Roman heritage in Britain
1 Look at the photos and match the places with the information.
1 London
2 Bath
3 Hadrian's Walla 0 defence system
b 0 new road system
c 0 famous for its hot springs2 Read the text and answer the questions below.
London
The origin of London dates back to Roman times. The first bridge on
the River Thames was probably built by the Romans between 55 BC
(during Julius Caesar's expeditions) and 43 AD (during Emperor
Claudius' invasion of Britain). For the first time the river was used for
commercial trade with the continent. As a consequence, London
became richer and larger and walls were built around it to provide
protection. The Romans remained in Britain for almost 400 years.
They left behind a very changed nation to the one they had invaded.
They introduced a road system and established new towns that often
had a rectangUlar space in t he centre called the 'forum'.Hadrian's WallBath
Bat h was the centre of fashion, luxury and
leisure of Roman society in Britain. Today,
Bath is fa mous for its hea Ithy m i nera I
water, hot springs, Roman baths (which
are still open to the public) and Georgian
buildings.
It became a World Heritage Site in 1987
and today it is a major centre for tourism.
Every year in May and June there is an
important festival of classical music. Bath
is rich in history and it is surrounded by
fascinating cou ntryside.Roman Emperor Hadrian built this famous wall in northern England
between 122 and 127 AD. He decided that the Empire needed securing.
The w all served as a defence across the northern border to keep out people
f rom northern Scotland. It was 120 km long and up to five metres high.
Along the wall the Romans built a series of small forts called 'milecastles'.
Chester's Roman fort is one of the best conserved. Today, long sections of
the wa 11 ca n sti 11 be seen a nd it rema i ns a popu la r attraction with ma ny
visitors every year..\ "'en was the first bridge built in London?- ',-",:'s Bath famous for?
- -::: -",Joened in 198??
4 What t akes place in Bath during May and June?
5 Who decided to build a wall across the northern border?
6 What did th e Romans build along t he wall?