Glevum, Archaeological site in Gloucester, England
Glevum was a Roman military fortress and later trading settlement with streets, building foundations, and wall sections that lie buried beneath and between the buildings of modern Gloucester's center. The archaeological deposits span across several city blocks, revealing the spatial layout of this ancient settlement.
The Romans founded Glevum in the 1st century as a fortified military post to control the region and protect river trade along the Severn. Over the following centuries, it developed into one of Roman Britain's most important port towns.
The name Glevum likely comes from a Celtic word for river or estuary, reflecting its importance as a port settlement for Roman traders and officials. Walking through the city center today, you can sense this ancient commercial hub where people from across the empire once gathered.
The remains are scattered across the city center and can be explored on foot, with marked routes connecting different excavation sites. You will find it helpful to visit the museums in the center first to see the artifacts and understand the maps of the ancient layout.
Ground-penetrating radar has detected a Roman amphitheater and public baths hidden beneath Gloucester's streets that remain largely unexcavated. These buried structures suggest there is still much waiting to be discovered beneath the modern city.
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