25 Facts About Roman Britain

Roman Britain was the period in classical antiquity when large parts of the island of Great Britain were under occupation by the Roman Empire.

Roman Britain received tribute, installed the friendly king Mandubracius over the Trinovantes, and returned to Gaul.

Three years later, Claudius directed four legions to invade Roman Britain and restore the exiled king Verica over the Atrebates.

Rome appears to have encouraged a balance of power in southern Roman Britain, supporting two powerful kingdoms: the Catuvellauni, ruled by the descendants of Tasciovanus, and the Atrebates, ruled by the descendants of Commius.

Roman Britain was brought as a captive to Rome, where a dignified speech he made during Claudius's triumph persuaded the emperor to spare his life.

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Around 105 there appears to have been a serious setback at the hands of the tribes of the Picts: several Roman Britain forts were destroyed by fire, with human remains and damaged armour at Trimontium indicating hostilities at least at that site.

Archaeological evidence shows that Senecio had been rebuilding the defences of Hadrian's Wall and the forts beyond it, and Severus's arrival in Roman Britain prompted the enemy tribes to sue for peace immediately.

Roman Britain assumed the title but the title meant little with regard to the unconquered north, which clearly remained outside the authority of the Empire.

Roman Britain consolidated control over all the provinces of Britain and some of northern Gaul while Maximian dealt with other uprisings.

Roman Britain had significant autonomy due in part to the distance from his superiors.

Little is known of his campaigns with scant archaeological evidence, but fragmentary historical sources suggest he reached the far north of Roman Britain and won a major battle in early summer before returning south.

Considerable reorganization was undertaken in Roman Britain, including the creation of a new province named Valentia, probably to better address the state of the far north.

Roman Britain crossed to Gaul but was defeated by Honorius; it is unclear how many troops remained or ever returned, or whether a commander-in-chief in Britain was ever reappointed.

The most important British ports were London and Richborough, whilst the continental ports most heavily engaged in trade with Roman Britain were Boulogne and the sites of Domburg and Colijnsplaat at the mouth of the river Scheldt.

Roman Britain's exports are harder to detect archaeologically, but will have included metals, such as silver and gold and some lead, iron and copper.

Roman Britain designs were most popular, but rural craftsmen still produced items derived from the Iron Age La Tene artistic traditions.

Each legion in Roman Britain had a commander who answered to the governor and, in time of war, probably directly ruled troublesome districts.

The different forms of municipal organisation in Britannia were known as, and were each governed by a senate of local landowners, whether Brythonic or Roman Britain, who elected magistrates concerning judicial and civic affairs.

Londinium was an ethnically diverse city with inhabitants from across the Roman Britain Empire, including natives of Britannia, continental Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Worship of the Roman Britain emperor is widely recorded, especially at military sites.

The earliest confirmed written evidence for Christianity in Britain is a statement by Tertullian, 200 AD, in which he described "all the limits of the Spains, and the diverse nations of the Gauls, and the haunts of the Britons, inaccessible to the Romans, but subjugated to Christ".

Church in Roman Britain seems to have developed the customary diocesan system, as evidenced from the records of the Council of Arles in Gaul in 314: represented at the council were bishops from thirty-five sees from Europe and North Africa, including three bishops from Roman Britain, Eborius of York, Restitutus of London, and Adelphius, possibly a bishop of Lincoln.

Romans introduced a number of species to Britain, including possibly the now-rare Roman nettle, said to have been used by soldiers to warm their arms and legs, and the edible snail Helix pomatia.

The European rabbit prevalent in modern Roman Britain is assumed to have been introduced from the continent after the Norman invasion of 1066.

Many of Britain's major cities, such as London, Manchester and York, were founded by the Romans, but the original Roman settlements were abandoned not long after the Romans left.

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