The first recorded settlers in London were a tribe of Britons known as the Iceni, who inhabited the area from around the 1st century BC. They built a settlement on the north bank of the River Thames, which became known as Londinium. The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD and Londinium quickly became a major trading centre, with a population of over 60,000. The city continued to grow and develop under Roman rule, becoming one of the most important cities in the province of Britannia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Londinium was abandoned for several centuries, but was eventually resettled by Saxons in the 7th century.