The Roman Empire annexed Britain in 43AD. When the Romans arrived in York in 71AD a fortress was built to establish a stronghold in the north of England. It housed 5,000 men of the 9th Legion, who were responsible for erecting Hadrian’s Wall. York’s fort covered 20 hectares (equivalent to 50 football pitches), and included eight towers, three on each side of the main entrance to the fort. The Multangular Tower is the last remaining of these, and marks the western corner of the Roman fortress. It was built with three floors, the uppermost designed to support a catapult. After Roman withdrawal from Britain, the fortress walls were integrated into the ever-changing city walls.
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