List of Roman place names in Britain

A partial list of Roman place names in Great Britain.[1]

Roman Britain. Map from 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

This list includes only names documented from Roman times. For a more complete list including later Latin names, see List of Latin place names in Britain.

The early sources for Roman names show numerous variants and misspellings of the Latin names. Moreover, Ptolemy, one of the principal authorities, wrote in Greek, so names that he records need to be transliterated back into Latin to reveal the original form.

Note that in general only one source is shown below for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources.

Lists

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Geographic regions

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Roman name Modern region Appearance
Britannia Great Britain T
Hibernia Ireland T
Caledonia Scotland T

Settlement names

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Roman name Modern name Appearances
Aballava Burgh by Sands, Cumbria ND, T
Ad Ansam Unknown (Higham, Suffolk?) AI
Ad Pontem East Stoke, Nottinghamshire AI
Ad Pontes or Pontibus Staines-upon-Thames, Middlesex AI
Aesica Great Chesters, Northumberland ND, T
Alaunodunum Maidenhead, Berkshire other[2]
Alione or Alavana Watercrook or Low Borrowbridge, Cumbria? ND, AI
Alauna Maryport, Cumbria ND
Alaune Alcester, Warwickshire RC, T
Amboglanna or Banna Birdoswald, Cumbria ND
Anderitum Pevensey, East Sussex ND, T
Aquae Arnemetiae Buxton, Derbyshire RC
Aquae Sulis Bath, Somerset AI, P
Arbeia South Shields, Tyne & Wear ND, T
Ardotalia Gamesley, Glossop, Derbyshire RC
Argistillum Unknown (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire?) RC
Ariconium Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire AI
Bannavem Taburniae unknown SP
Bannaventa Norton, near Daventry, Northamptonshire AI
Belgic oppidum Braintree, Essex other[3]
Blatobulgium Birrens, Dumfrieshire AI
Blestium Monmouth AI
Bomium Cowbridge, South Glamorgan? AI
Bovio Tilston, Cheshire AI
Branodunum Brancaster, Norfolk ND, T
Bravonium Leintwardine, Herefordshire AI
Bremenium High Rochester, Northumberland AI
Bremetennacum Veteranorum Ribchester, Lancashire AI, ND, RC, T
Brige Ashley or Stockbrigde, Hampshire? AI
Brocavum Brougham, Cumbria AI
Brocolitia or Procolitia Carrawburgh, Northumberland ND, T
Brovonacae or Bravoniacum Kirkby Thore, Cumbria AI, T
Burrium Usk, Monmouthshire AI
Caesaromagus Chelmsford, Essex AI, RC
Calcaria Tadcaster, North Yorkshire AI
Calleva Atrebatum Silchester, Hampshire AI, P, RC
Camboduno unknown (Huddersfield?) AI
Camboglanna Castlesteads, Northumberland RC, T
Camborico Lackford or Hockwold, Norfolk AI
Camulodunum Colchester, Essex AI, P, RC
Canonium Kelvedon, Essex AI
Caromago Cramond, Edinburgh RC
Castra Exploratorum Netherby, Cumbria AI
Cataractonium Catterick, North Yorkshire AI, P, RC
Causennis Unknown (Sapperton, Lincolnshire?) AI
Cilurnum Walwick Chesters, Northumberland ND, T
Clausentum Bitterne, Hampshire AI
Coccium Wigan, Lancashire AI
Colonia Colchester, Essex AI, RC
Conbretovium Coddenham, Suffolk AI
Concangis Chester-le-Street, County Durham ND, RC, T
Congavata or Coggabata Drumburgh, Cumbria ND, T
Condercum Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne ND, T
Condate Northwich, Cheshire AI
Conovium Caerhun, Clwyd AI, RC
Corinium Dobunnorum Cirencester, Gloucestershire AI, P, RC
Coria or Corstopitum Corbridge, Northumberland AI, P, RC
Crocolana Brough, Nottinghamshire AI
Cunetione Mildenhall, Wiltshire AI
Curia Traprain Law, East Lothian P
Danum Doncaster, South Yorkshire AI, ND, T
Delgovicia or Devovicia Malton, North Yorkshire AI, RC
Deva Victrix Chester AI, P, RC
Derventione Papcastle, Cumbria ND, T
Derventio Brigantum Stamford Bridge or Malton, Yorkshire AI
Derventio Coritanorum Little Chester, Derby RC, T
Dictim near Sunderland ND, T
Dubris Dover, Kent AI, ND, RC, T
Durnovaria Dorchester, Dorset AI, RC
Durobrovis Rochester, Kent AI, RC
Durobrivae Water Newton, Cambridgeshire AI, RC
Durocobrivis Dunstable, Bedfordshire AI
Durocornovium Swindon, Wiltshire AI
Durolevum Unknown (Ospringe or Sittingbourne?) AI
Durolipons Cambridge AI, RC
Durolitum Little London, Essex AI
