Roman Britain - World History Encyclopedia

Britain was a significant addition to the ever-expanding Roman Empire. For decades Rome had been conquering the Mediterranean Sea ... RomanBritain Definition byDonaldL.Wasson publishedon30January2017 Listentothisarticle X MapofRomanBritain,150ADAndreinacu(PublicDomain) Britainwasasignificantadditiontotheever-expandingRomanEmpire.FordecadesRomehadbeenconqueringtheMediterraneanSea-defeatingCarthageinthePunicWars,overwhelmingMacedonandGreece,andfinallymarchingintoSyriaandEgypt.Atlonglast,theygazednorthwardacrosstheAlpstowardsGaulandultimatelysettingtheirsightsacrossthechannel(theybelievedittobeanocean)intoBritannia.AfterClaudius'invasionin43CE,partoftheislandbecameaRomanprovinceinname,however,conquestwasalongprocess.Constantlyrebelliousandtwicereorganized,itwasfinallyabandonedbytheRomansin410CE. BritainbeforeRome AtthetimeoftheRomanarrival,Britain(originallyknownasAlbion)wasmostlycomprisedofsmallIronAgecommunities,primarilyagrarian,tribal,withenclosedsettlements.SouthernBritainsharedtheirculturewithnorthernGaul(moderndayFranceandBelgium);manysouthernBritonswereBelgaeinoriginandsharedacommonlanguagewiththem.Infact,after120BCEtradingbetweenTransalpineGaulintensifiedwiththeBritonsreceivingsuchdomesticimportsaswine;therewasalsosomeevidenceofGallo-Belgaecoinage. RemoveAds Advertisement Caesar'scampaign AlthoughJuliusCaesar'spresencedidnotresultinconquest,itwasthisintensetrade-someclaimitwaspartlyego-thatbroughttheRomancommanderacrosstheChannelinboth55and54BCE.Previously,theChannel,orMareBritannicum,hadalwaysservedasanaturalborderbetweentheEuropeanmainlandandtheislands.DuringhissubjugationofGaulduringtheGallicWars,CaesarhadwantedtointerruptBelgaetraderoutes;healsoassumedtheBritonswereassistingtheirkindredBelgae.Later,hewouldrationalizehisinvasionofBritainbytellingtheRomanSenatethathebelievedtheislandwasrichinsilver.AlthoughtheRepublicwasprobablyawareoftheisland'sexistence,Britain,forthemostpart,wascompletelyunknowntoRome,andtomanymoresuperstitiouscitizens,onlyexistedinfables;tradersrepeatedlytoldoftheislanders'barbarouspractices.TothedisgustofmanyRomans,theyevendrankmilk. MapoftheBritishIslesin54BCPLKessler(Copyright) Nevertheless,Caesar'sinitialcontactwiththeislanderswentpoorly,andhehadtoquicklyreorganizehisarmytoavoiddefeat.Duringhissecond'invasion'whenhewasaccompaniedbyfivelegions,hepushedfurthernorthwardacrosstheThamesRivertomeettheBritonchieftainCassivellaunus.Althoughhewasjoinedforbattlebyseverallocalchieftains,toavoidcrossingtheChannelinpoorweather,CaesarfeignedgrowingproblemsinGaul,arrangedapeacetreatywithCassivellaunus,andreturnedtotheEuropeanmainlandwithoutleavingagarrison.WhilemanyRomanswereenthusiasticaboutCaesar'sexcursionacrosstheChannel,Caesar'sworstenemyCatowasaghast.TheGreekhistorianStrabo,acontemporaryofthelateRepublic,saidtheonlythingsofvaluewerehuntingdogsandslaves.MoreimportanttoCaesarwasthedifficultiesdevelopinginGaul,afailedharvest,andpossiblerebellion.TheRomanswouldnotreturntoBritainforanothercentury. RemoveAds Advertisement YouTube FollowusonYoutube! Claudius'Invasion