Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1910 — ENGLAND’S POMPEII. [ARTICLE]

ENGLAND’S POMPEII.

Wonderful Homan City Near London Soon to Be Excavated. At the time of-the Roman occupation of England Verulamium was one of the most important cities in that country. With Eboracum (York), It enjoyed the dignity of being a municlpium, which means that all who were born within its walls could claim Roman citizenship. It was situated a few miles out of what Is now the greatest of the world’s cities, London, and the British insurrection under Boadicea culminated there in the massacre of 70,000 Romans. In 303, or perhaps earlier, St- Alban, the first English martyr, was beheaded In the site of the present St. Albans abbey. Not long after the ancient town was forsaken, and the hew one—St. Albans—grew up on the hill which had shadowed it In the center of the site of the old city is the Church of St. Michael, the vicarage of which stands in the middle of what was the forum. A few old walls and other fragrants are to be seen here and there, but the Roman city lies for the most part burled under a considerable depth of soil. In the course of the centuries earth has been washed down from the hillside, and earthworms have been busy, and where once lay the proui} and splendid city is now the quiet, flower-filled garden of the vicarage, the flitfds and the glebe and other pastures* and plow lands. This bit of history, while interesting in Itself, but introduces a fact in which all scientific London is deeply concerned—viz., that the Earl' of Verulam, who owns the land upon which was built the anciout Roman city, has given permission to the Society of Antiquaries to undertake excavations. which will shortly be commenced. The stones and Roman bricks of Verulamium were, of course, much used for later buildings elsewhere. St. Albanß abbey is largely built from them. But a great deal still remains under the doll. About sixty years ago, and again In 1869. the theater was partly and temporarily uncovered, and some fine frescoes, pavements and marbles were round. It Is the only Roman theater In Britain, and its dimensions are almost exactly the same aa those of the theater at Pompeii. In fact, the whole town of Verulamlura singularly resembie# Pompeii -pa regards shape—an irregujar oval—dimensions, and arrangement and posl- , tlon of streets and buildings. It is slightly larger, its walls inclosing an area or 190 acres. Its excavations ought to provide extraordinary Interest. If it is done thoroughly, os no doubt It will be. there will be within a few miles of London an object leason of surprising educational and antiquarian value as to how the Romans lived in Britain 2.000 years ago.