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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Romans
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The first direct contact between Britain and the Roman empire came with the invasions of Julius *Caesar in the 1st century BC, but the Roman conquest of southern Britain began only with the invasion of ==AD = 43. In spite of the resistance led by *Caratacus, the Roman success was rapid. By the year 47 the *Fosse Way was in existence as a road to move troops along the northern border of a territory which stretched from Devon to Lincolnshire.
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The uprising of *Boudicca in 60 was a temporary setback for the Romans, but the conquest of Wales was completed in 78 by *Agricola (the Roman governor of Britain 77–84). Agricola advanced far into Scotland, defeating the tribe of Caledones in 83 at *Mons Graupius. But the Caledonians proved difficult to subdue; the protective *Hadrian's Wall was built some 40 years later to seal off this troublesome area. Thus the Roman province of Britannia became established as what is now England and Wales.
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With three protective legions permanently based in *York, *Chester and *Caerleon, Roman Britain settled down in the 2C to a period of prosperity. Trade with the Continent increased. An urban culture developed, of which traces are best seen now in *Bath. Many Celtic chieftains and landowners became Roman citizens and adopted Roman ways. Great villas were built and were decorated with mosaics, as at *Fishbourne, *Hinton St Mary, *Chedworth or *Lullingstone. With all this came the religions that were then competing in Italy, in particular *Christianity and *Mithraism.
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The decline of Roman Britain followed the decline of Rome itself in the 4–5C. As *Goths, *Vandals and *Huns threatened the centre of empire, legions were withdrawn from the distant provinces – leaving them in turn exposed to invasion. By the 7C, after much upheaval, England was the territory of the *Anglo-Saxons.
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