The Roman Occupation of Britain and Its Legacy

361 Pages·2020·4.822 MB·English

by  Sir Jackson, Rupert

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION OF BRITAIN
AND ITS LEGACY
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THE ROMAN OCCUPATION OF BRITAIN
AND ITS LEGACY
Sir Rupert Jackson
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BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published in Great Britain 2021

Copyright © Sir Rupert Jackson, 2021

Sir Rupert Jackson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identifi ed as the author of this work.

Cover image: The north wall of the Frigidarium, Viroconium Cornoviorum. Jon Lewis / Alamy Stock Photo

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Jackson, Rupert M, author.
Title: The Roman occupation of Britain and its legacy / by Sir Rupert Jackson.
Description: London ; New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Summary: “This book tells the fascinating story of Roman Britain, beginning with the late pre-Roman Iron Age
and ending with the province’s independence from Roman rule in AD 409. Incorporating for the fi rst time the
most recent archaeological discoveries from Hadrian’s Wall, London and other sites across the country, and richly
illustrated throughout with photographs and maps, this reliable and up-to-date new account is essential reading for
students, non-specialists and general readers alike. Writing in a clear, readable and lively style, Rupert Jackson
draws on current research and new fi ndings to deepen our understanding of the role played by Britain in the
Roman Empire, deftly integrating the ancient texts with new archaeological material. A key theme of the book
is that Rome’s annexation of Britain was an imprudent venture, motivated more by political prestige than economic
gain, such that Britain became a ‘trophy province’ unable to pay its own way. However, the impact that Rome
and its provinces had on this distant island was nevertheless profound: huge infrastructure projects transformed
the countryside and means of travel, capital and principal cities emerged, and the Roman way of life was
inseparably absorbed into local traditions. Many of those transformations continue to resonate to this day,
as we encounter their traces in both physical remains and in civic life”-- Provided by publisher.
Identifi ers: LCCN 2020019024 (print) | LCCN 2020019025 (ebook) | ISBN 9781350149380 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781350149373 (paperback) | ISBN 9781350149397 (ebook) | ISBN 9781350149403 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Great Britain–History–Roman period, 55 B.C.–449 A.D. | Great Britain–Civilization–Roman infl uences.
Classifi cation: LCC DA145 .J28 2020 (print) | LCC DA145 (ebook) | DDC 936.2/04–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020019024
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020019025

ISBN: HB: 978-1-3501-4938-0
PB 978-1-3501-4937-3
ePDF: 978-1-3501-4939-7
eBook: 978-1-3501-4940-3

Typeset by Refi neCatch Limited, Bungay, Suffolk

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For my grandchildren Beatrix, Clemmie, Elsie, Freddie, Leo and Zahra
in the hope that they will read this book when they are older
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CONTENTS
List of Illustrations viii
Preface x
1 Introduction and Background 1
2 Britain in the Iron Age 17
3 Th e First Invasions: Julius Caesar 37
4 Th e Invasion of Southern Britain: Th e Emperor Claudius 47
5 Britain in the Mid-First Century 67
6 Boudica’s Rebellion and Its Aft ermath 81
7 Th e Flavian Period 95
8 Life on the Northern Frontier 119
9 Th e Romanization of Britain in the First Century 131
10 Th e Emperor Hadrian Visits Britain 143
11 Britain in the Second Century 161
12 Th e Emperor Severus Arrives and Stays 175
13 Th e Th ird Century 187
14 Th e Emperor Constantine Launches His Career in Britain 209
15 Turmoil in the Mid-Fourth Century 223
16 Th e Final Years of Roman Britain 239
17 Towns and Urban Life 251
18 Life in the Countryside 269
19 Religion in Roman Britain 283
20 Th e Romano-British Legacy 305
Bibliography 327
Index 339
Appendix available online only at https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-roman-
occupation-of-britain-and-its-legacy-9781350149373/
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Maps
2.1 British communities in the late Pre-Roman Iron Age 27
10.1 Hadrian’s Wall and Stanegate Road 150
11.1 Britain in the mid- second century 166
Tables
5.1 First- Century ad Civitas Capitals in Southern England 71
17.1 Civitas Capitals Th roughout Roman Britain 256
Figures
2.1 Snettisham Hoard 19
2.2 Maiden Castle hillfort 22
2.3 Iron currency bars – perhaps not convenient small change 34
3.1 Julius Caesar 45
4.1 Claudius’ triumphal arch in Rome, as sketched in 1756 58
4.2 Tombstone of Marcus Favonius Facilis, Colchester 62
5.1 Cartimandua hands Caratacus over to the Romans 74
6.1 Statue of Boudica by Westminster Bridge 88
6.2 Bloomberg tablet WT45 92
7.1 Colchester, Balkerne Gate 115
7.2 Caerleon amphitheatre 118
8.1 Vindolanda tablet (T ab Vindol II 343, two complete diptychs) referring
to ‘bad roads’ 127
9.1 Dolaucothi, gold mine 141
10.1 First coins showing Britannia, c . ad 119 145
10.2 Hadrian’s Wall at Greenhead Lough 154
10.3 Wroxeter 157
11.1 Th e Bridgeness slab, a distance slab in Antonine Wall 165
13.1 Coin showing Carausius with his two ‘brothers’ RIC 1[mdc] 205
13.2 Th e Arras Medallion 207
14.1 Bronze statue of Constantine I at York 213
15.1 Crambeck pottery 229
17.1 Tombstone of Volusia Faustina, Lincoln 254
17.2 Roman arch, now known as Newport Arch, Lincoln 258
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Illustrations
17.3 York, Roman wall and tower 260
17.4 Th e great bath at Bath 267
18.1 Dolphin mosaic at Fishbourne palace 274
18.2 Chedworth villa 275
19.1 Gorgon’s head, Bath 293
19.2 Marble relief of Mithras slaying the bull, found at Bloomberg site, London 295
19.3 Curse tablet, Tab Sulis 10 301
20.1 Pevensey shore fort: Second World War pillbox built into the Roman wall 319
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