The Roman Era in Britain
An interactive history
In 55 BCE the Roman general Julius Caesar conquered France (At the time the country
was called Gaul, and the Romans called it Gallia). The Gauls fought hard against the
Romans and had been helped by their friends in Britain. Caesar was upset by their
assistance and decided to teach the Britons a lesson.
Julius Caesar made two attempts to invade Britain, first in 55 BCE and then again in 54
BCE Both times the British warriors and the rotten British weather made his army give
up and return to Gallia.
Nearly a hundred years later in 43 CE the Emperor Claudius sent another army to
invade Britain. This time the Romans were successful, Roman Britain had begun!
55 BCE Julius Caesar invades Britain - http://resourcesforhistory.com/map.htm
51 CE The Romans capture Caractacus –a king and tribal leader of the ancient
Britons and ruler of the Catuvellaunui, a powerful tribe. See more:
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/caractacus-powerful-celticking-who-defied-rome-003006
60 – 61 CE Boudicca, sometimes written Boadicea, was queen of the Iceni tribe
who united a number of British tribes in revolt against the occupying forces of the
Roman Empire. See more:
http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/boudicca-celtic-queen-unleashedfury-romans-002065
85 CE Roman forces under Agricola circumnavigate the British Isles
98 CE Spanish born governor Trajan becomes Emperor.
108/109 CE Ninth legion marches north – never to return
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-12752497
117 CE Rome’s power is awesome, ruling 50 million people in some 5,000 AD
administrative units including England and Wales.
122 CE Construction of Hadrian’s Wall (between England & Scotland) begins,
completed in 128 CE
126 – 129 CE Events of The Eagle of the Ninth
http://sutcliff.wikia.com/wiki/The_Eagle_of_the_Ninth
143 CE The Antonine Wall (see above map), marking the frontier of the Roman
Empire, was completed; it was abandoned in 164 CE
184 CE Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman commander takes his troops from
Britain to defeat a Gaulish revolt. Some believe this man to be the real King
Arthur.
208 CE Severus arrives to defend Britain and repair Hadrian’s Wall
210 CE Peace is made with the Scots.
The Beginning of the end for Roman Britain
235 CE Military anarchy takes over in Rome and in a 50-year period there are
almost 20 different Emperors
287 CE Carausius, Admiral of the Roman British navy revolts and declares
himself Emperor of Britain and Northern Gaul.
306 CE Constantine I declared Emperor at York.
313 CE Christianity made legal in the Roman Empire
324 CE Constantine founds Constantinople, the new imperial capital at
Byzantium
337 CE Constantine dies and his three sons take control
353 CE Constantine II becomes sole emperor of Roman Empire
360 CE Sometime in this decade, Pict forces invade the empire from Scotland
395 CE Theodosius I dies, he will be the last Emperor to rule an undivided
Empire.
397 CE More Roman troops sent to Britain to repel attacks from Pict forces
402 CE Roman legions are taken from Britain back to Rome to defend against
the attacks of the Alaric and the Visigoths
407 CE Constantine III, declared Emperor by his own troops, leaves Britain to
retake Rome’s lost lands in Gaul.
410 CE Alaric & the Visigoths sack Rome. See more:
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-rome/videos/the-visigothssack-rome
440 CE Romano Britain is in turmoil and a return to tribal rule is inevitable.
Beginning of the Dark Ages.
1866 CE Roman eagle dug up in Silchester (Calleva)
http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/news/2011/feb/visit-reading-museum-famousroman-eagle/
1954 Rosemary Sutcliffe publishes the first book in her Roman Britain trilogy,
The Eagle of the Ninth followed by The Silver Branch (1957) and The Lantern
Bearers (1959)
https://therosemarysutcliffarchive.wordpress.com/rosemary-sutcliff-briefbiography-sutcliff/