Silchester Roman City Walls and Amphitheatre

Originally a tribal centre of the Iron Age Atrebates, Silchester became the large and important Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum. Unlike most Roman towns, it was never re-occupied or built over after its abandonment in the 5th century, so archaeological investigations give an unusually complete picture of its development. The complete circuit of its 3rd-century walls, among the best-preserved Roman town defences in England and 21⁄2 km (11⁄2 miles) long, can still be traced, although none of the buildings within them survive above ground. Outside them are the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, which provided seating for over 4,500 spectators.