In 2017, a Roman temple was discovered in a field in Silchester (southern England), which may be the first of its kind in Britain, dating back to the reign of Emperor Nero (54-68 CE).
The discovery was made by archaeologists from the University of Reading. The facility was part of a larger temple complex as it is the third sanctuary discovered on this site. Scientists suspect that the objects may have been part of a larger construction project sponsored by Nero himself. This is evidenced by, for example, tiles taken from the ground with the emperor’s name engraved on them.
In Roman times, Silchester was called Calleva. The discovered temples are the oldest known stone structures in the city. The excavated foundations indicate that the buildings could be up to 15 meters high. It remains a mystery, however, what cult was worshipped here. A similar building plan suggests that they were probably built at the same time.
