensium) was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... Coria was a fort and town, located 2. ...

VI London - Norwich (Venta Icenorum) via Colchester (Camulodunum) Venta Icenorum was the civitas[1] capital of the powerful and independent Iceni tribe, who inhabited the flatlands and marshes of Norfolk and earned immortality for their revolt against Roman rule under their queen Boudica (or Boadicea) in the winter of 61 CE. The Iceni had close ties with their... This article is about the town in England. ...

The initial road network was built by the Army to facilitate military communications. The emphasis was therefore on linking up army bases, rather than cater for economic flows. ^[2] Thus, three important cross-routes were established as the frontier of the Roman-occupied zone advanced: (1) Exeter - Lincoln (Fosse Way); (2) Gloucester - York (Icknield Street); (3) Caerleon - York via Chester and Wroxeter. Later a large number of other cross-routes and branches were grafted onto this basic grid. The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England which linked Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England, to Lincoln (Lindum) in the East Midlands, via Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium) and Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum). ... Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire where it connected to the Fosse Way, to Rotherham in South Yorkshire, it went via Alcester, Redditch, the area now covered by Birmingham (where a large fort was located), Lichfield...

Historical development

Fig.2: Roman lighthouse at Dover Castle. 3rd century A.D. Dubris was the starting-point for Watling Street and, together with Bononia (Boulogne), base of the Classis Britannica, the Roman Channel fleet

The earliest roads, built in the first phase of Roman occupation (the Julio-Claudian period 43–68), connected London with the ports used in the invasion (Chichester and Richborough), and with the earlier legionary bases at Colchester, Lincoln (Lindum), Wroxeter (Viroconium), Gloucester and Exeter. The Fosse Way, from Exeter to Lincoln, was also built at this time to connect these bases with each other, marking the effective boundary of the early Roman province. Download high resolution version (768x1024, 631 KB)Lightened and set levels. ... Download high resolution version (768x1024, 631 KB)Lightened and set levels. ... The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the series of the first five Roman Emperors. ... Lindum Colonia (otherwise simply Lindum or, more formally, Colonia Domitiana Lindensium) was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... Viroconium Cornoviorum, or simply Viroconium, was a Roman town, one corner of which is now occupied by the small village of Wroxeter in the English county of Shropshire, about 8 km (5 miles) east-south-east of Shrewsbury. ... The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England which linked Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England, to Lincoln (Lindum) in the East Midlands, via Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium) and Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum). ...

During the Flavian period (69-96), the roads to Lincoln, Wroxeter and Gloucester were extended (by 80) to the new (and definitive) legionary bases at York, Chester and Caerleon respectively. By 96 further extensions from York to Corbridge, and from Chester to Carlisle and Caernarfon (Segontium), were completed as Roman rule was extended over Wales (Cambria) and northern England (Brigantia). Stanegate, the military road from Carlisle to Corbridge, was built under the Emperor Trajan (ruled 98-117 A.D) along the line of the future Hadrian's Wall, which was constructed by his successor Hadrian in 122-132 A.D. The Flavian dynasty was a series of three Roman Emperors - Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian - who ruled from 69, the Year of the Four Emperors, to 96. ... Segontium from the A4085 Segontium is a Roman auxiliary fort, located on the outskirts of Caernarfon in north Wales. ... Cambria is a latinised form of Cymru, which is the Welsh name for Wales. ... The name Brigantia can signify: Brigantia (goddess), a goddess in Celtic mythology the land of the Brigantes of ancient Britain the ancient Latin name of several cities and regions: Bragança (Portugal) Bregenz, Austria Brianza, Italy Category: ... The Stanegate, or stone road, was an important Roman road in ancient Britain. ... Template:Infobox boobies the Roman emperor This article is about the Roman Emperor. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (January 24, 76 – July 10, 138), known as Hadrian in English was Roman emperor from 117 – 138, as well as a Stoic and Epicurean philosopher. ...

