Caer Colun - today's Colchester - was originally the centre of the local Celtic tribe, the Trinovantes. It was a group of settlements and farmland surrounded by a network of ditches. The site was about 12 square miles or 20 square kilometeres. There was a settlement there as early as the seventh century BC.

At the beginning of the first century AD, King Cunobelin ruled over this area and the capital city was Camuloduniun, combining the name of the Celtic war god Camulos with "dunum" the Roman word for fort. It was later known as Colchester.

The prosperity and location of Camulodunium made it a prime target for the Roman invasion. The Romans built a fort, surrounded by a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top about 44 AD. They left the fort just a few years later, confident that the local tribes were well under control. The fort developed into a town, settled mainly by retired Roman soldiers.

In 60 AD the rebelling armies of Queen Boudicca attacked and burned the town. It was rebuilt by the Romans after Boudicca was defeated. Colchester became a thriving town and an important port, with a population of about 11,000. It was the first recorded town in England (77 AD). There were at least 8 temples in this town and by the 4th century there was a large Christian community there as well. But in the 4th century the town declined, like most Roman towns after the soldiers left and Saxons moved in.


Image Credits

Part of Colchester Wall courtesy of Dr. Mike Ibeji, bbc.co.uk

Further Reading

Bédoyère, Guy de la. "Colchester's Roman Circus." Roman Britain, 2006

Ford, David Nash. "Colchester: Where Camelot began." Early British Kingdoms,, 1996-2005

Ibeji, Dr. Mike. "Roman Colchester: Britain's First City." bbc.co.uk, 2001, 10, 01

Virtual Guided Tour of Colchester Castle

Neighbourhood builders:

Article by Flidais Niafer
Map by MacMorna Niafer
Icon graphic by Amlaidh
Hood design by Fedelm Cruithni

Guide to Celtia
Celtia Site Map