Abstract

This article addresses the problems with the theory that London
was founded as a Claudian fort, recently reiterated by D. Perring (2011). The
main issues addressed are the chronological and functional assumptions of
ditches, as well as the significance of military artefacts necessary to consider
Perring’s argument. Additionally, isolating a small number of features from the
pre-Boudican period can be misleading, and this article briefly contextualizes
the ditches cited within all known contemporaneous large ditches from
Claudian/Neronian London. An assessment of Perring’s interpretation of the
character of the early settlement and an alternative portrayal based on the
author’s research are presented briefly.