Did you know that beneath the Guildhall Art Gallery are the remains of London ancient Roman Amphitheatre which was discovered during the excavations beneath Guildhall in 1988.

The City of London was under Roman rule for a fifth of its history. Around AD43, the Romans established Londinum: within 30 years, they are thought to have constructed a wooden amphitheatre, which received a major facelift in the early second century. 

The remains where discovered during the redevelopment of the Guildhall Art Gallery in 1985 and offer a fascinating insight into the bloody and barbaric theatre of Roman London. More than 7,000 spectators sat on tiered wooden benches in the open air to watch wild animal fights and the execution of criminals.