Essay: Britain under Roman Rule

About half a century before the beginning of the Christian era, Julius Caesar, the great Roman-General, was en a .ed in subduing. the Gauls. The Britons of England were of a kindred race to the Gauls, and so they sometimes helped their continental kinsmen against the Romans. Hence Caesar planned an invasion of Britain. His object was not to conquer the country but to frighten the Britons by showing them the power of Roman arms, and thus to prevent them from coming to the aid of the Gauls. According in 55 B.C.he led  a small expedition to Britain. (Two invasions of Caesar. )
The Britons vigorously opposed his landing but were repulsed. Caesar could not make much impression on the Britons in his first expedition and so went back shortly. Next year in  54 B.C,_he again invaded Britain. He defeated the British chief, Cassivellaunus, stormed his stronghold near St. Albans and forced him to come to terms. He did not fol-low up his victory as his object was only to frighten the Britons. Re returned to Gaul after receiving the submission of Cassivellaunus, who gave hostages and promised to pay a yearly tribute. (Their objects.)
N.B.—Note the importance of Caesar’s invasions. (1) The Britons came in contact with the civilized Romans and learnt something of the arts and refinements of civilized life. Trade increased and with it also increased the prosperity of the south and east of Britain. (2) But the most important result of Caesar’s invasions was that he learnt a great deal about the manners and customs of the Britons and left us a valuable account of them in his famous work, the commentaries. This book gives us the earliest authentic account of Britain. (Historical importance of Caesar’s invasions.)
Systematic Conquest by the Romans
Caesar’s invasions were like punitive expeditions, that is to say, their object was only to pre-vent the Britons from helping the Gauls. But the systematic conquest of the country was under-Conquest of taken by the Roman Emperor Claudius, probably the south east
(Conquest of the west.)
(Revolt of Boadicea put down by S. Paulinus.)
(Agricola completed the conquest)
Because the British chiefs had made an attack on the coasts of Gaul. In 43 A.D. he sent an army to Britain under Aulus Plautins. This general defeated the British chief Caractacus and stormed his stronghold, Qajnulodunum,_ which subsequently became the first Roman colony. Next he reduced the south-eastern corner of the island. Emperor Claudius himself came to Britain to receive the submission of the British chiefs. Ostorius Scapula, the next governor, extended the Romanr. westwards as far as Wales by subduing the warlike Welshtribes of Silures and Ordovices. He then built garrison towns to protect the Welsh frontier. The deargFvernor, Seutonius Paulinus, determined to complete the conquest of the west. With that object he captured Mona or Anglesey which was the last refuge of the Druids. But he could not gather the full fruits of the victory, for during his absence a formidable revolt broke out in the east. It was headed by Boadicea, the queen of the Iceni, who rose against the Romans to avenge personal insult as well as brutal treatment of her daughters by the Roman soldiery. At her call the people rose in arms, burnt the towns of Camulodunum and London and put the Romans to the sword. Seutonius hurried to the spot and put down the insurrection. It was Julius Agricola who completed 1 he con-quest of Britain. He came as governor in 78 A.D. and his first act was to complete the conquest of Wales. He then extended the Roman frontier in the north as far as the Forth and Clyde, and made York the centre of Roman power in the northern dis-tricts. He defeated the mans or northern Britions at Mons Graupius an constructed a line f forts from the Clyde to the Forth to keep off the savage tribes of picts and scots
A STUDY OP ENGLISH HISTORY (BRITAIN UNDER ROMAN RULE)
(Agricola’s policy)
he was a statesman. He not only completed the con-quest of Britain, but took steps to protect and consolidate his conquests_ He tried, by kind treatment, to win the love of the conquered Bri-tons and to civilise them after the Roman fashion.
*Roman Rule in Britain
For administrative purposes the Romans divided the country into five provinces, each under bye a Roman governor. The whole country was placed . under the charge of a prefect who had absolute power. Roman law was introduced and justice was done between man and man. The Romans developed the material resources of the country and introduced order and system everywhere.
*Benefits of Roman Rule (1) The Romans set up a strong government which put an end to the constant wars between the different tribes. This extinction of tribal antagonism secured peace to the country. (2) They built walled towns and joined them by a network of splendid roads. These roads opened up the country to trade and civilization. (3) They erected many public buildings and constructed baths, theatres and luxurious villas. (4) Forests were cleared marshes were drained and the soil was improved so- that Britain became one of the granaries of the Empire. (5) Iron, lead and tin mines were worked and trade was carried on with other parts-of the Empire. (6) The Romans put down the Druids and their bloody sacrifices and introduced Christianity. (7) Lastly, Roman laws were introduced and justice was done between man and man. In short, under the rule of the Romans the Britons enjoyed peace and prosperity and be-came, on the whole, fairly civilized. But it should be noted that the Roman rule in Britain was not an unmixed blessing.
(Roman civilization introduced into Britain.)