Early Inhabitants of Britain
Early inhabitants of Britain:
The Celts: A series of invasions began about the year 1000 B.C. And continued until the opening of the Christian era. The Celts invaded Britain and dominated the native peoples, merging with then but firmly establishing their own language and civilization. They brought to Britain a renewed interest in agriculture together with the age of iron. The last Celtic invaders were the tribes of the Belgae, who settled in south-eastern Britain. Their advanced agriculture, knowledge of arts and crafts, their military skill, their trade with the continent, their coinage and political organization under strong tribal chieftains made south-eastern Britain the best grain-producing portion of the island. The religion of the Belgae was dark and superstitious. They believed in spirits who lived in springs, rocks and sacred groves. There were priests known as Druids. They combined the functions of priests, teachers and magistrates or judges.
In 55 B.C. Julius Caesar crossed the channel in the first Roman invasions of Britain. He obtained submission and a promise of tribute from the principal chieftains of south-eastern Britain. The Celts in Britain remained independent or almost another century.
Roman Britain: almost a century after Caesar’s invasions, emperor Claudius dispatched a large army to make a conquest of Britain. The Romans controlled the lowland plain within five years and began at once to lay down the great military roads which radiated from London as a centre. It took the Romans longer to control the rest of the country, in particular the violent Celtic tribes in the mountainous areas. Although the Celts in Wales were eventually conquered, they were never romanized. A conquest in Scotland proved to be impossible, or at least not worth the cost. The Romans came to Britain to exploit the island, not to settle in the place of the inhabitants. Although Roman rule was efficient, it remained alien, and only temporary in its effects. The
The Celts: A series of invasions began about the year 1000 B.C. And continued until the opening of the Christian era. The Celts invaded Britain and dominated the native peoples, merging with then but firmly establishing their own language and civilization. They brought to Britain a renewed interest in agriculture together with the age of iron. The last Celtic invaders were the tribes of the Belgae, who settled in south-eastern Britain. Their advanced agriculture, knowledge of arts and crafts, their military skill, their trade with the continent, their coinage and political organization under strong tribal chieftains made south-eastern Britain the best grain-producing portion of the island. The religion of the Belgae was dark and superstitious. They believed in spirits who lived in springs, rocks and sacred groves. There were priests known as Druids. They combined the functions of priests, teachers and magistrates or judges.
In 55 B.C. Julius Caesar crossed the channel in the first Roman invasions of Britain. He obtained submission and a promise of tribute from the principal chieftains of south-eastern Britain. The Celts in Britain remained independent or almost another century.
Roman Britain: almost a century after Caesar’s invasions, emperor Claudius dispatched a large army to make a conquest of Britain. The Romans controlled the lowland plain within five years and began at once to lay down the great military roads which radiated from London as a centre. It took the Romans longer to control the rest of the country, in particular the violent Celtic tribes in the mountainous areas. Although the Celts in Wales were eventually conquered, they were never romanized. A conquest in Scotland proved to be impossible, or at least not worth the cost. The Romans came to Britain to exploit the island, not to settle in the place of the inhabitants. Although Roman rule was efficient, it remained alien, and only temporary in its effects. The