Durovernum Cantiacorum Canterbury AI, RC
Durovigutum Godmanchester RC
Eboracum York AI, P, RC
Evidensca East Lothian RC
Gabrosentum Unknown (Moresby, Cumbria or Gateshead?) ND, T
Galacum Burrow-in-Lonsdale? AI
Galava Ambleside, Cumbria AI
Garrianonum Burgh Castle, Norfolk or Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk ND, T
Glannoventa or Cantiventi Ravenglass, Cumbria AI, ND, RC, T
Glevum Colonia Gloucester AI, RC
Gobannium Abergavenny, Monmouthshire AI, RC
Hortonium Halifax, West Yorkshire other[4]
Isca Dumnoniorum Exeter, Devon AI, P, RC
Isca Augusta Caerleon, Gwent AI
Isannavantia Norton, Northamptonshire AI
Isurium or Isubrigantum Aldborough, North Yorkshire AI, P
Lactodorum Towcester, Northamptonshire AI, RC
Lagentium or Legeolio Castleford, West Yorkshire AI, RC
Lavatris Bowes Castle, County Durham AI, ND, RC, T
Leodis or Loidis Leeds other[5]
Leucarum Loughor, Swansea AI
Letocetum or Etoceto Wall, Staffordshire AI
Lindinis Ilchester, Somerset P, RC
Lindum Colonia Lincoln AI, P
Londinium London AI, P
Longovicium Lanchester, County Durham ND, RC, T
Luentinum Pumsaint/Dolaucothi P
Luguvalium Carlisle, Cumbria AI, RC
Lutudarum Wirksworth or Carsington, Derbyshire RC
Magiovinto Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire AI
Magis near Workington, Cumbria ND, T
Magnis Kenchester, Herefordshire AI, ND, RC, T
Maglona Wigton, Cumbria ND, T
Magnus Portus Bosham, Sussex P
Manduesedum Mancetter, Warwickshire AI
Mamucium or Mantio Manchester AI, RC
Maromago Midlothian RC
Margidunum Bingham, Nottinghamshire AI
Mediolanum Whitchurch, Shropshire AI, P, RC
Morbium Piercebridge, County Durham ND, T
Moridunum Axminster, Devon AI
Moridunum Carmarthen P
Navio or Anovius Brough-on-Noe, Hope Valley, Derbyshire RC
Nidum Neath, West Glamorgan AI
Noviomagus Reginorum Chichester, Sussex AI, P, RC
Noviomagus Cantiacorum West Wickham, formerly supposed to be Crayford, both in the historic county of Kent[6] AI
Olenacum unknown (Elslack, North Yorkshire?) ND, T
Olicana Ilkley, West Yorkshire P
Onnum or Hunnum Halton, Northumberland ND, T
Othona Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex ND, T
Pennocrucium Water Eaton, Staffordshire AI
Petriana Stanwix in Carlisle, Cumbria ND, T
Petuaria Brough, Yorkshire P, RC
Pons Aelius Newcastle upon Tyne ND, T
Portus Abonae Sea Mills, Bristol AI
Portus Adurni Portchester, Hampshire ND, RC, T
Portus Felix Filey, North Yorkshire other[7]
Portus Lemanis Lympne, Kent AI, ND, T
Praesidium unknown (Newton Kyme, North Yorkshire?) ND, T
Praetorium unknown (Bridlington?) AI
Ratae Corieltauvorum Leicester AI, P
Regulbium Reculver, Kent ND, T
Rutunium Harcourt Park, Shropshire AI
Rutupiae Richborough, Kent AI, ND, P, T
Salinae Middlewich, Cheshire RC
Segedunum Wallsend, Tyne and Wear ND, T
Segelocum or Agelocum Littleborough, Nottinghamshire AI
Segontium Caernarfon AI, RC
Sitomagus, Sitomagum, Sitomago, or Senomagus Unknown, possibly Ixworth, Suffolk AI
Sorbiodonum Salisbury, Wiltshire AI, RC
Spinae Speen, Berkshire AI
Sulloniacae unknown (Brockley Hill?) AI
Trajectus Keynsham, Somerset AI
Trimontium Newstead, Scottish Borders P
Tripontium Churchover, Warwickshire AI
Uxacona Redhill, Shropshire AI
Uxelodunum or Axelodunum Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria ND, RC, T
Vagniacae Springhead, Kent AI
Varae St Asaph, Denbighshire? AI
Vectis Isle of Wight P
Venonae High Cross, Leicestershire AI
Venta Belgarum Winchester, Hampshire AI, P, RC
Venta Icenorum or Icinos Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk AI, P, RC
Venta Silurum Caerwent, Monmouthshire AI, RC
Vercovicium or Borcovicium Housesteads, Northumberland ND, T
Verlucione Sandy Lane, Wiltshire AI
Verterae or Verteris Brough, Cumbria AI, ND, T
Vertis Unknown (Worcester?) RC
Verulamium St Albans, Hertfordshire AI, P, RC, T
Verometum or Vernometum Willoughby on the Wolds, Nottinghamshire AI
Vindobala Rudchester, Northumberland ND, T
Vindocladia Shapwick, Dorset AI, RC
Vindolanda Chesterholme, Northumberland RC, T
Vindomis Neatham, Hampshire AI, RC
Vindomora Ebchester, County Durham AI
Vinovia Binchester, County Durham AI, P, RC
Viroconium Cornoviorum Wroxeter, Shropshire AI, RC
Virosidum Bainbridge, North Yorkshire ND, T
Voreda Penrith, Cumbria AI, RC

