Aims
This course aims to:
• provide knowledge of Roman Britain its people and places
• give an understanding of the process of Romanisation
• explore the reasons for the end of Roman occupation of Britain
Content
We will begin the course with a quick tour of Britain before the arrival of the Romans. What was the social and political structure of late Iron Age Britain, how did people live and how did Rome arrive before the soldiers stepped on British soil?
We will then turn our attention to the Romans, beginning with Julius Caesar and his two brief visits to Britain in 55 and 54 BCE. What were his motivations, and how did the British tribes respond to these brief first encounters?
We then skip ahead almost 100 years to 43 CE when the Roman Empire once again reached out to touch Britain during the reign of Emperor Claudius. We follow the invasion during its first year as the defences of the British folded and allowed the military under Aulus Plautius to quickly control the British southeast sufficiently to allow Emperor Claudius to ride triumphantly, astride an elephant, into Camulodunum (present-day Colchester).
We will then shift our attention from Roman success to Roman failure and examine the long and short-term causes of the famous revolt of 60 CE under the Iceni leader Boudica. What led Boudica to challenge the authority of the Romans? How was she able to destroy three Roman cities, defeat a Roman legion, and kill thousands of civilians before her death?
We then explore the long-term conquest of Britain and the process of Romanisation, the complex process that involved the Roman Empire's cultural and political influence on Britain from the 1st century CE until the early 5th century CE. This included the development of Roman infrastructure, entertainment, and language among other factors.
We then finally examine the causes that led to the famous statement by Emperor Honorius in 410 CE that Britain should ‘look to their own defences’ as the Roman army would no longer defend them. How did Roman control slip, what internal and external factors drew Roman focus away from Britain to such a degree that oversight was withdrawn.
Presentation of the course
The course will be taught by PowerPoint presentation, including a wide range of audio-visual sources with time for discussion and debate.
Course sessions
1. Iron Age Britain
2. Julius Ceaser
3. Conquest under Claudius
4. Romanisation
5. The end or Roman occupation
Learning outcomes
You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.
The learning outcomes for this course are:
• to gain knowledge of Roman Britain its people and places
• to gain an understanding of the process of Romanisation
• to gain an understanding of the reasons for the end of Roman occupation of Britain