WiththedeathofCaesarandthecivilwarthatfollowed,theRepublicwasnomore,andthenewempire'sinterestinBritanniaintensifiedunderbothEmperorsAugustusandCaligulaastheRomanizationofGaulprogressed.WhileAugustus'sattentionsweredrawnelsewhere,CaligulaandhisarmystaredacrosstheChanneltowardstheBritishIsles-theemperoronlyorderedhismentothrowtheirjavelinsatthesea-therewouldbenoinvasion.Theactualannexationfelltothemostunlikelyofemperors,Claudius(41–54CE). In43CE,EmperorClaudiuswithanarmyoffourlegionsandauxiliariesunderthecommandofAulusPlautiuscrossedtheEnglishChannel,landingatRichborough.Theybegantheconquestoftheisland.Somebelievetheemperor'sonlygoalwaspersonalglory;yearsofhumiliationunderCaligulalefthimlongingforrecognition.Althoughhehadonlybeentheresixteendays,Claudiuswouldtakecredit,ofcourse,fortheconquestwithaglorioustriumphantreturntoRomein44CE. LoveHistory? Signupforourfreeweeklyemailnewsletter! ClaudiusasJupiterMarkCartwright(CCBY-NC-SA) TheRomanarmyhadlandedontheBritishshoreandmarchednorthwardtowardstheThamesRiver;itwastherethatClaudiusjoinedthem.Rome'sarmyquicklyoverrantheterritoryoftheCatuvellauniwithavictoryatCamulodunum(modern-dayColchester).Afterwards,thearmyquicklymovedtothenorthandwest,andby60CEmuchofWalesandtheareastothesouthofTrentwereoccupied.ClientkingdomsweresoonestablishedincludingtheIceniatNorfolkandtheBrigantestothenorth.Whileonelegionwassentnorthward,thefutureemperorVespasianledanotherlegionsouthwestwherehewouldcapture20tribalstrongholds.CitiessuchasLondon(Londinium)-becauseofitsproximitytotheChannel-andSt.Albans(Verulamium)wereestablished. Revolts&Consolidation Therewas,however,considerablyresistance;theBritonswerenotabouttoquitwithoutafight.Caratacus,amemberoftheCatuvellauni,ralliedconsiderablysupportinWalesonlytobecapturedin51CE.Afterhisdefeat,heescapedandmadehiswaytoaregioncontrolledbyBriganteswhosequeenquicklyturnedhimovertotheRomans.HeandhisfamilyweretakentoRomeinchains.InRome,atriumphwasheldtoglorifyClaudius,butthecapturedchieftainwasgiventheopportunitytospeaktotheRomanpeople: RemoveAds Advertisement Hadmylineageandrankbeenaccompaniedbyonlymoderatesuccess,Ishouldhavecometothiscityasfriendratherthanprisoner,andyouwouldnothavedisdainedtoallyyourselfpeacefullywithonesonoblyborn…IfIhadsurrenderedwithoutablowbeforebeingbroughtbeforeyou,neithermydownfallnoryourtriumphwouldhavebecomefamous.Ifyouexecuteme,theywillbeforgotten.Spareme,andIshallbeaneverlastingtokenofyourmercy.(Tacitus,Annals,267) Hislife,togetherwiththatofhiswife,daughter,andbrothers,wassparedbyClaudius. QueenBoudicaCaroleRaddato(CCBY-SA) WhileCaratacus'srevoltwasafailure,RomehadyettotanglewiththemightyBoudica.ShewasthewifeofPrasutagus,aRomanallyandclientkingoftheIceni,atribeineasternBritain.Hisdeathin60/61CEleftawillthatgaveone-halfofhisterritorytoRomeandone-halftohisdaughters;however,Romedidnotwishtosharethekingdomand,instead,decidedtoplunderitall.TheresultleftBoudicafloggedandherdaughtersraped.Althoughsheandherarmywouldeventuallybedefeated,sheroseup,gatheredanarmy,andwiththeneighboringTrinovanteswentontheoffensive.Townsweresackedandburned,includingLondinium,andresidentskilled-possiblyasmanyas70,000(theseareRomannumbersandmayormaynotbecompletelyaccurate).InhisAnnalsTacituswrote, Boudiccadrovearoundallthetribesinachariotwithherdaughtersinfrontofher."WeBritishareusedtowomancommandersinwar."shecried."Iamdescendedfrommightymen!ButnowIamnotfightingformykingdomandwealth.Iamfightingasanordinarypersonformylostfreedom,mybruisedbody,andmyoutrageddaughters."(330) SheprayedthatthegodswouldgrantherthevengeancetheBritishdeserved.Unfortunately,herprayerswentunanswered,andinsteadofsurrenderingtotheRomans,shecommittedsuicide.TacitusbelievedthathaditnotbeenforthequickresponseofRomangovernorGaiusSuetoniusPaulinus,Britainwouldhavebeenlost. RemoveAds Advertisement Romanization