The Roman conquest of Britain is a long process during which the Romans conquered the island and the Celtic tribes that inhabited it. This process began in 43 AD. e. Roman emperor Claudius. We will talk about this, as well as the role of the Roman conquest in the history of Britain.
Situation in Rome
In 41 AD during a palace coup, the tyrant emperor Caligula was killed by his closest associates. His place on the throne was taken by Claudius, Caligula's uncle, who ruled from 41 to 54.
The new ruler was not respected in the imperial household. He came to power by chance, when the people, in fear of civil strife, demanded a sole emperor.
In order to somehow raise his authority, Claudius decided to undertake a military campaign, choosing the island of Britain as the target. Historians cite reasons such as:
- A matter of prestige, as even Julius Caesar himself failed to secure a foothold in this remote area.
- The second reason was the economic benefits thatRoman conquest of Britain. After all, among her supplies to Rome were: slaves, metal, grain, hunting dogs.
Before the campaign of Claudius
Briefly about Britain before the Roman conquest, we can say the following. By 43 AD e. The Iron Age continued on the island. In agriculture, plows with iron tips were used, and the forest was cut with iron axes. In addition to weapons made from bronze, as well as tools, artisans made gold jewelry.
The British lived in tribes ruled by chiefs. Intertribal wars were fought, which contributed to the construction of settlements - fortified settlements. Local residents produced wheat on an industrial scale and exported grain. They traded it with continental Europe. In addition, minerals were an important export item, which, in particular, attracted the Roman Empire, which began to expand to the north. In 55 and 54 BC. e. G. Yu. Caesar undertook campaigns in Britain, but could not conquer it.
Conquest of the island
The Roman conquest of Britain began with the landing of four legions on the island in 43. One of them was commanded by Vespasian, the future emperor. The landing took place in Kent. In the course of a rather short period, the southeastern part of the island territory was captured.
The Roman army was much stronger than the Celts, and therefore the first resistance of the latter quickly came to an end. In June of the same year, Emperor Claudius arrived in Britain in person toaccept the surrender signed by twelve local rulers.
The process of conquering the British lasted about forty years. Some lands, such as Dorset, resisted conquerors for a long time. There were also frequent uprisings in the occupied territories. Their reason was the cruel treatment by the invaders and the introduction of military service for the Celts.
Rise of Queen Boudicca
One of the major uprisings was the rebellion led by Queen Boudicca, which broke out during the reign of Emperor Nero. This queen was the wife of the leader of one of the tribes called "icenes" - Prasutag, which was dependent on the Romans. After the death of the leader, the Roman army seized the lands of the tribe.
By order of another steward appointed by Rome, Queen Boudicca was flogged and her two daughters dishonored. This was the reason for the uprising that took place in 61. The Romans and their Celtic supporters were killed by the rebels, who captured several cities, including the current London, which was then called Londinium.
The Iceni failed to resist Roman power, and the rebellion was defeated, and the queen, in order not to fall into enemy hands, committed suicide.
In 60, the Romans captured the island of Anglesey, which at that time was the main stronghold of the Druids. They resisted stubbornly, but their territory was captured and the Celtic fortifications destroyed.
Agricola's conquests
In 78, Gnaeus Julius Agricola was appointed to Britain as a consular legate, who in 79 undertook a campaign to a place in the estuary of the Tay River - the Firth of Tay, and in 81 - to the Kintyre Peninsula. Both of these territories are in Scotland, a significant part of which was then conquered. Then the Romans called it Caledonia.
But the advantage of the Britons was a good knowledge of the surrounding landscape, as well as a great superiority in numbers. Therefore, the struggle took place in constant battles, in which Agricola's army was battered more than once. It took a long time to replenish the legions and develop new military tactics.
In 83, a battle took place in the Graupia Mountains, where Agricola won a landslide victory. Under his leadership, roads were built and protective structures were erected from the Celtic tribes who did not want to submit.
The end of dominion
After the Roman conquest of Britain, it remained part of the empire for several hundred years, until it split in two. In 407, the invaders were forced to leave the island. Despite the long period of dominance, the impact of the Roman conquest in Britain was not global.
Romanization of Britain did not go smoothly. The rebels rose again and again. The island was too far from Rome, and he had to build Hadrian's Wall to protect against attacks from the north. It was quite difficult to protect her. Britain for centuries absorbed both human and material resources, and when Rome fell, she became the first to return to the barbariancondition.