Scotland (Caledonia), including England north of Hadrian's Wall, remained mostly outside the boundaries of Britannia province, as the Romans never succeeded in subjugating the entire island, despite a serious effort to do so by governor Gnaeus Julius Agricola in 82-4 A.D. However, the Romans maintained a system of forts in the lowland region from c.80-220 A.D. to control the indigenous population beyond Hadrian's Wall and annexed the Lowlands briefly with the construction of the Antonine Wall in 164 A.D. This barrier, across the 'neck' of Scotland, from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth, was held for some twenty years. The Romans' main routes from Hadrian's Wall to the Antonine Wall, built by c.120 A.D., were: (1) Corbridge to the Roman fort at Edinburgh (certain) and (likely) to Carriden (Veluniate) on the eastern end of the Antonine Wall, via High Rochester (Bremenium) and Galashiels (Trimontium); (2) Carlisle to Bothwellhaugh (certain) and (likely) to the Antonine. There was also a certain road beyond the Antonine Wall to Perth from the Antonine fort at Falkirk. Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about: Caledonia Caledonia is the Latin name given by the Roman Empire to a northern area of the island of Great Britain. ... Gnaeus Julius Agricola (July 13, 40 - August 23, 93) was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. ... The Antonine Wall, looking east, from Barr Hill between Twechar and Croy The Antonine Wall, remains of Roman fortlet, Barr Hill, near Twechar Location of Hadrians Wall and the Antonine Wall in Scotland and Northern England. ...

The core network was complemented by a number of routes built primarily for commercial, rather than military, purposes. Examples include: in Kent and Sussex, three certain roads leading from London to the important iron-mining area of the Weald; and in East Anglia, the road from Colchester to Norwich, Peddars Way and the Fen Causeway. However, these Anglian and southern routes acquired military importance from the third century onwards with the emergence of Saxon seaborne raiding as a major and persistent threat to the security of Britannia. These roads linked to the coastal defensive line of Saxon Shore forts e.g. Brancaster (Branodunum), Burgh Castle (Garrianonum) near Great Yarmouth, Lympne (Portus Lemanis) and Pevensey (Anderitum). A weald once meant a dense forest, especially the famous great wood once stretching far beyond the ancient counties of Sussex and Kent, England, where this country of smaller woods is still called the Weald. ... The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath in Norfolk, England. ... Fen Causeway or the Fen Road is the modern name for a Roman road of England that runs between Denver in the east and Peterborough in the west. ... The Saxon Shore is the collective name given to a series of fortifications built along the south-east coast of what is now England, during the latter years of the Roman occupation of Britain. ... Section of Roman Fort wall Burgh Castle walls, 1845 engraving Garrianonum is a Roman fort near the village of Burgh Castle in Norfolk, one of several Roman forts that were built as a defence against Saxon raids up the rivers of the east and south coasts of southern Britain (the... View from the castle inner bailey showing the outer Roman curtain wall. ...

Construction and maintenance

Fig.3: Via Appia, near Rome. This road, from Rome to Brindisi, was the oldest major route in Italy (312 B.C.) It also has one of the best preserved stretches in the world, from Rome to Boville (near Albano, 18km, detail shown), as it is paved with stone blocks. In Britain, more humble materials were generally used (see fig.4)

Fig.4: Section of Roman road in the Eifel region, NW Germany. The typical road surface in Britain would have looked like this. Note that about a metre of road on each side, plus the accompanying ditches, are overgrown by vegetation

Standard Roman road construction techniques, long evolved on the Continent, were used. An 8m-wide ditch was initially dug, and then filled with three layers of locally quarried materials- in Britain most commonly clay, sand, gravel and flint- to provide stability and durability ("street" derives from Latin strata meaning "layers"). The top layer (known as metalling) was often a mix of flint and gravel bound together by mortar or iron slag to form a kind of super-hard concrete (Fig.4). The surface of the road was elevated and cambered so as to permit run-off of rainwater, with ditches on both sides of the road to drain it away. A trunk road in Britain would typically be 5 - 8m (15 - 25ft) in width, with a gauge of 7m (22 ft) being the most common. ^[3] For more detail on construction technology, see A. Pawluk's paper. ^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 436 KB) Description: Via Appia Antica in Rome Author: MM, Foto taken himself Source:Italian wikipedia, 02. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 436 KB) Description: Via Appia Antica in Rome Author: MM, Foto taken himself Source:Italian wikipedia, 02. ... Remains of the Appian Way in Rome, Italy The Appian Way (Latin: Via Appia) is a famous road built by the Romans. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1000 pixel, file size: 80 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Roman roads in Britain Via Regia... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1000 pixel, file size: 80 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Roman roads in Britain Via Regia... Slag is also an early play by David Hare. ...

The main trunk roads were originally constructed by the Roman army. Responsibility for their regular repair and maintenance rested with designated imperial officials (the curatores viarum), though the cost would probably have been borne by the local civitas (county) authorities whose territory the road crossed. From time to time, the roads would be completely resurfaced and might even be entirely rebuilt, e.g. the complete reconstruction and widening of the Via Aemilia in N. Italy by the Emperor Augustus (r.37 B.C.- 14 A.D.), two centuries after it was first built. Via Aemilia (It. ... For other uses, see Augustus (disambiguation). ...