Althoughprogresswasrelativelyslow,RomeconsideredtheconquestofBritainnecessary.WhileJuliusCaesarhaddismissedtheislandashavinglittleofvalue,thetruthwasfarfromit. TheBattleofWatlingStreetwasthelastseriousthreattoRomanauthorityinthelowlands.AsidefromhisvictoryagainstBoudicca,inhisdesiretostrengthenRomanpresence,PaulinusalsoeliminatedtheDruidstrongholdatAnglesey;theDruidreligionhadalwaysbeenconsideredathreattotheRomansandtheirimperialcult.Accordingly,thegovernor'srathervigorousresponsetotheBoudica'ssurrenderlednotonlytohisrecallbyRome-hewasreplacedbyTurpilianus-butachangeinRomanpolicytowardsBritain.Gradually,BritonswereadoptingRomanways.WithastrongerpresenceinBritain,Romebegantomakesignificantchanges.Burnttownswererebuilt.Soon,London(Londinium),servingastheadministrativecapital,wouldhaveabasilica,aforum,agovernor'spalace,andabridgecrossingtheThames. Althoughprogresswasrelativelyslow,RomeconsideredtheconquestofBritainnecessary.WhileJuliusCaesarhaddismissedtheislandashavinglittleofvalue,thetruthwasfarfromit.Notonlywasitimportantforitstaxrevenuebutitwasalsousefulforitsmineralresources-tin,iron,andgoldandaspredictedhuntingdogsandanimalfurs.Miningdeveloped.Inaddition,therewasitsgrain,cattle,and,ofcourse,slaves.Roadswerebuilt;WatlingStreetwhichlinkedCanterburytoWroxeterontheWelshborderandErmineStreetwhichranbetweenLondonandYork.And,withanyburgeoningeconomy,merchantsarrived,resultinginincreasedtradeandcommerce.However,despitethepresenceofastrongmilitary,resistancecontinued,soexpansionremainedgradual. Agricola'sCampaign From77to83CEthemilitarycommanderGnaeusJuliusAgricola-ironicallythefather-in-lawofTacitus-servedasgovernor.ItwasnotAgricola'sfirsttimeInBritain.HehadservedthereasayoungmanonSuetoniusPaulinus'staffasamilitarytribune.InhisOnBritainandGermany,thehistorianwroteaboutAgricola'spreviousstayinBritainstatingthathewasenergeticbutnevercareless.ConcerningthestateofaffairsinBritainatthetime,hewrote,"NeitherbeforenorsincehasBritaineverbeeninamoreuneasyordangerousstate.Veteranswerebutchered,coloniesburnedtotheground,armiesisolated.Wehadtofightforlifebeforewecouldthinkofvictory"(55).TheBritonswereonthedefensive."Wehavecountry,wivesandparentstofightfor:theRomanshavenothingbutgreedandself-indulgence"(65). RemoveAds Advertisement Agricola'scampaignsmyself(CCBY-SA) Thetribunestudiedhiscraftwell,andinhisreturntotheislandasgovernor,hewasprepared.Hisfirstorderofbusinesswastorestructurethearmy'sloosedisciplineandreduceabuses,therebygivingmenareasonto"loveandhonorpeace."Withhisnewarmy,hemarchednorthwardtoCaledonia(Scotland)conqueringmuchofnorthernEnglandalongtheway. Inaseriesofconflicts,Agricolawasabletoachievevictory,subduingnorthernWalesandfinallymeetingtheCaledoniansatMonsGraupius.ThegovernoreveneyedtheneighboringislandofIreland,claimingitcouldbetakenwithonlyonelegion.Unfortunately,AgricolawasforcedtowithdrawfromScotlandwhenoneofhislegionswasrecalledbyEmperorDomitian(81-96CE)toconfrontintrudersalongtheDanube.However,despitehisattacksagainstrebels,Agricolawasnotacruelconqueror.Asidefromthefortshebuilttothenorth,hefostered'civilizing'orRomanizingtheBritons,encouragedurbanization,movingintotownsthatwereequippedwiththeaters,forums,andbaths.And,likeotherconqueredlands,Latinwastobetaught. Hadrian'sWall&theAntonineWall Unfortunately,hissuccesswouldnotgounnoticedbyDomitian,who,inafitofjealousy,recalledAgricola.Theterritoryhehadlongdesiredtothenorth,Scotland,wouldnotbefullyconqueredforyearstocome.Eventually,a73mile(118km)longstoneandturfwallwouldbebuiltbetweentheprovinceofBritainandbarbarianterritoriesunderEmperorHadrian(117–138CE).TheemperorhadvisitedbothGaulandBritainin121and122CEandbelievedthatinordertomaintainpeacethefrontierhadtobesecured.Herealizedthatexternalexpansionmeantanincreasedrelianceonstrengtheningfrontierdefenses.Althoughtakingyearstobuildandmannedwith15,000soldiers,itseemsthatitwasnottokeepthebarbariansoutbutdesignedsolelyforsurveillanceandpatrols. Hadrian'sWallGatephault(CCBY) By130CEmilitarygarrisonshadbeenestablishedthroughoutBritain.ItwasatthistimethatRomerealizedtheneedtofurtherstrengthentheirarmyontheEuropeancontinentandbegantorecruitfromthe'barbaric'provincesoftheempire,namelytheBalkansandBritain. In139CEanotherwall,the37mile(60km)longAntonineWall(namedfortheEmperorAntoniusPius),wasbuiltc.100kmtothenorthbetweentheFirthofForthandtheRiverClyde;however,itwastoodifficulttodefend,andthereforeitwasabandonedin163CE. 