To what extent wasBritain Romanised

Charlie Guille 11Y – September 2004.

GCSE Latin Coursework

To what extent was Britain Romanised

in the 1st and 2nd Century AD?

Introduction

Julius Caesar’s two early explorations of Britain, in 55 and 54 BC, were the trigger for a series of fundamental changes on the island, in the shape of the Roman invaders. The islands of Britain were transformed as it became a part of the Roman Empire – new agricultural practices were introduced; a network of basic roads were constructed to link the new towns which were springing up; the invaders brought their own religious practices with them, and much more besides. In this essay, I am going to explore how the Romans developed Britain, and attempt to find out whether the natives of Britain accepted the changes brought across the Channel from Rome.

Because some of these new ideas and practices were so different to what the Celtic people were used to, the Romans inevitably encountered some resistance during their conquest of Britain – such as the violent revolt led by Boudicca at Colchester. But despite this, the Romans maintained a presence on the island for over 350 years after Caesar’s first explorations; even when they were eventually forced to leave by the Saxons, the Romans’ legacy would survive for centuries to the present day.

Britain at the time of Caesar’s invasions

During the 1st century BC, Britain was ruled by a number of Celtic tribes. These included the Belgae (tribes originating from the Belgian region) in southern areas of England; the Iceni, who ruled the Norfolk area; and the Brigantes, holders of a huge portion of northern England. The Celts, although primarily an agricultural people, did conduct some trade with the Belgic tribes on the French coast – goods included metallic items such as jewellery, and pottery. Julius Caesar mentioned the Belgae’s ships, which they used for trade across the English Channel, describing them as:

“made of twigs, not pointed but almost round, and covered [both inside and outside] with raw hides”.

By comparison, the Roman fleet was made of strong timber: the Celts’ boats were fairly primitive by comparison.

Before the Roman invasion, each of the Celtic tribes occupied its own area as a separate kingdom. Within these kingdoms, the Celts were housed in small villages, with only eight or ten families living in each. Fiercely independent, the tribes would often war with each other to defend or gain new territory. Once the Romans had invaded, the majority of Britain (as far north as the Forth and Clyde estuaries) became one state: “Britannia”, a province of the Roman Empire.

Food and agriculture

In the 1st Century BC, agriculture was the main occupation for the Celtic tribes, particularly in the southern regions. Strabo, a Greek geographer who visited Britain in around 30 BC, commented on their agricultural practises:

“The inhabitants are fed on millet and herbs, fruits and roots. They thresh their corn, and then store it in vast granaries.”

One of Caesar’s reasons for invading Britain was to gain access to the Celts’ large stores of food which Strabo mentioned. With the population of the Roman Empire growing steadily, and the state encouraging large families, more food had to be produced to feed the people. With large areas of land suitable for farming, Britain was seen as an ideal area for invasion, as it would serve the rest of the Empire well.

Originally, the Celts’ practises for harnessing the land were not very efficient: although they grew enough to eat, yields remained relatively low. After the Roman invasion, farming remained as the dominant industry, but the production was greatly improved. The area cultivated grew; more crops were grown; and the villa was introduced as a unit of production, serving as a base for the activities of the farm and a home for the workers. New, more efficient tools were also introduced.

Below: an engraving of a Roman plough, which only required two oxen to pull it instead of the four required for the ploughs used by the Celts. Source: “Roman Britain” by Peter Lane.

The Romans were responsible for the introduction of several new crops from other parts of the Empire; these included turnips, peas, cabbages, apples, cherries and walnuts among others. Although the cold climate in Britain inhibited its success, attempts were made at Gloucester and Boxmoor to cultivate grapes, for the purpose of wine production. New species of animals also came to Britain, especially cattle, and pigs.

The Edict of Prices by Diocletian refers to the birrus Britannicus, a cloak made from goat’s hair, and ...