Roman conquest of Britain facts for kids
The Roman conquest of Britain began in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius. His general Aulus Plautius became first Governor of Roman Britain (Latin: Britannia).
Britain had been the target of invasions by the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. It had diplomatic and trading links with the Romans after Julius Caesar's expeditions in 55 and 54 BC. Roman economic and cultural influence was already part of the British late pre-Roman Iron Age, in the south.
Between 55 BC and the 40s AD, Britain was not invaded. Augustus prepared invasions in 34 BC, 27 BC and 25 BC. The first and third were called off due to revolts elsewhere in the empire, the second because the Britons seemed ready to come to terms. Strabo's Geography, written during this period, says that Britain paid more in customs and duties than could be raised by taxation if the island were conquered.
By the 40s AD, the political situation in Britain was apparently in some chaos. Caligula planned a campaign against the Britons in 40, but it never happened. Caligula's preparations made Claudius' invasion possible three years later. For example, Caligula built a lighthouse at Bononia (modern Boulogne-sur-Mer) that provided a model for the one built soon after at Dover.
Images for kids
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Campaigns under Aulus Plautius and the British tribes
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Roman campaigns from AD 43 to 60.
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The Roman Empire in AD 54.
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Agricola's campaigns.
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Northern campaigns.
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Roman military organisation in the north.
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The Roman Empire in AD 96.
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The Stanegate line is marked in red, to the south of the later Hadrian's Wall. (n.b. Brocavum is Brougham, not Kirkby Thore as given in the map)
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Levels of Romanisation by area and date
See also
In Spanish: Conquista romana de Britania para niños
