2.Roman Britain（55BC-410）

Between 55and 54BC Julius Caesar³，the Roman commander in Gaul，came to Britain twice，but he made no attempt to conquer the island.It was not until 96years later that the Roman Emperor Claudius⁴ invaded Britain，and the territory south of the Humber and east of the Severn was annexed to the Roman Empire.

The Romans were determined to conquer the whole island，and to invade the territory now known as Wales and Scotland.Welsh resistance had collapsed by AD 77；but the Romans tried unsuccessfully for 130years to conquer the Caledonians⁵ in Scotland.In the Pennines the Picts⁶ and Scots frequently revolted against the Romans.In AD 122-126，in order to keep back the Picts and Scots，the Romans built a wall of defence，called Hadrian’s Wall ⁷，from the Solway to the Tyne，and today people can still see the remains.

Hadrian’s Wall—Roman Defense Against Picts and Scots

The Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly 400 years from AD 43to 407.They brought Christianity to England，and their development of the country helped this religion to spread.Many of their army bases are now important cities：Gloucester，Worcester，Chester，Winchester and others.All these names are formed from the Roman word castra，which means an armed camp.Roman roads were built all across Britain.Scores of towns grew up along the Roman roads.These towns，although very small compared with those of later centuries，were like cities with an urban life-style and culture.Between the towns were the villas，country houses of the Roman or British magnates.These villas were not mere pleasure resorts，but the centers of agricultural estates.The English upper classes became completely Romanized and were transformed from Celtic tribal chiefs into Roman landowners and officials.In fact，the energy and method of the Romans radically transformed the whole of lowland districts and the lives of all the people were shaped to the Roman style.The Roman influence was so great that there was not the slightest evidence that any national feeling existed or that the inhabitants thought of themselves as Britons as opposed to Roman provincials.

By the beginning of the 5th century when the barbarian tribes from Eastern Europe were overrunning the Roman Empire and threatening Rome itself，the Roman government withdrew all their armed forces from Britain，leaving their fellow-countrymen there，and the Britons to their own devices.Britain，for the first time for several centuries，was totally isolated from Europe.But very soon new invaders poured into the island.