3rd-4th-centurydevelopments Furtherchangessooncametotheisland.Inordertorulemoreefficiently,theislandwasdividedinhalf,BritanniaSuperiorgovernedfromLondon,andBritanniaInferiorgovernedfromYork(Eboracum).EmperorDiocletianwouldlaterdividetheprovinceintofourseparateregions.BecauseofDiocletian'stetrarchy,Britainwasthenplacedunderthewatchfuleyeoftheemperorinthewest. CoinsofCarausiusOsamaShukirMuhammedAmin(Copyright) TroublecontinuedtohauntBritain.Duringthe3rdcenturyCE,theislandhadbeenunderconstantattackbythePictsofScotland,theScotsfromIreland,andtheSaxonsfromGermany.AfterarebellionledbyCarausiusandthenAllectusenabledBritaintemporarilytobecomeaseparatekingdom,theRomanemperorofthewestConstantius(293–306CE)regainedcontrolin296CE.TheemperorhadservedasamilitarytribunecombattingCeltictribesearlierinhiscareer.Incelebrationofhisvictory,hereceivedamuch-deservedtitlefromthepeopleofLondon'TheRestoreroftheEternalLight.' Abandonment&Aftermath However,alongwiththearrivalofChristianity,bytheendofthe4thcenturyCE,RomewashavingtroublemaintainingcontrolofBritain.AfterAlaric'ssackofRomein410CE,thewesternhalfoftheempirebegantoundergosignificantchanges;Spain,Britain,andthebetterpartofGaulwouldsoonbelost.Theeasternhalfoftheempire,basedinConstantinople,becametheeconomicandculturalcenter.Thelossoftherichgrain-producingprovincesdoomedRome.AccordingtohistorianPeterHeatherinhisTheFalloftheRomanEmpire,Britain,unlikeotherprovinces,wasmoreproneforarevoltorbreakwithRomebecausemanycivilians,aswellasmilitarypersonnel,feltleftout;attention(primarilydefense)wasbeinggivenelsewhere.EmperorValentinianI(364-375CE),whohaddefeatedSaxoninsurgentsin367CE,graduallybegantowithdrawtroops.In410CEHonorius,oneofthelastemperorsofthewest,pulledoutcompletely;theemperorevenwroteletterstoindividualBritishcitiesinformingthemthattheywereto'fend'forthemselves.Inthefinaldays,Romanmagistrateswereexpelledandlocalgovernmentswereestablished. BritainwasnolongeraprovinceofRome;however,theyearsthatfollowedcouldnoterasealloftheempire'simpactonthepeopleandcultureoftheisland.TherewasoccasionalcontactwithRome.MissionarieshelpedChristiansbattletheheretics,andinthe5thcenturyCE,asattacksfromSaxonsincreasedandmaraudersfromIrelandandScotlandraidedtheEnglishcoast,anappealwentouttotheRomancommandinggeneralAetiusforhelp.Heneverreplied.AsEuropefellundertheveilofthe'DarkAges,'Britainwouldbreakintosmallerkingdoms.TheVikingswouldcrosstheseainthelate8thcenturyandcausehavocfordecades.Finally,onemanwouldwardofftheVikingattemptatconquestandclaimtobekingofEngland,AlfredtheGreat.Britainwouldrecover. Didyoulikethisdefinition? RelatedContent Books CiteThisWork License EditorialReview Thisarticlehasbeenreviewedforaccuracy,reliabilityandadherencetoacademicstandardspriortopublication. RemoveAds Advertisement Bibliography Beard,M.SPQR.Liveright,2015. Freeman,P.JuliusCaesar.Simon&Schuster,2008. Goldsworthy,A.PaxRomana.YaleUniversityPress,2016. Heather,P.TheFalloftheRomanEmpire.OxfordUniversityPress,2007. Hill,D.AncientRome.ParragonInc,2007. Holland,T.Rubicon.Anchor,2003. Hornblower,S.TheOxfordClassicalDictionary.OxfordUniversityPress,2012. Rodgers,N.RomanEmpire.MetroBooks,2008. Scarre,C.ChronicleoftheRomanEmperors.Thames&Hudson,1995. Tacitus.OnBritainandGermany.PenguinBooksLtd. Tacitus.TheAnnalsofImperialRome.PenguinClassics. Translations