Amazing images of London show the city's evolution over nearly 2,000 years

Wikipedia Commons

Like all living things, cities have lifespans. 

London started as a small Roman settlement along the Thames River. But today, more than 8.6 million people call the place home.

Here are 21 maps, paintings, and old-time photographs that show the journey of the British capital.

Two recent archaeological excavations, in 1999 and 2010, suggest that there were settlements near London's Thames River as early as 4500 BC. The area saw a widespread adoption of agriculture in the Neolithic and Bronze Age.

Alan Sorrell/Museum of London

Source: British History Online

The Romans founded Londinium (now called London) in 43 AD. This artist's illustration of Londinium in 200 AD shows the city's first bridge over the Thames River.

Imgur

From the 7th to 11th centuries, Anglo-Saxons moved into Londinium. Their settlement was laid out in a grid pattern and grew to contain between 10,000 and 12,000 people.

Sue White/University of Nottingham


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