The Roman Occupation of Britain and Its Legacy

Description

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 first 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 findings 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. Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS PREFACE CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1. INTRODUCTION 2. A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 3. THE ROMAN ARMY 4. HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? (i) Contemporaneous historians (ii) Official records (iii) Archaeological evidence CHAPTER 2 BRITAIN IN THE IRON AGE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE IRON AGE 3. CONTACT WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD 4. BRITISH COMMUNITIES DURING THE LATE IRON AGE (i) South- east England (ii) Dorset and the Midlands (iii) The West Country and Wales (iv) The north 5. ROME’S PERCEPTION OF BRITAIN IN THE LATE IRON AGE CHAPTER 3 THE FIRST INVASIONS: JULIUS CAESAR 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE INVASION IN 55 BC 3. THE INVASION IN 54 BC 4. REVIEW OF CAESAR’S CAMPAIGNS IN BRITAIN CHAPTER 4 THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN BRITAIN: THE EMPEROR CLAUDIUS 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 2. RELATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND ROME 3. CLAUDIUS’ INVASION IN AD 43 4. CONSOLIDATION OF ROMAN CONTROL (i) South- west England (ii) South- east England (iii) The Midlands CHAPTER 5 BRITAIN IN THE MID-FIRST CENTURY 1. ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCES OF THE EMERGENT PROVINCE 2. THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST WALES 3. BRITISH ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN THE MID-FIRST CENTURY CHAPTER 6 BOUDICA’S REBELLION AND ITS AFTERMATH 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BACKGROUND TO THE REBELLION: ROMAN REPRESSION AND GREED 3. BOUDICA STRIKES BACK (AD 60–61) 4. THE ROMANS PREVAIL 5. AFTERMATH CHAPTER 7 THE FLAVIAN PERIOD 1. INTRODUCTION 2. IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROVINCE 3. CERIALIS’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BRIGANTES 4. CAMPAIGNS IN WALES: FRONTINUS AND AGRICOLA 5. AGRICOLA’S CAMPAIGNS IN THE NORTH 6. THE PERIOD AFTER AGRICOLA (i) From Domitian to Trajan (ii) Consolidation of the province and rebuilding the legionary fortresses in stone CHAPTER 8 LIFE ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER 1. INTRODUCTION 2. VINDOLANDA: THE FORTS AND THE TABLETS 3. THE FIRST COHORT OF THE TUNGRIANS (AD 85–92) 4. THE NINTH COHORT OF THE BATAVIANS (AD 92–105) 5. THE FIRST COHORT OF THE TUNGRIANS (AD 105–128) 6. THE PICTURE THAT EMERGES FROM THE VINDOLANDA TABLETS CHAPTER 9 THE ROMANIZATION OF BRITAIN IN THE FIRST CENTURY 1. INTRODUCTION 2. TACITUS’ ACCOUNT OF ROMANIZATION IN THE FIRST CENTURY 3. HAVERFIELD FOLLOWS TACITUS 4. THE MEANING OF ROMANIZATION 5. HOW WAS BRITAIN SIMILAR TO OTHER PROVINCES IN ITS INFRASTRUCURE AND ORGANIZATION DURING THE FIRST CENTURY? CHAPTER 10 THE EMPEROR HADRIAN VISITS BRITAIN 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BRITAIN DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF HADRIAN’S REIGN 3. HADRIAN’S VISIT TO BRITAIN IN AD 122 4. HADRIAN’S WALL (i) The frontiers of the Roman Empire19 (ii) The construction of Hadrian’s Wall (iii) What was the purpose of the wall? (iv) What was the effect of the wall? 5. BRITAIN IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING