Roman Conquest of BritainWhy would the mighty Roman Empire conquer a remote island “at the edge

of the world?” Britain was remote but familiar to

Greek & Roman traders. It was known for mild winters,

abundant food, and in some cases obliging native Celtic allies.

Julius Caesar, in the middle of a 3 way power struggle needed a quick & easy victory to secure his glory. He assumed Celtic ‘barbarians’ would

submit to Roman legions.

• Roman Conquest of Britain-2Roman Conquest of Britain-2• 55-54BC Julius Caesar unsuccessfully invaded 55-54BC Julius Caesar unsuccessfully invaded

Britain twice. Celtic leaders used hit-and-run Britain twice. Celtic leaders used hit-and-run tactics to frustrate the Roman legions. In the tactics to frustrate the Roman legions. In the decades after various Celtic tribes and kings decades after various Celtic tribes and kings paid paid homagehomage to Rome and trade increased. 90 to Rome and trade increased. 90 Years later in 43AD, the Romans, led by the Years later in 43AD, the Romans, led by the Emperor Emperor ClaudiusClaudius launched a classical world launched a classical world version of ‘shock & awe’ against the island. version of ‘shock & awe’ against the island. 40,000 troops! Many Celtic kings and tribal 40,000 troops! Many Celtic kings and tribal leaders surrendered and became puppet-kings. leaders surrendered and became puppet-kings. Other Celtic kingdoms and tribes, especially the Other Celtic kingdoms and tribes, especially the Picts & CaledoniiPicts & Caledonii in the north resisted. in the north resisted.

• Roman Conquest of Britain-3Roman Conquest of Britain-3• 60AD the Iceni, who cooperated with the Romans were 60AD the Iceni, who cooperated with the Romans were

treated harshly & declared a slave province. treated harshly & declared a slave province. • The Queen of the Iceni, The Queen of the Iceni, BoudiccaBoudicca tried to negotiate but tried to negotiate but

was publicly flogged & her daughters were publicly was publicly flogged & her daughters were publicly brutalized. brutalized.

• The enraged Iceni, led by The enraged Iceni, led by BoudiccaBoudicca rebelled & rebelled & assembled a large army, of 300,000 & sacked assembled a large army, of 300,000 & sacked Colchester& Londinium. Colchester& Londinium.

• Roman legions finally defeat Roman legions finally defeat BoudiccaBoudicca’s army and she ’s army and she took her own life rather than fall to the Romans. “They took her own life rather than fall to the Romans. “They make a desert and they call it peace.” make a desert and they call it peace.”

• Roman’s did learn to run Brittania better. Roman’s did learn to run Brittania better. • 122AD 122AD Hadrian’s WallHadrian’s Wall is begun to keep out the Picts is begun to keep out the Picts

and Caledonii. and Caledonii. • By the 200s most Celtic tribes had begun to ‘Latinize.’ By the 200s most Celtic tribes had begun to ‘Latinize.’

Roman & Celtic culture merged, and created a Roman & Celtic culture merged, and created a hybridized hybridized Romano-British cultureRomano-British culture in the cities. in the cities.

• Roman Conquest of Britain-4Roman Conquest of Britain-4• By the 300s trade flourished, roads were built, By the 300s trade flourished, roads were built,

and cities grew. The Roman Empire was and cities grew. The Roman Empire was crumbling, but because of the hybridization of crumbling, but because of the hybridization of the the Roman-BritishRoman-British, the concept of ‘Rome’ in , the concept of ‘Rome’ in Britannia was stronger than it was in Europe. Britannia was stronger than it was in Europe. 367AD a 3-way coordinated onslaught by 367AD a 3-way coordinated onslaught by Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons from across the North Sea, from across the North Sea, PictsPicts from the North, and the Gaelic from the North, and the Gaelic Dal Riata ScotiDal Riata Scoti from Ireland invaded Roman Britain. from Ireland invaded Roman Britain. 410AD ‘the 410AD ‘the Flight of the Eagles.’Flight of the Eagles.’ Last Roman legions Last Roman legions evacuate Britain to defend the empire.evacuate Britain to defend the empire.

• Roman Conquest of Britain-4Roman Conquest of Britain-4• VortigernVortigern (name or title?) invited Saxon (name or title?) invited Saxon

mercenaries and their ‘wave horses’ to mercenaries and their ‘wave horses’ to fight other Saxons and Picts & promised to fight other Saxons and Picts & promised to give them land. This failed. The give them land. This failed. The Angles & Angles & SaxonsSaxons continued to invade & settle continued to invade & settle Britain. Celtic and Romano-British Britain. Celtic and Romano-British resistance grew. The Age of Arthur? 480-resistance grew. The Age of Arthur? 480-520AD?520AD?

• The Saxon Invasions• ‘Saxon’ was a generic term for groups of Germanic

invaders including Angles, Jutes, Franks, & Frisians. Celts & Gaels called them ‘Sassenoch;, the Britons ‘Sais.