Archaeological evidence

Fig.5: Roman milestone. From St Margarethen, Austria. 201 A.D. Dedication to Emperor Septimius Severus (ruled 193 - 212 A.D.)

Fig.6: Detail of Peutinger Table , a Roman itinerary. Medieval copy of prob. late Roman original. This detail shows southern Italy, but the map also covered Britain

Extant remains of Roman roads are often much degraded or contaminated by later surfacing. Well-preserved sections of Roman road include Wade's Causeway in Yorkshire, Blackstone Edge on Rishworth moor near Halifax, and at Blackpool Ridge in the Forest of Dean- although their integrity as original Roman surfaces is not certain. In many sections, Roman roads were built over in the 18th century to create the turnpikes. Where they have not been built over, many sections have been ploughed over by farmers. However, there are numerous tracts of Roman road which have survived, albeit overgrown by vegetation, in the visible form of footpaths through woodland or common land. e.g. the section of Stane Street crossing Eartham Wood in the South Downs near Bignor (Sussex). This and others like it are marked on Ordnance Survey maps with dotted lines and the rubric "ROMAN ROAD". Peddars Way in Norfolk is a Roman road converted into a long-distance footpath Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 321 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (1816 × 3384 pixel, file size: 909 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Roman milestone 201 aC in St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 321 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (1816 × 3384 pixel, file size: 909 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Roman milestone 201 aC in St. ... Lucius Septimius Severus (b. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (746x970, 257 KB) Part of Tabula Peutingeriana konrad miller´s facsimile from 1887 Image with permissions from this source: Bibliotheca Augustana (The original-map is possible with copyrights by the museum in Vienna!) File links The following pages link to this... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (746x970, 257 KB) Part of Tabula Peutingeriana konrad miller´s facsimile from 1887 Image with permissions from this source: Bibliotheca Augustana (The original-map is possible with copyrights by the museum in Vienna!) File links The following pages link to this... The Tabula Peutingeriana (Peutinger table) is a map showing the road network in the Roman Empire. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: Short article, little useful content If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... Blackstone Edge in Lancashire, England, United Kingdom is an area of moorland at 472 metres (1323 ft) high, and is a spot often visted by walkers and amateur mountain climbers. ... Stane Street is the modern name given to an important Roman road in England that linked London to the Roman town of Regnum (near modern Chichester). ... The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath in Norfolk, England. ...

Wayside stations have been identified in Britain. Roman roads had regularly spaced stations along their length - the Roman equivalent of motorway service areas. Roughly every 5 miles (8 km) - the most a horse could safely be ridden hard - there would be a mutatio (literally: "a change"), essentially stables where mounted messengers could change horses and a tavern to obtain refreshment. Relays of fresh riders and horses careering at full gallop could sustain an average speed of about 20 mph (32 km/h). Thus an urgent despatch from the Army base at York to London - 200 miles (320 km), a journey of over a week for a normal mounted traveler - could be delivered in just 10 hours. Because mutationes were relatively small establishments, and their remains ambiguous, it is difficult to identify sites with certainty.

Approximately every 15 miles (24 km) - a typical day's journey - was a mansio (literally: "a sojourn", from which derive the English word "mansion" and French maison or "house"). This was a full-scale wayside inn, with large stables, tavern, rooms for travelers and even bath houses in the larger establishments. Mansiones could also serve as toll points, where the portorium could be collected. This was a tax on goods in transit on public roads that was levied at c.2% on the value. ^[5] At least half a dozen sites have been positively identified as mansiones in Britain. e.g. the excavated mansio at Godmanchester (Durovigutum) on Ermine Street (nr. Huntingdon, Cambs.) ^[6]. In the Roman Empire, a mansio (from the Latin word mansus the perfect passive participle of manere to remain or to stay) was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling. ... Roman Britain, with Ermine Street highlighted Ermine Street should not be confused with Ermin Street, the road from Silchester to Gloucester. ...

Mutationes and mansiones were the key infrastructure for the cursus publicus (the imperial postal system), which operated in many provinces of the Roman Empire. The cursus was primarily concerned with the carriage of government or military officers, government payload such as monies from tax collection and for military wages, and official despatches, but it could be made available to private individuals with special permission and for a fee. In Britain, the Vindolanda tablets, a series of letters written on wooden tablets to and by members of the garrison of Hadrian's Wall, show the operation of the cursus on the island. Cursus publicus was the courier service of the Roman Empire. ... The Vindolanda tablets are fragments of half-burnt wooden leaf-tablets with writing in ink containing messages to and from members of the garrison of Vindolanda Roman fort, their families, and their slaves. ...

