Exploring Exeter’s Roman Footprint: From Ruins to Roads
Much of England has an interesting Roman history, but few places have such strong Roman roots as Exeter. It seems that almost every time a new development begins, some sort of incredible Roman artefact is discovered! We’re going to take a look at some of the most jaw-dropping Roman discoveries that have ever been made in Exeter.
The Roman Fortress
Exeter’s story as a Roman stronghold begins somewhere around AD 55. This is when the Second Augustan Legion established a base here that was led by Vespasian. He’d go on to become an emperor and build a 42 acre fortress (that’s about 30 rugby pitches).
Despite its enormous size, the fortress was abandoned just two decades later. The legion moved onto South Wales, but a civilisation formed in the abandoned fortress and continued to grow. In fact, this very fortress lay down the foundations (literally) for much of Exeter’s inner-city layout today. Next time you’re walking down High Street or South Street, know that the way for these was laid all the way back in AD 55!
The Roman Wall and Excavations
If you live in Exeter, then you won’t have been able to go for long without noticing the enormous Roman Wall - a real feature of our town. Did you know that it was originally constructed in 2 AD? Or that even before this, there was another wall, built with earth and timber? The volcanic trap stone that it’s built of now was a more modern update and has helped it to remain about 70% intact for all of these years.
The wall enclosed the entire Roman settlement, running for approximately 2.4 kilometres. Along its length you could find four gates, including the North Gate, which once stood near the present-day clock tower. While the wall isn’t a feature as it is in some modern cities, there are parts of it that are hidden in plain sight. Walk along Northernhay Gardens or peer behind buildings near Southernhay, and you'll spot chunks of this ancient boundary. It’s sometimes pretty cleverly incorporated into later medieval walls, but look out for blue plaques marking many of the remaining sections.
A Surprise Discovery
Roman influence crops up in the most surprising places, from the postal system to public toilets, and even in the world of online entertainment too. The Hippodrome Megaways casino is home to dozens of Megaways slots, including the Brilliant Centurion Megaways, featuring Roman helmets and coin-laden reels all nodding to the empire’s legacy. There are few areas of our lives that the Romans haven't touched in some way – even stretching as far as online slot games!
But, closer to home, one of the most surprising discoveries came in 1971, when archaeologists uncovered a massive Roman military bathhouse buried beneath the Cathedral Green. Not unused to finding Roman ruins, the archaeologists weren’t initially surprised, until the scale of the bath house started to become apparent.
It was enormous and incredibly elaborate, with cold plunge pools, warm rooms, and an intricate hypocaust heating system. Its existence showed that Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) held far more military and political importance than previously believed. Even more remarkable, medieval builders had unknowingly preserved sections of it by repurposing Roman foundations rather than demolishing them. This perfect storm meant that this rare gem had been able to remain hidden for nearly two millennia.
A Roman Future?
England has a huge Roman heritage, but Exeter is something special. From the enormous political importance of the bathhouse to the fascinating tale of the fortress, repurposed time and time again for a newer civilisation, Exeter's Roman history continues to evolve and change.