• ‘Saxon’ comes from the word Seax or ‘long-knife.’ • Saxon raiding began in the 400s and caused the

Romano-British to build the ‘Saxon Shore’ forts. • After the Roman withdrawal in 410 the Saxon raiding

became a full scale invasion. Saxons no longer raided but settled in the SE.

• 439AD Vortigern hired Saxon & Jute mercenaries led by Hengist & Horsa to fight Picts. He did not pay them.

• Saxons terrorize Britannia and the amount of settlers, at first very small, becomes a flood.

• Gildas, a Briton (Welsh) poet recorded the Saxon invasions as horrific events portending the end of the world.

• The Saxon Invasions• Why did the Saxons invade/settle Britain? • Climatic change caused flooding in Northern

Germany and colder weather shortened their growing season.

• Demographic explosion. Too many people, not enough food.

• Political climate: Too many chiefs, kings and warriors to sustain a lawful society, so young warriors were encouraged to venture out.

• Saxons were envious of Roman civilization, and often built their towns over the ruins of Romano-British cities.

• Saxon kings also sought the regnum Britanniae.

• The Saxon Invasions• Saxons have been portrayed as ignorant brutes

& barbarians that ruined the civilization of Britain. Not entirely true. Unlike the Romans, who at times saw war and violence & sport (Gladiators, etc.) Saxons used war as a system. Chiefs became kings through physical prowess. Plunder was the glue of Saxon society. It bound warriors to their chiefs, land was held in return for military service, it was the honor that fed their epic poems and culture. The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf written in the 7th or 8th century is a fantasy epic, but clearly shows how honor, war, and the society of ceorls ‘free warriors’ dominated Anglo-Saxon society.

• King Arthur: Man or Myth?“If King Arthur did not live, he should have.” Sir Winston Churchill

• Was Arthur a real man, a king, warlord, soldier, defender of his people? Or was he the stuff of legend, a mythic hero from the ‘Celtic twilight’ that haunts us through the centuries as a romantic ideal for which we can not achieve?

• Regardless, Arthur and his companions were not from the age of Chivalry with armored knights & jousting which was from the 12th-15th centuries. The saga of Arthur is from the Dark Ages, approximately 450-600AD.

• King Arthur: Man or Myth? 2King Arthur: Man or Myth? 2• There are several theories regarding a There are several theories regarding a

‘historical’ Arthur ‘historical’ Arthur Ancient Deity Ancient Deity • In Welsh, the modern language perhaps closest In Welsh, the modern language perhaps closest

to the Celtic tongue spoken by the inhabitants of to the Celtic tongue spoken by the inhabitants of southern Britain in the era of the Saxon southern Britain in the era of the Saxon invasions, the word ‘invasions, the word ‘artharth’ means ‘bear.’ In pre-’ means ‘bear.’ In pre-Christian Celtic religions there are several ‘bear Christian Celtic religions there are several ‘bear gods’ with a name similar to gods’ with a name similar to arth, arthos, & arth, arthos, & artosartos. Over the centuries the legends of this . Over the centuries the legends of this ‘god’ or demi-god may have been adapted and ‘god’ or demi-god may have been adapted and fit to contemporary facts and survived in the fit to contemporary facts and survived in the form of a legend of a great man as a way in form of a legend of a great man as a way in which pagan religions became intertwined & which pagan religions became intertwined & adapted into early Christianity. It is possible adapted into early Christianity. It is possible there was a warrior during the 5th-6th centuries there was a warrior during the 5th-6th centuries that used a bear as his standard or battle flag.that used a bear as his standard or battle flag.

• King Arthur: Man or Myth? 3King Arthur: Man or Myth? 3Lucius Artorius CastusLucius Artorius Castus • In 1924 historian Kemp Malone suggested that the In 1924 historian Kemp Malone suggested that the

Arthur was Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman general Arthur was Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman general sent to guard Hadrian’s Wall in 181AD. sent to guard Hadrian’s Wall in 181AD.

• Lucius Artorius Castus’ banner was a red dragon. The Lucius Artorius Castus’ banner was a red dragon. The King Arthur of lore, Arthur Pendragon, was said to carry King Arthur of lore, Arthur Pendragon, was said to carry a banner with a red dragon on it. a banner with a red dragon on it.

• 183AD, Castus led the defense of Britannia when Picts 183AD, Castus led the defense of Britannia when Picts swarmed over the wall. swarmed over the wall.

• Castus’ force was a cohort of 5,500 Castus’ force was a cohort of 5,500 Sarmatian cavalrySarmatian cavalry. . The Sarmatians were from the Black Sea region. The Sarmatians were from the Black Sea region. Sarmatians were mounted horsemen. Their religion Sarmatians were mounted horsemen. Their religion practiced worship on alters of a sword in a stone, and practiced worship on alters of a sword in a stone, and archeological evidence from Britain shows that archeological evidence from Britain shows that Sarmatian warriors were buried with the hilts of their Sarmatian warriors were buried with the hilts of their swords protruding from the ground. It is swords protruding from the ground. It is possible possible this led this led to the legend of Arthur’s knights.to the legend of Arthur’s knights.