Milestones, of which 95 are recorded in Roman Inscriptions of Britain (RIB 2219 - 2314) ^[7]. Most of these date from the later part of the Roman period (250 A.D. onwards), since it was the practice to replace a road's milestones when a major repair was carried out. Milestones were usually cylindrical and 2 - 4m in height. Most contain only the customary dedication to the current Emperor and the number of miles to a particular destination (Fig.5). Only three provide additional information: two are dedicated by the public works departments of a civitas (county) (Dobunni, RIB 2250) and a city (Lincoln, RIB 2240), showing the involvement of local authorities in road maintenance; and the third (RIB 2228) records that the Emperor Caracalla (r. 211-217 A.D.) "restored the roads, which had fallen into ruin and disuse through old age". A milestone A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in a median. ... The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. ... Caracalla (April 4, 186 – April 8, 217) was Roman Emperor from 211 – 217. ...

Maps and Itineraries of the Roman era, designed to aid travelers (Fig.6), provide useful evidence of placenames, routes and distances in Britain. The most important is the Antonine Itinerary ^[8], dating from the later third century, which contains 14 itineraries on the island. The Antonine Itinerary is a Latin document that can be described as the Road Map of Roman Britain. ...

Post-Roman legacy

After the final withdrawal of Roman government and troops from Britain in 410, regular maintenance and repair of the road network probably ceased, and was replaced by intermittent and ad hoc work. Nevertheless, the Roman roads remained the fundamental arteries of transport in England for centuries, and systematic construction of paved highways did not resume until the building of the turnpikes in the 18th century. A toll road, turnpike or tollpike is a road on which a toll authority collects a fee for use. ...

In some places, the origins of the roads were forgotten and they were ascribed to mythical Anglo-Saxon giants and divinities: for instance, Wade's Causeway in North Yorkshire owes its name to Woden, the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. Chaucer's pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales almost certainly used Watling Street to travel from Southwark to Canterbury. This is the article about the West Germanic deity, for other uses see Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... Canterbury Tales Woodcut 1484 The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to a British ancient trackway which was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ...

Many modern roads continue to use the old Roman alignments. Much of Watling Street, for example, is now under the A2 and A5. The A2 is a major road in the United Kingdom, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. ... The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom. ...

Many English placenames derive from a position on or near a Roman road, usually denoted by the element -street (also strat-, strait-, streat- and other variants). Thus, for example, Stretham means "homestead or village on a Roman road" and likewise Stretford means "ford on a Roman road". British toponymy (relating to the mainland and islands closely linked to it including the Shetland Islands, the Orkneys, and the Channel Islands) is the study of place names, their origins and the trends associated with naming places in specific regional areas. ...

Table of Roman roads by Saxon name in England and Wales

Note on names of Roman roads: Unlike their counterparts in Italy and some other Roman provinces, we do not know the original names of Roman roads in Britain, due to lack of literary and inscription evidence. Instead, we have a number of names ascribed to them by the Anglo-Saxons during the post-Roman era (the "Dark Ages"). The Saxon classification of a road likely do not correspond to the original Roman one. e.g. the Saxons gave the name of Watling Street to the entire route from Dover to London to Wroxeter. But the Romans may have regarded the first section (Dover-London) as a separate road (with a different name) from the second section. They may also have seen the London-Colchester road as its continuation, since Colchester was the first capital of Roman Britain (to 50 A.D.) Petrarch, who conceived the idea of a European Dark Age. From Cycle of Famous Men and Women, Andrea di Bartolo di Bargillac, c. ...

The only Saxon name which may echo an original Roman name is the Fosse Way from Exeter to Lincoln. Even then it is likely to derive from the popular, rather than official, Roman name for the road. "Fosse" may derive from Latin fossa, meaning "ditch". But officially a road would normally be named after the Emperor in whose reign it was completed e.g. the Via Traiana from Rome to Brindisi in S. Italy, named after the Emperor Trajan (r.98-117 A.D.). Thus the putative Dover-London-Colchester route may quite possibly have been known to the Romano-Britons as the Via Claudia after the Emperor Claudius (r.41-54 A.D.) who was responsible for the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 A.D. For Arabian road, see Via Traiana Nova Extension by the emperor Trajan of the Via Appia from Beneventum, reaching Brundisium by a shorter route (ie via Canusium and Barium rather than via Tarentum). ... Template:Infobox boobies the Roman emperor This article is about the Roman Emperor. ... For other persons named Claudius, see Claudius (disambiguation). ... Roman invasion of Britain: Britain was the target of invasion by forces of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire several times during its history. ...

