Romans of Eboracum

What can the Romans of Eboracum teach us? Let’s uncover the secrets they left behind and learn from their world.

What is Ebo… Eborra… Eboracum?! I’ve never seen that word before! Is it a secret code? Ooooh, maybe it’s the name of a super-old city buried under York!
That’s a good guess Doug! It’s the Roman name for York. Let's find out more about Roman York and some of what Archaeologists have found beneath our feet!

Romans of Eboracum

York began as a military fortress, built in AD 71, when Roman soldiers were sent north to help secure the edges of the Empire. The first fort was made of timber and earth, constructed by the Ninth Legion Hispana. A little later, in the second century, it was rebuilt in sturdy stone by the Sixth Legion Victrix.

Like many Roman forts, Eboracum was carefully planned. Its layout followed a familiar pattern used across the Empire: a neat rectangle, with strong defensive walls and a central headquarters at its heart.

Over time, Eboracum became more than just a military base. A busy civilian settlement began to grow on the south side of the River Ouse. Traders, families, and officials made their homes there, and York grew into a vibrant city of business and administration.

It even caught the attention of emperors. Several are known to have visited, and one of the most famous – Constantine the Great – was actually declared emperor right here in York, in AD 306. Constantine would later become the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, and it’s during his lifetime that we first hear mention of a bishop in York.

What happened at the end of Roman York is still something of a mystery. The records grow quiet, and much of what came next is hard to trace. We know very little about the final years of Roman York, or about the Anglian city called ‘Eoforwic’ that came after.

Fabulous Finds

Of course, it’s not all mud and misery. Archaeologists have turned up some rather fabulous things from Roman York like baths. Apparently, soldiers liked to stay clean. Who knew?

Inside the old fortress, they discovered where soldiers slept, cooked, and even took baths! Rich people had houses with colourful mosaics and fancy statues, and many Roman graves held special objects buried with the dead. We think York had a Roman amphitheatre too—but no one’s found it yet. The best clues about gladiator games come from graves of young men who died in violent ways… including one who had a lion’s toothmark in his bones!

Diggory's Favourite Find

My favourite find would have to be a small glass perfume bottle, uncovered in a Roman grave alongside several other glass artefacts. Quite delicate, really, and yet it’s managed to survive all this time. The Romans, you see, were rather fond of their perfumes—used by both men and women, particularly during visits to the public baths. A touch of vanity, perhaps, but historically informative nonetheless.
My favourite find would have to be a small glass perfume bottle, uncovered in a Roman grave alongside several other glass artefacts. Quite delicate, really, and yet it’s managed to survive all this time. The Romans, you see, were rather fond of their perfumes—used by both men and women, particularly during visits to the public baths. A touch of vanity, perhaps, but historically informative nonetheless.
Discover more about Roman York when you visit DIG