Wewantpeopleallovertheworldtolearnabouthistory.Helpusandtranslatethisdefinitionintoanotherlanguage! AbouttheAuthor DonaldL.Wasson DonaldhastaughtAncient,MedievalandU.S.HistoryatLincolnCollege(Normal,Illinois)andhasalwaysbeenandwillalwaysbeastudentofhistory,eversincelearningaboutAlexandertheGreat.Heiseagertopassknowledgeontohisstudents. RelatedContent Filters: All  Definitions116 Articles83 Images78 Videos14 Collections4 TeachingMaterials4 Definition MagnusMaximus MagnusMaximus(c.355-August28,388CE)wasaRomanusurper... Definition JuliusCaesar GaiusJuliusCaesarwasborn12July100BCE(thoughsomecite... Definition AntonineWall TheAntonineWallwasthenorth-westfrontieroftheRomanEmpire... Article TheAssassinationofJuliusCaesar Veni,vidi,vici!ThiswasthesimplemessagetheRomancommander... Article JuliusCaesarinBritain BythetimeheledhisinvasionsofBritain,JuliusCaesar(100-44... Definition Hadrian'sWall Hadrian'sWall(knowninantiquityastheVallumHadrianiorthe... 12345678910Next›Last» FreefortheWorld,SupportedbyYou WorldHistoryEncyclopediaisanon-profitorganization.Foronly$5permonthyoucanbecomeamemberandsupportourmissiontoengagepeoplewithculturalheritageandtoimprovehistoryeducationworldwide. BecomeaMember  Donate RecommendedBooks Sorry,wehaven'tbeenabletofindanybooksonthesubject.   CiteThisWork APAStyle Wasson,D.L.(2017,January30).RomanBritain. WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.Retrievedfromhttps://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Britain/ ChicagoStyle Wasson,DonaldL.."RomanBritain." WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.LastmodifiedJanuary30,2017. https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Britain/. MLAStyle Wasson,DonaldL.."RomanBritain." WorldHistoryEncyclopedia.WorldHistoryEncyclopedia,30Jan2017.Web.30Aug2022. License&Copyright SubmittedbyDonaldL.Wasson,publishedon30January2017.Thecopyrightholderhaspublishedthiscontentunderthefollowinglicense:CreativeCommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.Thislicenseletsothersremix,tweak,andbuilduponthiscontentnon-commercially,aslongastheycredittheauthorandlicensetheirnewcreationsundertheidenticalterms.WhenrepublishingonthewebahyperlinkbacktotheoriginalcontentsourceURLmustbeincluded.Pleasenotethatcontentlinkedfromthispagemayhavedifferentlicensingterms. RemoveAds Advertisement AddEventTimeline VisualTimeline 55 BCE-54 BCE JuliusCaesar'sexpeditionsinBritain. 54 BCE-43 CE RomaninfluencegrowsinBritainowingtotrade. 43 CE ClaudiuscommencestheRomanconquestofBritain. 47 CE-50 CE Londinium(London)founded,roadsconstructed. 51 CE BritonrebelleaderCaratacusdefeated,rebellioncrushed. 60 CE-61 CE Boudicca'sRevoltinBritain. 75 CE-77 CE RomansdefeatthelastoftheNortherntribes;RomanconquestofBritaincomplete. 79 CE JuliusAgricola,GovernorofRomanBritain,invadesScotland. 122 CE ConstructionbeginsonHadrian'sWall. 142 CE TheAntonineWallbuiltunderAntoninusPius,northofHadrian'sWall. 212 CE RomewithdrawsfromregionofScotland. 286 CE NavalcommanderCarausius(MarcusAureliusMausaeusValeriusCarausius)declareshimselfemperorinBritainandNorthernGaul. 293 CE EmperorCarausiusassassinatedbyAllectus. 410 CE TheRomanswithdrawfromBritain. RemoveAds Advertisement FreeNewsletter Ourlatestarticlesdeliveredtoyourinbox,onceaweek: Areyoua...? HistoryEnthusiast Teacher Student Librarian PartnerPromotion RemoveAds Advertisement SupportUs Weareanon-profitorganization. Ourmissionistoengagepeoplewithculturalheritageandtoimprovehistoryeducationworldwide.PleasesupportWorldHistoryEncyclopediaFoundation.Thankyou! Donate RemoveAds Advertisement