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Roman Britain – Information Book (Reading Level C) The Roman Empire The Roman Empire was one of the biggest and most powerful empires that the world has ever seen. At its height, it stretched from the Middle East, through Western Europe and North Africa, all the way to Britain! The centre of the Empire was the great city of Rome (now part of Italy). Rome had many emperors during its long history, some more famous than others. They had absolute authority, backed up by a huge army. At that time, the Roman emperor would have been the most powerful ruler in the world. The Roman army is well known for having been well-disciplined and organised. They used technology that was very advanced for the time, such as complex mechanical catapults. The Roman army planned their military strategies to the finest detail, making the best use of their troops and equipment. They even used elephants in battles! The army was made up of 15 ‘legions’, each containing about 5,000 men. This mighty force was rarely defeated and was responsible for conquering and maintaining the whole Roman Empire. By around 2,000 years ago, Rome’s territory was already huge. It had pushed north-west into the region called Gaul which is now modern-day France. The next challenge was to cross the sea and invade the island of Britain. Roman Invasion of Britain Britain’s first contact with the Romans came in 55 BC, when the great emperor and general, Julius Caesar, invaded with his army. However, the tough Celtic tribes of Iron Age Britain resisted fiercely and Caesar was soon forced out of the country. He came back again one year later, this time with more troops. Again he retreated, deciding that Britain was not worth fighting a long war for. It wasn’t until almost 100 years later that the Romans invaded Britain again. This time it was planned by the Emperor Claudius and he took no chances. His army of four legions (about 20,000 men) came in a huge fleet of ships, landing in southern England in AD 43. A large military fortress was established at Camulodunum (now Colchester, in Essex), and a Roman temple built nearby. The town soon became the Roman capital of ‘Britannia’ (the Roman name for Britain). The Romans quickly took control of the south and east of England. However, tribes in Wales, and in northern England and Scotland, put up a vicious fight. In fact, it was many years before England and Wales were fully conquered. Large parts of Scotland never were! Roman Britain – Information Book (Reading Level C) Boudica’s Revolt Some of the tribes in Britain made deals with the Roman invaders: they could keep rule over their own land but, in return, would have to pay taxes to the Romans and swear allegiance to the emperor. One of these tribes was the Iceni, in eastern England, ruled by a man called Prasutagus and his wife Boudica. However, when Prasutagus died, the Romans betrayed this agreement, taking his land and attacking his family. This caused huge anger amongst the Iceni people. Queen Boudica gathered together an army and launched a huge revolt against the Romans. Most of the Roman army was busy trying to crush the tribes that were still fighting them in Wales, so there was little to stop Boudica’s army on the opposite side of the country. As the rebels marched south, they left death and destruction wherever they went, burning three major Roman-ruled cities to the ground. It is estimated that Boudica’s army massacred about 80,000 people – both Romans and Britons (many Britons would have fought for their Roman masters and would have been considered Boudica’s enemy). Eventually, the Roman army, with superior tactics and weapons, defeated the rebel army in the Battle of Watling Street. This Roman victory ended further resistance against the Romans within southern Britain and Roman rule was accepted for the next 350 years. Hadrian’s Wall By about AD 100, over 50 years after they first invaded Britain, the Romans had finally secured all of what is now England and Wales. However, tribes in the north of Scotland, known as the Picts, were still putting up a tough fight. The Picts would never have beaten the Roman army in open battle, so instead they used different tactics, such as ambushing Roman patrols and attacking their camps at night. Scotland is very mountainous, which made it difficult for the Roman army to march around, but easy for the Picts to travel and live undetected in the many valleys. Hadrian, Roman emperor at the time, decided that it was no longer worth wasting money and troops trying to conquer Scotland. Instead he ordered that an enormous wall should be built, from coast to coast, to protect the Roman territory to the south. This wall became known as Hadrian’s Wall and was built roughly along the border that now separates England and Scotland. Many guard towers and forts were built into it. Hundreds of soldiers were on constant patrol. Originally 73.5 miles long, Hadrian’s Wall was used to defend the Roman border for over 250 years; it was built so well that large parts of it can still be seen today, almost 2,000 years later! Roman Britain – Information Book (Reading Level C) Religion The Romans worshipped many different gods, all of whom had different purposes and personalities. Jupiter was the king of the gods, while Mars was the god of war, and Neptune was the god of the sea. These were some of the most important, but there were many hundreds more. People could worship gods in temples and also at home, where they often kept shrines (miniature temples). Offerings, such as food, money or flowers, were made to statues of the gods. Sometimes priests in the temples sacrificed animals as part of special ceremonies. The native people of Britain also believed in many gods. The Romans didn’t force the conquered Britons to follow Roman religion, but the two did become slightly mixed up. The Celtic gods and Roman gods who seemed similar were thought of as the same. Eventually, religious beliefs started to change all over the Roman Empire, as Christianity became more popular. At first Christianity was illegal in any part of the Empire, and anyone found practising it was severely punished - if not killed! However, it gradually became more accepted and, in 391 AD, Emperor Theodosius I made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Romans are credited as first bringing Christianity to Britain, and it has been the main religion there ever since! Britannia So what was life like in Roman Britannia? In the north and west of the land, the Celtic way of life did not change very much. Many Celtic tribes were allowed to rule themselves, as long as they paid taxes to the Romans. In the south and east of England, however, Roman culture had a greater impact. New Roman towns were built, with very straight roads and grand buildings in the centre. Celtic people would have lived on the edge of the towns, often working as merchants and craftsmen. Towns had public buildings built, and councils were formed to oversee business matters. Water was supplied to towns, channelled from rivers and springs across aqueducts (water bridges). Public baths were widely used, as everybody was expected to keep themselves clean. Sewage and sanitation systems were established. The grandest houses even had early forms of central heating! In the largest towns, there were stadiums for entertainment, called amphitheatres, where gladiators would fight to the death in front of hundreds of people. The British diet also altered, as the Romans imported wine, olive oil and salted fish. The Roman Empire had changed Britain ... and it would never be the same again. Roman Britain – Information Book (Reading Level C) Quiz Questions – these questions are to test pupils’ comprehension of the text and are page-referenced. 1 Why was the Roman army usually victorious? Its discipline Its soldiers were tall and strong Its soldiers liked travelling Which country did the Romans conquer before tackling what is now known as Britain? Sweden Italy France 2 Which emperor first successfully invaded and settled in ‘Britannia’? Caesar Claudius Camulodunum Where was the Roman capital? London Essex Manchester 3 How did the Romans get the support of local leaders? Killing their families Letting them rule but making them pay tax Giving them money and wine Why was Boudica so determined to win? Her husband had been killed The Romans stole her family’s land She wanted to rule over London 4 Who were the Picts? An order of monks who opposed the Romans. Rebellious Romans who disagreed with the emperor A group of Scottish tribes who resisted Roman rule Roman Britain – Information Book (Reading Level C) What was Hadrian’s wall? A place for Romans to admire the views A defensive wall to keep the Scottish to the north A wall to stop southern tribes escaping to Scotland 5 What or who was ‘Mars’ in Roman times? A planet King of the gods God of war Which religion started to become popular later in the Roman rule? Believing in lots of gods Christianity Judaism 6 Where did life change the most, influenced by the Romans? Scotland The south The north Why was water so important in Roman towns? For cleanliness For making wine For decorative water fountains