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Romans in Britain:
55 BC: First Roman expedition was a failure.
54 BC: Some success. Forded the Thames and entered the Hertfordshire territory of Cassivelaunus, king of the Catuvellauni, the dominant tribe in south Britain. King Cymbeline (5-40 AD) allowed the Roman traders and craftsmen to colonize. His people learned Latin. Romans built London and other cities, roads, fine homes and buildings. Exported tin, skins, slaves, pearls and grain. They conquered Britain in the year 43 AD.
Britain was a part of the Roman Empire from the years 43 to 436. While they subdued most of the Celts, the ones to the north and the west remained independent and from time to time raided Roman cities.
The most trouble for the Romans came from the north. The Picts were fierce warriors who tormented the Romans to the point that they had to build a wall across the land to keep them out. "Hadrian's Wall" built circa 123, is 76 miles long, 15' high and 7 1/2' feet wide.
The Boudicca/Iceni rebellion:
As was the way of the Romans, the native peoples of the lands they conquered would be left unmolested if they agreed to abide by Roman law. This wasn't a bad deal (if you were pagan) since much of the world was not as advanced as Roman society. Some British tribes chose to accept the Roman way, others, who desired their freedom, did not. One of the British tribes tolerating the Roman way was the Iceni.
circa 60-61 AD: Their chieftain was named Prasutagus. When he died, however, a rift over his successor and his inheritance led the Romans to show the Iceni who was boss. They whipped his widow Boudicca and abused his two daughters. After this, the Iceni revolted against the Romans. Boudicca led the rebellion.
The Romans, trying to put out the rebellion, struck first in Anglesey, destroying a druid sanctuary. (The use of force never is effective against proud and determined peoples. Being "capable" is also a plus.)
Boudicca and the Iceni then attacked and defeated the Roman capital of Colchester, Londinium (London) and Veralamium (St. Albans).
The Romans finally regrouped and prepared for war. While the Iceni along with the volunteers from the other tribes greatly outnumbered the Roman soldiers, they were slaughtered. 80,000 Brits died while only 400 Romans were killed. Boudicca survived, but committed suicide by poison, rather than be tracked down and be subjected to Roman humiliation, torture and death.
The Roman Baths:
Long before the Romans crossed the English Channel, the Celts found the hot springs coming from the ground in southwestern Britain. Applying religious significance to the site, they dedicated it to the goddess Sullis and built a temple.
circa 50 AD: When the Romans arrived they expanded on the idea and constructed the Baths. They named the city Aquae Sulis, and called the goddess of the Baths Sullis-Minerva, combining the British goddess with one of theirs.
While there is an aboveground terrace, the Baths and the temple are underground.
From beneath the 30-40 foot tall Bathhouse, the heated waters filled an immense pool. The Romans visited the “Sacred Spring” and made offerings. The water from this pool was channeled into another pool called the Great Bath. The mortals gathered in this pool to socialize, relax or convalesce. At the center of the Great Bath, statues of the "gods" were placed amidst the swirling steam for the mortals to gawk at.
The floors of the Bath were heated from below by fires and vents in the walls. Since the waters continually flowed from underground huge tunnels channeled the excess into the nearby river.
Besides socializing they also exercised, wrestled, held athletic events, played board games, bought merchandise and ate.
4th century: At its completion there were several bathing pools, sweat-rooms, swimming pools and rooms to cool off in after the bath.
Along with the bath was a steam-filled temple, dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva. Carvings and sculptures from the temple still exist and the waters are still flowing.
Roman palace:
In the village of Fishbourne, Sussex (Southern England, near the English Channel), the ruins of a Roman palace were found in 1960. Among the first indications of how import a find it was were the remains of roofing tiles, walls, mosaic pavement and pottery.
From an early peroid of Roman occupation, it was possibly inhabited by Tiberias Claudius Cogidubnis, a British king who did not resist the Roman invasion.
The palace grounds totaled 10 acres, in the center of which was a formal rectangular garden bordered on all sides with colonnaded and roofed walkways and the four wings of the palace.
In the garden, along with the flowers, shrubs, hedges and trees were marble basins with percolating water.
The east wing was a highly decorated entrance hall and courtyards.
The north wing had three multi-roomed residential suites and two dining rooms, each with an enclosed courtyard.
The west wing had an audience chamber and several office rooms.
The south was most likely residential, probably the main residence with a bathing area. It had colonnaded verandas and overlooked the terraced garden and out to the English Channel. Along with the foliage in this garden were a stream, pond and fountains.
Baths were added to the north wing after the original construction.
The mosaics were of dolphins, mythological characters, floral designs. Marble from Italy and local stones and stones from France (Gaul to the Romans and Celts) were used into the construction.
The palace was in use 200-250 years before it was destroyed by a fire and never rebuilt.
The Fall of Rome:
Central Asia plains may have had a drought. The fierce and warlike Huns defeated the (Germanic) Goths, who crossed the Danube and Rhine into the Roman Empire. Roman soldiers were taken from Britain in 408, but Rome was sacked in 410. The Goths, Vandals and Lombards spread out into Spain, the Balkans, Africa and Italy and as far as Russia. The Franks also got into the act and took over Gaul in 489, renaming it France. The Romans had abandoned Britain completely circa 430.
The Germanic peoples enter Britain:
After the Romans left, the Germanic tribes known as the Angles, Saxons and Jutes replaced them during the 5th and 6th centuries. These people became known as the Anglo-Saxons, the name English comes from "Angles". They set up several kingdoms, some stronger than the others.
Without the Roman presence, the Celtic Britons had to fend for themselves against the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. After losing their battles against the Germanic tribes, many fled westward to Wales.
