Questions to learn about Romans in Britain.

The Romans came to Britain in search of land and natural resources like gold, silver and tin. The Celts, who ruled Britain, resisted them and in AD 61 Boudicca, the Queen of the Iceni, led a revolt against them. It was defeated and for the next 300 years Britain was part of the Roman Empire. The Romans changed Britain. They built towns and introduced new religions and methods of farming. Sites and artifacts from Roman times still survive and we can use them to find out about the Romans’ way of life.

Why were the Romans so successful?
The army was at the heart of their success. It was the only full-time professional force in the ancient world and it was very highly organized. Daily drill sessions and a tough training regime welded the legionaries into an unbeatable fighting machine.

What happened to the Romans?
Their empire grew so big that the army couldn't defend it. Barbarian tribes began to attack its frontiers. The main attackers were the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes. By 450AD Roman rule in Britain was over and the Saxons were beginning to settle there

What did the Romans ever do for us?
You mean apart from our roads, architecture and even the name of this island? The Romans also gave us false teeth, concrete, indoor plumbing, fast food, a fire brigade and edible snails. But many of the ideas brought by the Romans were lost in the Dark Ages when the Saxons became the new rulers.

Who was Boudicca?
She was Queen of the Iceni (native Britons) and led an uprising against the Roman occupation in Britain. She died in AD 61 by poisoning herself after the Romans defeated the British. It certainly gave the Romans a nasty scare and it made them change the way they dealt with the conquered population. It was the high-handed treatment of Boudicca and her people which provoked the revolt in the first place.

How do we know about the Romans?
The Romans built to last and we can still see traces of their roads, forts and villas. They were great writers, too and copies of some of their manuscripts still survive. Archaeologists have even found a collection of letters written to soldiers who manned Hadrian's Wall. Curses, inscribed on slips of lead which were thrown into the baths at Aquae Sulis (modern day Bath) have also been discovered.