The Form and Growth of the City Roman Fortress
Exeter owes its foundation to the Roman army. Around AD 50-55 they built a fortress where the centre of the modern city now stands. It was the headquarters for the Second Augustan legion and commanded a vital crossing place across the river Exe. The fort was rectangular with round corners containing a grid of streets with timber buildings. It was joined by a road to Topsham, where there was a fort and other buildings, possibly a supply base or port. Other Roman roads ran through Heavitree towards the coast and from Sidwell Street to Whipton, although their precise courses are uncertain.
Exeter has one of the longest and most distinguished histories of any British city and you can explore over 250,000 years of it through Time Trail.
The story is told through hundreds of objects from RAMM's collections and with images of historic buildings and archaeological sites.
Try our games and puzzles section to have a go at building a Roman mosaic or explore historic Exeter in Minecraft. Have you tried our new trails for mobiles?
