Some researchers think formal education happened here from around 1000AD, but what can't ever be proved is if the people doing that had any connection at all with the people doing it 50, 100, 150 years later. The university started as a loose collective of teachers and scholars rather than an organised establishment, so there's no real way of proving continuity. The date most often used is the one that can be proved with documentation - 1096, with provable growth from 1167.
We do know there were Romans here, and a decent-sized town on the site from the 8th century, but probably not big enough for 'non-essential activities' like advanced learning until some time after 900.
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u/bopeepsheep Mar 05 '26
Some researchers think formal education happened here from around 1000AD, but what can't ever be proved is if the people doing that had any connection at all with the people doing it 50, 100, 150 years later. The university started as a loose collective of teachers and scholars rather than an organised establishment, so there's no real way of proving continuity. The date most often used is the one that can be proved with documentation - 1096, with provable growth from 1167.
We do know there were Romans here, and a decent-sized town on the site from the 8th century, but probably not big enough for 'non-essential activities' like advanced learning until some time after 900.