The Roman Invasion and

Conquest of Britain

Santiago Moreno
Joaquin Baptista
Vicky Gimenez
 The First Invasion
• In late August 55 BC, 12,000
Roman soldiers landed about 6
miles from Dover
• Caesar stayed about a month,
enough to fight a battle and
receive the surrender of a local
tribe.
• He was forced to leave within
a couple of months to face new
problems in Gaul.
• It wasn’t really about conquest;
Caesar did not leave an army
of occupation behind.
 The reasons
• The increasing expansion of
the empire in 55 B.C in both
western Europe and the
Mediterranean.
• Competing Roman generals
and politicians sought fame
and wealth through conquest.
• Britain was a refuge for some
of Caesar´s Gaulish enemies,
mainly the Belgae
• The mineral and agricultural
wealth of Britain also made it a
tempting prize.
 Caesar’s Second Invasion
• Caesar returned to Britain in
July 54 B.C. after
Mandubracius, prince of the
Trinobantes in south-eastern
Britain, asked for his help
against tribes under the
leadership of Cassivellaunus,
king of the Catuvellauni
• Romans assembled a larger
expedition with five legions
applying the knowledge gained
on the first one.
• His landing was
unopposed this time as the
Britons were frightened by the
size of the Roman fleet
 End of Caesar’s Invasions

• A Roman victory marked the end

of British hopes to defeat the
invading armies. Cassivellaunus,
submitted to the victorious
Romans.
• A peace treaty was made where
the tribes pledeged to provide
hostages and an annual tribute to
Rome. With this concluded,
Caesar returned to the mainland.
 Emperor Claudius Invades
• The campaign against Britain
commenced in 43 CE under the
leadership of Aulus Plautius.
• Suetonius about Claudius: “(he)
wished for the glory of a legitimate
triumph”*
• Claudius guided the Roman army to
victory at Camulodunum
(Colchester) against the Britons,
capturing the city.
• Suetonius about Claudius:“without
and battle or bloodshed within a very
few days he received the surrender
of the greatest part of the island”.
• He returned to Rome, after six
months, being received with a
triumphal procession.
*Wood, S. (2015). The Alter-Imperial Paradigm. Brill.
 Celts reaction to Romans
• Britons were capable of changing loyalties according to their best
interests. The inter-tribal conflicts often provided the Romans
with allies. Celtic soldiers often served in the Roman army, either
to help to defeat a tribal enemy or to earn the favour of Rome.

• Romans managed to keep a fragile control on Britain by having

“client kings” from local tribes, who would govern regions on
behalf of Rome. The Romans also used the classic tactic of
‘divide and rule’. By dividing the tribes, the Roman army
remained the strongest force in Britain. It was unlikely that the
tribes would team up and fight the Romans, while they were
fighting each other.
 Celt reaction to Romans
• An example of a client king
was Cogidumnus, ruler of the
Atrebates who received a
Roman palace at Fishbourne
in return for his loyalty.
• On the other hand, an example
of the resistance was
Caratacus, who led the British
resistance to the roman
conquest, being finally beaten
in A.D. 51 and taken as a
prisoner to Rome
 Roman Power Changes Britain
• Trade: Britain’s continental trade was principally directed across the Southern
North Sea and Eastern Channel.
• Imports included: coin, pottery, olive, etc
• Exports: metals (silver, gold, lead, iron & copper), salt, etc
• Economy: Mining and agriculture in the beginning but later on a wide array of
activities.
• Government: Governor, with a military role, in contact with local client kings,
building roads, public services, duties as a judge in some cases.
• Settlements: A number of important Romans settlements were established,
some still survive. The idea of a town as a centre of power and administration
was introduced.
• Religion: Claudius outlawed Druids, however, Celtic deities remained being
worshiped. Christianity was introduced to Britain in c. 200.
 Londinium(hecho, check!)
• Londinium was founded be the
year 47AD, just after the
Roman invasion.
• At that time it only occupied
the equivalent to 350 acres
• Londinium became the capital
of the Roman Britain at the end
of the century
• It was an important trading
centre and there is evidence of
port.
• During the second century,
amazing constructions were
built,such as as Basilica north
of the Alps, Temples and bath
houses
 Roman Religion Introduced to
Britain
• Romans introduced their gods
to Britain (Jupiter, Juno,
Minerva, Mars, Mercury, etc.)
and the cult of the emperor.
• This religion was also, a way of
expressing loyalty to the state,
and Britons were expected to
accept them.
• The local gods were not
forbidden or discarded, as it
was a Roman tradition that the
gods of the conquered should
be venerated, i.e British Sul
was worshipped in Bath, at her
“miraculous” hot spring.
 Roman Religion Introduced to Britain

