253
This basilica was part of the forum—a place where people shopped, socialized, and listened to the latest news.
Archaeologists who conducted excavations at the site of the future construction of a skyscraper in London, discovered ruins 2000-year-old Roman basilica.
The ancient basilica, built between 78 and 84 AD, once stood in the heart of the city, which was then known as Londinium, writes Fox News.
While examining the building's basement, scientists discovered the remains of what once served as the foundation of a two-story building, almost the same size as an Olympic swimming pool. The walls of the basilica were made of flint, brick and rubble with a foundation almost 4 meters deep and a meter wide.
Sophie Jackson from the Museum of London Archaeology said the find marked "one of the most significant discoveries" in recent years in the City of London.
This basilica was part of the forum, a place where people shopped, socialized, and heard the latest news. The ruins are also believed to have been part of the tribunal, where officials made decisions about the city's governance.
“This is the heart of Rome in London, where all the decisions were made,” said Andrew Henderson-Schwartz, a representative of the Museum of London Archaeology.
“We are talking about the early stages of London’s development, but this is a real sign of investment in the city, even in its early infancy,” Henderson-Schwartz noted.
Further excavations may answer questions about the original forum and why it was replaced with a larger one only 20 years later.
