Lindum began as a legionary fortress established c. AD 60 for Legio IX Hispana, later occupied by Legio II Adiutrix, before the garrison moved north to York around AD 71–78. It was refounded as Colonia Domitiana Lindensium c. AD 86–96 under Domitian, settling legionary veterans, and developed into one of only four coloniae in Britain, occupying the hilltop above the River Witham with a lower walled extension running down the slope by the later 2nd century.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
As a chartered colonia, Lincoln held the highest civic status in Roman Britain alongside Colchester, Gloucester and York, and likely served as a provincial capital of Flavia Caesariensis after the early 4th-century reorganisation. It was a major administrative, commercial and route node, sitting at the junction of Ermine Street and the Fosse Way with access via the Foss Dyke canal to the Trent and the North Sea.
Substantial remains survive, including the Newport Arch (the only Roman gateway in Britain still spanning a road), stretches of the upper and lower colonia walls, the east gate foundations, and a monumental column base in the forum area; excavations on Flaxengate, at St Paul-in-the-Bail (where a possible early church overlies the forum courtyard), and along the waterfront have revealed dense urban occupation, timber and stone buildings, and evidence of continuity into the sub-Ro
Lindum began as a legionary fortress established c. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a settlement site from the Roman period in Britain.
Lincoln Roman colonia (Lindum) is classified as a Roman settlement — a civilian site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Roman wall and ditch on Motherby Hill (0.1 km), Col. Lindum (0.2 km), Roman remains beneath Boots building (0.3 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on Roman heritage, Domesday records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Lincoln Roman colonia (Lindum)