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The Romans in Britain 55 B.C.-A.D. 410

The Romans in Britain 55 B.C.-A.D. 410

The invasions of Julius Caesar are generally taken as a suitable point from which to begin the history of our land, because Caesar's own writings give us the earliest records that are of much value in an historical sense. It is true that there were earlier visitors. Posidonius of Rhodes came to Britain some sixty years before Caesar, and long before him a Marseilles merchant, named Pytheas, bringing a fleet northwards in search of tin and amber, somewhere about 330 b.c., had landed in Kent and spent some months there. But both he and Posidonius were mere travellers, and, though they gathered a little about the customs of the inhabitants, they say nothing of their history.

One of the great differences, however, that mark off the first six hundred years of our history from what comes after, lies in this very fact that we have very few written records; and even the records which tell of the Roman occupation do not say much about the sort of people who dwelt in our island in these early days. Fortunately there is another source of information. Those who study races and languages can say something about the people; and from what these primitive people left behind them - their ornaments, weapons, and household implements - antiquarians can judge of their ways of living and fighting.

The people with whom Caesar came in contact were Celts. They were of kindred race to the Gauls with whom he had battled on the other side of the Channel - indeed, it was to hinder them giving help to their Continental brethren that Caesar made his expeditions. In Britain, however, there were two branches of Celts - the Gaels, from whom are descended the Irish and the Highlanders; and the Britons, who then dwelt all over England and the Lowlands of Scotland, and whose descendants now inhabit Wales.

Caesar's first expedition (55 b.c.) did little more than show him that the task he had undertaken was more difficult than he imagined. He was in the country for a very short time. In the next year he came with a larger force, landed in Kent, and moved northwards. Cassivel-launus, chief of the Catuvellauni, strove to unite the British tribes in a resistance, but they were not trustworthy. One tribe, the Trinobantes, thought it prudent to join the side of the invaders. Caesar's legions stormed the British camp near St. Albans, and Cassivellaunus offered to submit. Caesar, whose only object was to impress on the Britons the idea that the arm of Rome was strong and could reach far, accepted the submission, and withdrew his troops.

For close on a hundred years Britain was left to itself. In a.d. 43 the Emperor Claudius sent another expedition. By this time the policy of the Empire had changed. Caesar's expedition had been punitive; that is to say, its object had been to deter the Britons from disturbing the borders of the Empire. We are accustomed to see similar expeditions on the Indian frontier. But just as has often happened in India, a punitive expedition is the forerunner of conquest. The design of Claudius was to add to his own glory by adding Britain to the Empire.

Chronology

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