Ruled Britannia The Roman Conquest Romano Britain
Celtic Tribes: Caledoni, Vacomagi, Taxali, Venicones, Dumonii, Selgovae, Novantae, Votadini, Brigantes, Parisi, Deceangli, Cornovii, Ordovices, Corieltauvi, Iceni, Demetae, Silures, Trinovantes, Catuvellauni, Dobunni, Atrebates, Cantii, Durotriges, Dumnonii
First Roman Invasion 55-54 BC: Attempted invasion by Julius Caesar Romans joined forces with Trinovantes to defeat a British coalition under Cassivellaunus, king of Catuvellauni Caesar foiled by rebellion in Gaul
Second Roman Invasion May, 43 AD: Roman commander Aulus Plautius lands in Britain with four legions and about 20,000 auxiliary troops Early autumn: Emperor Claudius arrives with reinforcements
Second Roman Invasion 43 AD: Fall of Camulodunum (Colchester), centre of the Catuvellauni, to the Romans Tribal kings surrender 51 AD: Caractacus (King of the Catuvellauni) captured AD 75-7: Wales subdued, conquest complete
Legions penetrate as far as Cornwall, Wales, the Humber Road construction begun, Londinium (London) founded
Rebellion of the Iceni, 60-1 AD Brutalisation of Iceni tribe and its queen, Boudica Boudica raises rebellion against Rome with support of Trinovantes Sacking of Colchester, London and St Albans Defeat of British tribes by Roman governor, Suetonius Paulinus
...a terrible disaster occurred in Britain. Two cities were sacked, eighty thousand of the Romans and of their allies perished, and the island was lost to Rome. Moreover, all this ruin was brought upon the Romans by a woman, a fact which in itself caused them the greatest shame...but the person who was chiefly instrumental in rousing the natives and persuading them to fight the Romans, the person who was thought worthy to be their leader and who directed the conduct of the entire war, was Buduica, a Briton woman of the royal family and possessed of greater intelligence than often belongs to women...in stature she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh; a great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips; around her neck was a large golden necklace; and she wore a tunic of divers colours over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch. This was her invariable attire. Cassio Dio
Images of Boudicca
Anglesey and the North, 77-83 AD 77-83 AD: Governor Agricola campaigns against Ordovices in Wales and northern tribes 78 AD: Agricola crosses Menai Strait to take Anglesey 79-80 AD: Agricola consolidates military control of southern Scotland 81-83 AD: Agricola campaigns against the Calidoni
The enemy lined the shore in a dense armed mass. Among them were black-robed women with dishevelled hair like Furies, brandishing torches. Close by stood Druids, raising their hands to heaven and screaming dreadful curses. This weird spectacle awed the Roman soldiers into a sort of paralysis. They stood still, and presented themselves as a target. But then they urged each other (and were urged by the general) not to fear a horde of fanatical women. Onward pressed their standards and they bore down their opponents, enveloping them in the flames of their own torches. Suetonius garrisoned the conquered island. The groves devoted to Mona's barbarous superstitions he demolished. For it was their religion to drench their altars in the blood of prisoners and consult their gods by means of human entrails. Tacitus
Romanisation of Britain 43-409 AD Roman civilisation flourishes in military and urban centres, particularly in the south Romanisation of architecture, dress, entertainment and religion Improvements in areas of communication, sanitation and medicine
The Roman Baths, Bath Religious spa, constructed c. 45 AD
Towns built to house military and administrative personnel, including Corinium (Cirencester), Camulodunum (Colchester, Verulaminium (St Albans and Lindum (Lincoln)
Palace at Fishbourne (Sussex), constructed early 70s AD
South of the country becomes a prosperous Roman province North is continually troubled; defences constructed (Hadrian s Wall, the Antonine Wall)
Hadrian s Wall, the Antonine Wall 122-139 AD: Emperor Hadrian has 75-mile wall constructed along the Tyne-Solway line 142-144 AD: Emperor Antonine has 37-mile wall built 160 AD: Romans abandon gains north of Hadrian s wall
Situation of Walls
Division of Britain, c. 216 AD Britain divided into Britannia Superior, with legions at Caerleon and Chester, and Britannia inferior, with legions at York and Hadrian s wall Emperor Septimus Severus conducts campaigns in north
The Gallic Empire, 260-274 AD Rebellion by Roman general Postumus: Britain and Gaul become independent Empire. 274: Tetricus surrenders Gallic Empire back to Roman Empire Aurelian
Empire of Carausius, 286-296 AD Carausius seizes Britain and northern Gaul; work begins on Saxon Shore 293 AD: Carausius murdered by Allectus 296 AD: Allectus falls to Emperor Constantius
Provinces Restructured, c. 296 Britannia Superior split into: Britannia Prima (centre Cirencester) Maxima Caesariensis (centre London) Britannia Inferior split into: Britannia Secunda (centre York) Flavia Caesariensis (centre Lincoln)
Constantine I and Christianity 314 AD 306 AD: Constantine becomes Emperor 312 AD: Constantine defeats his rival Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge after a religious visitation Constantine makes Christianity imperial religion; foundation of Constantinople 325 AD: Council of Nicea agrees on Nicene Creed
Invasions: Picts, Scoti, Saxons 367 AD 367 AD: Land and sea invasion: Picts, Scoti, Attacotti, Saxons By 400 AD: three nonroman kingdoms established: Strathclyde, Goddoddin, Galloway
Invasions, c. 390 AD From late fourth century: Angles, Saxons and Jutes settle extensively in southern and central Britain
Abandonment of Britain, 410 AD From c. 400 AD: Roman troops continually withdrawn 410 AD: Roman citizens of Britain petition Emperor Honorius for assistance; they are told to look to their own defences
The final years of Roman Britain
Next week: Saxons, Jutes and Vikings
Assignment for Next Week Group 1: Find out what exactly we know about King Arthur. Where does historical fact end and myth begin? Group 2: Find out about the life of Eric Bloodaxe. Group 3: Find out about the life and achievements of King Offa. Group 4: Find out about Anglo-Saxon religion, particularly with reference to the Anglo-Saxon calendar and the days of the week. Group 5: Find out about the life and achievements of King Alfred. Look at the website (homework assignments) for a starting point