HADRIAN’S VISIT (i) Urban development (ii) Salt industry and the Fens (iii) The fleet and the establishment of a new port at Dover CHAPTER 11 BRITAIN IN THE SECOND CENTURY 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE REIGN OF ANTONINUS PIUS (AD 138–161) (i) The war (ii) The wall (iii) Abandonment of the Antonine Wall and return to Hadrian’s Wall 3. TAKING STOCK: WAS BRITANNIA PAYING ITS WAY? 4. THE REIGN OF MARCUS AURELIUS (AD 161–180) 5. THE REIGN OF COMMODUS (AD 180–192) CHAPTER 12 THE EMPEROR SEVERUS ARRIVES AND STAYS 1. THE CIVIL WAR (AD 193–197) 2. THE REIGN OF SEVERUS (197–211): A TURNING POINT FOR THE ROMAN EMPIRE 3. BRITAIN DURING SEVERUS’ REIGN 4. SEVERUS CAMPAIGNS IN SCOTLAND CHAPTER 13 THE THIRD CENTURY 1. THE REIGN OF CARACALLA (AD 211–217) 2. THE MID-THIRD CENTURY (AD 217–284) 3. THE TETRARCHY 4. THE SHORE FORTS 5. THE USURPATION OF CARAUSIUS AND ALLECTUS CHAPTER 14 THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE LAUNCHES HIS CAREER IN BRITAIN 1. BRITAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH CENTURY 2. THE MOMENTOUS EVENTS OF AD 305–306 AND THEIR AFTERMATH 3. BRITAIN DURING THE REIGN OF CONSTANTINE (i) Military control (ii) Civil administration of the four British provinces (iii) Urbanism and local government (iv) Villa culture (v) Social and religious life CHAPTER 15 TURMOIL IN THE MID-FOURTH CENTURY 1. CONSTANTINE’S DYNASTY (AD 337–363) 2. BRITAIN IN THE MID-FOURTH CENTURY (i) Urbanism (ii) Generally 3. THE ‘BARBARIAN CONSPIRACY’ (i) The story as told by Ammianus (ii) Did it really happen? (iii) Aftermath 4. THE EMPIRE UNDER ATTACK CHAPTER 16 THE FINAL YEARS OF ROMAN BRITAIN 1. INTRODUCTION (i) Historical sources (ii) Archaeology 2. THE BEGINNING OF THEODOSIUS’ REIGN 3. MAXIMUS’ REBELLION AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR BRITAIN 4. THE END OF THEODOSIUS’ REIGN 5. THE DECLINE OF ROME AFTER THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS 6. THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN CHAPTER 17 TOWNS AND URBAN LIFE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. CIVITAS CAPITALS (i) The civitas system (ii) Specific towns that served as civitas capitals 3. COLONIES 4. LONDON 5. SMALL TOWNS CHAPTER 18 LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. ROMAN VILLAS IN BRITAIN 3. SOME SPECIFIC VILLAS 4. THE DEEP COUNTRYSIDE 5. RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE LATE ROMAN PERIOD CHAPTER 19 RELIGION IN ROMAN BRITAIN 1. INTRODUCTION 2. ROMAN RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY 3. THE ROMAN GODS 4. ARMY RELIGION 5. THE INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF BRITAIN 6. THE MINGLING OF CELTIC AND ROMAN RELIGIONS 7. MITHRAISM 8. CHRISTIANITY 9. CURSE TABLETS (i) The sacred spring at Bath79 (ii) Elsewhere in Britain 10. SUMMARY CHAPTER 20 THE ROMANO-BRITISH LEGACY 1. INTRODUCTION 2. TO WHAT EXTENT AND HOW WAS BRITAIN ROMANIZED DURING THE ROMAN OCCUPATION? (i) The military community (ii) Urban dwellers (iii) Rural societies (iv) Conclusion 3. WHAT DID THE ROMANS GAIN FROM THEIR BRITISH ADVENTURE? 4. WHAT DID BRITAIN GAIN FROM THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE? 5. SUBSEQUENT BRITISH HISTORY – A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY 6. LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THE ROMAN OCCUPATION (i) London (ii) Other towns (iii) Ports and coastal defences (iv) Scotland (v) Wales (vi) National identity (vii) Religion and culture (viii) Brexit BIBLIOGRAPHY Index