 * Sections of modern road that lie directly above the Roman road. Such stretches are marked "ROMAN ROAD" on Ordnance Survey Maps. Akeman Street was a major Roman road in England that linked London to the Fosse Way at Cirencester. ... Cades Road is the name given to a Roman road that ran from the River Tyne southwards, crossing the River Wear and River Tees, to the Humber Estuary. ... Roman Britain, with the route of Dere Street in red Dere Street or Deere Street, (latterly Via Regia in Scotland) was a Roman Road between York and Scotland. ... The Antonine Wall, looking east, from Barr Hill between Twechar and Croy The Antonine Wall, remains of Roman fortlet, Barr Hill, near Twechar Location of Hadrians Wall and the Antonine Wall in Scotland and Northern England. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Ermin Street (not to be confused with Ermine Street, which is further east) is one of the great Roman Roads of Britain. ... Corinium is the name of the Roman town that stood on the site that is now occupied by the town of Cirencester. ... Roman Britain, with Ermine Street highlighted Ermine Street should not be confused with Ermin Street, the road from Silchester to Gloucester. ... Water Newton is a village on the northern border of the English county of Cambridgeshire. ... Fen Causeway or the Fen Road is the modern name for a Roman road of England that runs between Denver in the east and Peterborough in the west. ... The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England which linked Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England, to Lincoln (Lindum) in the East Midlands, via Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium) and Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum). ... Lindinis was a small town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... For alternate meanings see Bath (disambiguation) Palladian Pulteney Bridge and the weir at Bath Bath is a city in south-west England, most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. ... Ratae Corieltauvorum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. ... Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire where it connected to the Fosse Way, to Rotherham in South Yorkshire, it went via Alcester, Redditch, the area now covered by Birmingham (where a large fort was located), Lichfield... Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from Bourton on the Water in Oxfordshire where it connected to the Fosse Way, to Rotherham in South Yorkshire, it went via Alcester, the area now covered by Birmingham (where a large fort was located), Lichfield, and... King Street is the name of a modern road on the line of a Roman road (map. ... The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath in Norfolk, England. ... The Portway was a Roman road running from London to Weymouth, via Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), Salisbury/Old Sarum (Sorviodunum) and Dorchester (Durnovaria). ... The main road through Dorchester Dorchester is a market town in south west Dorset, England, situated on the River Frome and A35 road 20 miles west of Poole and five miles north of Weymouth. ... Stane Street is the modern name given to an important Roman road in England that linked London to the Roman town of Regnum (near modern Chichester). ... There are several Stane Streets in Britain - see also Stane Street (Chichester) and Roman roads in Britain Stane Street is a Roman road that connects St Albans in Hertfordshire to Colchester in Essex. ... The Stanegate, or stone road, was an important Roman road in ancient Britain. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Via Devana was a Roman Road in England that ran from Colchester in the south-east to Chester in the north-west. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: Short article, little useful content If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to a British ancient trackway which was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ... Viroconium was a Roman city in England. ...

 ** Not to be confused with Icknield Way, a pre-Roman trackway from Bucks. to Norfolk. Although the known road ends at Templeborough, it almost certainly continued to Doncaster (Danum) to join a branch of Ermine Street to York. The Icknield Way is one of the oldest roads in Britain, being one of the few long-distance trackways to have existed before the Romans occupied the country. ...

 *** This is not a Saxon name, but a Latin one invented by 18th century antiquarians to define a putative route. It amounts to just a series of cross routes to reach Watling Street from Colchester.

References

Margary, Ivan D. (1973). Roman Roads in Britain, third edition, London: John Baker. ISBN 0-212-97001-1. 

See also

• Roman road
• Antonine Itinerary

External links A Roman road in Pompeii Road Construction on Trajans Column The Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies. ... The Antonine Itinerary is a Latin document that can be described as the Road Map of Roman Britain. ...

1. ^ Map of Roman Britain, Ordnance Survey
2. ^ Cambridge Ancient History, Vol , The Augustan Empire
3. ^ L.V. Grinsell, The Archaeology of Wessex (1958), p.255
4. ^ Pawluk, A, The Construction & Makeup of Ancient Roman Roads
5. ^ J. Wacher (ed.), The Roman World (1987) Vol. I
6. ^ Green, M, "Godmanchester Roman History - The Mansio", Current Archaeology, number 16, September 1969 pp133-138
7. ^ Collingwood RG, Wright RP, The Roman Inscriptions of Britain
8. ^ Antonine Itinerary, roman-britain.org

• Codrington's Roman Roads in Britain
• Map of Roman roads in Britain — very large map
• Channel 4's big Roman dig