• The Roman Emperor

Constantine the Great (AD
306–337), began to transition
to Christianity, which
dominated the Roman Empire.
• After his victory in the battle of
Milvian Bridge in 312AD
Constantine adopted the
Christian religion
• He accepted Christianity as the
central religion of the Empire,
establishing the Nicene Creed
of the Catholic Church, making
Britain the birthplace of Roman
Catholicism.
 Influence of Latin in the modern
English(sth added,check!)
• About 70% of the English Words come from Latin Language.
The Influence of Latin became after 1066 with the Norman
Invasion
• The major part of this influence has been indirect.
• English Language took quotation from the French romance
language and the Catholic Church.
• English Language History can be divided in three periods (Old
English, Middle English and Modern English) and all of them
have been influenced by the Latin.
Roman influence in English Language
English Word Latin Word

- Roman contribution to the

English Language continue
until nowadays, several
words used in English
Came from Latin language.
 Boudicca’s
Rebellion(Revisado,check!)
• When Prasutagus (ruler of
Iceni people, in West Anglia)
died, Romans decided to rule
Iceni and tortured Prasutagus
wife Boudicca.
• Boudicca took revenge
defeating the Romans Ninth
army and destroying Roman
Britain Capital.
• Boudicca was defeated in the
battle known as the Battle of
Watling Street
• After Boudicca´s Battle the
Romans rebuilt the city in a
few years
 Trouble in the North(revisar)
• The Battle of Mons Graupius
took places in 83 CE. between
the Roman forces headed by
General Agricola, and the Picts
forces headed by their chief
Calgacus.
• Agricola’s legion won the battle
with only 360 fallen soldiers
against 10,000 Picts fallen
soldiers.
 A System of Forts(revisar)
• In order to keep the north
peaceful and separate
the civilization of the
barbarians, the Romans
constructed a series of
forts, castles and turrets.
• The forts were located
across the Island to
maintain everything under
control. Some of them
were in Welsh Mountains,
the Pennines and the
Southern Uplands of the
current Scotland
 Emperor Hadrian Strengthens the
Border.(revisar)
• In 200 AD Emperor Hadrian
built walls establishing
frontiers, bordering England
and Wales, both, will late
become Britannia.
• Celts had to learn to live the
Roman’s Lifestyle and
Language.
 Decline in Roman
Britain(revisar)
• In 500 AD Gaul was taken by
the Barbarians blocking the
route from Rome. The Roman
British, without defences in the
Southeast, was not able to
hold this position.
• The Angles and the Saxon
pushed from the Baltic coast to
the Southwest, their success
established the root of English
Language.
 Roman Influence
• Roads – straight,
important for Roman
army
• Buildings:
– timber and daub – little
evidence nowadays
– stone, brick and tile
• Wealthy citizens:
– in the city – domus
– in the countryside –
villas
• Lower class: flats – called
insulae
 Roman Influence
• Towns:
– the Forum – a marketplace,
businesses and government
offices, temples
– public baths, still in the city of Bath
in Somerset
– running water and sewers,
aqueducts
– mosaics, pipes with water, central
heating under the floors in houses
of rich people
– the biggest – London, Colchester,
St. Albans
– latin word for camp – castra,
chester in old English – once a
Roman town (Doncaster,
Dorchester, Cirencester)
 Roman Influence
• Language – many words are based on Latin words, our
alphabet is based on Latin alphabet. Words like ‘exit’,
which means ‘he or she goes out’, and ‘pedestrian’,
which means ‘going on foot’.

• The Calendar – started by Julius Caesar, names of our

months taken from the names of Roman gods and rulers
• Law and legal system
• The Census – a count of all people
• Religion – worshipping of gods – temples
 End of the Roman influence in Britain
• The British did try to "defend themselves" - or at least to hire
one set of barbarians to fight others. Bede's history, written long
after the events, stated that Vortigern, a Romano-British
chieftain, hired the Jutish leaders Hengist and Horsa to help
repel the Scots and Picts. These mercenaries then turned on
their employers in about 446 and seized South East England for
themselves.
• The individual characters may be merely legendary, but that
Germanic invaders streamed into Britain and created their own
kingdoms is clear.
• The end of empire effectively meant the end of civilization in
Britain. Towns rapidly decayed, coins ceased to circulate, villas
were abandoned, and the population increasingly took refuge in
the old hill forts
 The Sources
• http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/Romans.html#general
• http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/nettsch/time/romans.html
• http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/histories.asp?nid=ac71&pid=cly&from=&
back
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z9j4kqt#zwmdjxs
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/overview_roman_01.shtml
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_conquest_of_Britain
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_influence_in_English#Consequences_for
_English
• http://www.enhancemyvocabulary.com/word-roots_latin.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great_and_Christianity
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/questions_01.shtml
• The Influence of Latin in the English Language and the Romanization of
Great Britain - Muñoz Zanón, María Julia
• http://publicacionesdidacticas.com/hemeroteca/articulo/050028/articulo-pdf