Preserved Roman Cities and Archaeological Areas

Roman town planning emerged during Rome’s expansion in Italy, shaped by both practical needs and earlier Greek and Etruscan influences. While early Rome itself developed organically, its conquests demanded structured, functional settlements. Colonies were established not just for control, but as tools of Romanisation, spreading Roman law, culture, and architecture.

Ancient Roman Cities You Can Still Visit Today

Grid-Based Foundations

Roman towns followed a standard grid plan. At the core were two main roads: the cardo maximus running north to south and the decumanus maximus running east to west. Their intersection often marked the forum, the town’s administrative and commercial heart. Around this central space rose temples, basilicas, and markets, laid out with military precision.

This layout is still visible at sites like Timgad in Algeria, one of the best-preserved Roman grid towns.

Greek and Etruscan Influence

Romans borrowed heavily from their neighbors. Greek cities like Poseidonia, today known as Paestum in Italy, offered examples of formal layouts with defined zones for living, commerce, and worship. From the Etruscans came engineering solutions such as drainage, road paving, and city gates. The Etruscan city of Marzabotto, with its orthogonal layout, prefigured Roman planning principles.

Military Origins of Civil Space

Roman towns evolved from army camps. The rigid structure of a castrum, with barracks, walls, gates, and a clear internal street plan, became the model for many towns. Surveyors used tools like the groma to divide land with geometric precision. This military foundation is evident at sites like Caerleon in the UK and Vindonissa in Switzerland.

Colonial Foundations Across the Empire

New Roman towns sprang up across the Mediterranean and into Europe. Some, like Lugdunum in Lyon, were entirely new foundations. Others, such as Nîmes or Arles, were expansions of existing native settlements. Regardless of origin, towns were equipped with forums, baths, amphitheatres, and temples, architectural symbols of Roman power and identity.

In Britain, Roman towns like Verulamium and Londinium introduced urban life where it hadn’t existed. Sites were chosen for strategic reasons including river crossings, roads, or former forts.

Adaptation to Local Conditions

While the grid plan was a baseline, local geography shaped the final form. Hills, rivers, and existing structures required flexibility. Large monuments were often slotted into the grid, or the grid adjusted around them. This adaptability can be seen in Pompeii, where older layouts were absorbed into Roman frameworks.