LONDON.- To celebrate the unique Roman heritage at the heart of the capital, the City of London Corporation is staging a three-month season of exhibitions, walks, talks, theatre, film and special events, taking place from 28 July - 29 October 2017. Londinium reveals the hidden history of Roman London, explore the great settlement’s contemporary legacy, and bring the Roman spirit to life for a 21st century audience.

Londinium has been organised by the City of London Corporation in collaboration with London & Partners, and brings together a number of major cultural organisations including the Museum of London, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Graham Packham, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said: “The Londinium season will include something for everyone. From film screenings and gladiators fighting in Guildhall Yard - the site of London’s Roman Amphitheatre - to wine tastings, hip-hop dance, theatre productions at Shakespeare’s Globe, and academic talks about the Romans in London. Uniquely placed to stage this three-month series of spectacular events, interactive talks, tours and family activities, we are pulling out all of the stops to help bring alive the exciting history that lies underneath the feet of thousands of Londoners.”

The City of London is the oldest part of the capital, dating back to AD50. Roman invaders built a bridge over the Thames and created a settlement around it, named Londinium which, until AD410, was the largest city in Britannia and a vital international port.

Today, most of the remains of Londinium lie around 25ft below modern-day London, having survived 2,000 years of building, fires and bombing during the Second World War. Hidden beneath the streets and offices of the Square Mile are three unique landmarks which offer unparalleled insights into the lives and culture of our Roman ancestors:

• London’s Roman Amphitheatre, excavated in the 1980s and now preserved in the basement of Guildhall Art Gallery.

• Billingsgate Roman House & Baths, the private residence of a wealthy Roman Londoner.

• The Temple of Mithras, home to the mysterious Mithraic cult, will return to the location of its original discovery this autumn as the London Mithraeum, a new immersive subterranean display housed on the site of Bloomberg’s new European Headquarters.

These remarkable sites are open to the public and will be hosting guided tours and events throughout the season. In addition, the programme includes a diverse series of events, many of which are free, which delve into Roman history and reimagine the Romans’ place in the city.