Leicester is one of the oldest cities in England, with a history going back
at least 2,000 years. The first recorded name of the city is the Roman label
Ratae Corieltauvorum. (The name of
this tribe was formerly thought to be "Coritani", so "Ratae
Coritanorum" is used in older references to it.) Before being settled by
Romans it was the capital of the Celtic Corieltauvi tribe ruling over roughly
the same territory as what is now known as the East Midlands. It is believed
that Romans arrived in the Leicester area around AD 47.