See also

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Primary sources

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  1. AI: The Antonine Itinerary[8]
  2. P: Ptolemy's Geography[9]
  3. RC: The Ravenna Cosmography[10]
  4. T: Tacitus's On the Life and Character of Julius Agricola.
  5. SP: Confession of St. Patrick
  6. ND: Notitia Dignitatum

References

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  1. ^ A L F Rivet, Colin Smith (1979). The Place-names of Roman Britain. B.T. Batsford Limited. ISBN 978-0713420777.
  2. ^ The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary. Mr. Thomas Hearne M. A. 1768.
  3. ^ Finch Smith, Roger (1987). Roadside Settlements of Lowland Roman Britain. British Archaeological Reports British Series. p. 161. ISBN 0-86054-411-7.
  4. ^ A Gazetteer of the World. A. Fullarton & Co. 1856.
  5. ^ Bede (731). Historia Ecclesiastica.
  6. ^ The discovery of the lost Roman town of Noviomagus, at West Wickham, Kent. Brian Philp, Gerald Clewley, Debbie Cooper. Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, Special Subject Series 26. 2021. ISBN 0947831371
  7. ^ Walker, John (1834), "VIII. Observations to prove Filey Bay, in Yorkshire, the Portus Felix or Sinus Salutaris; and Flamborough Head, the Ocellum Promontorium, of the Romans", Archaeologia: or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity, vol. 25, Society of Antiquaries of London, pp. 127–145
  8. ^ "The Antonine Itinerary". The Roads of Roman Britain. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ^ Thayer, Bill (1991). "Ptolemy's Geography - Book II, Chapter 2". LacusCurtius. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Britannia in the Ravenna Cosmography". www.kmatthews.org.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
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