PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

For nearly 400 years Britain enjoyed the benefits
and suffered the cruelties of Roman occupation,
until the legions were withdrawn to defend Rome
against the Goths.
The first invasion of Britain in 55 BC was by Julius
Caesar, a military leader of the Roman occupation
army in Gaul (France). Caesar believed his enemies
in Gaul were aided from Britain so he decided to teach
the Britons a lesson. He also wanted further success
to gain support against other Roman generals who
were his enemies. Caesar invaded again in 54 BC but
Britain did not become a province until it was invaded
Activity Box
Invasion of Britain in 43 AD.
Many towns with ‘porta’ (gate) or
‘castra’ (fort) as part of their names
were settled by the Romans. Chester
comes from the Old English word
‘ceaster’, meaning a Roman walled
town or fortification.
Use an atlas and place these towns on
the map:
Portsmouth Chester
Lancaster Colchester
Newport Winchester
Portishead Dorchester
Manchester Doncaster
Romans in Britain
and conquered by the
emperor Claudius, who
sent an army of about
40 000 men in 43 AD.
At this time Britain was
divided into tribal
chiefdoms, mainly Celts,
who fought each other.
Some southern tribes
joined together to fight the Julius Caesar
Romans but were no
match for the well-organised army. Several tribes lived
in hill forts and an excavation at one fort, Maidstone
Castle in Dorset, unearthed a skeleton with a bolt from
a Roman ballista lodged in its spine.
A huge fleet of ships was needed to invade Britain
and from the time of Claudius there was a Roman
fleet in Britain with the main naval bases at Dover
and Boulogne in Gaul. There was also a base at
Richborough where the Roman invasion force first
landed.
Though the Romans captured most of England and
Wales and small areas of Scotland, many tribes
continued to rebel against them during the years of
occupation.
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