2. Roman Conquest of Britain.

When the inhabitants of the British Isles were still living under the primitive communal system, the Roman Empire became the strongest slave-owning state in the Mediterranean.

It was the last and greatest of the civilizations of the ancient world.

In the middle of the first century B.C Romans waged a war against the Gaul (on the territory of France), who were Celtic tribes that lasted for long eight years. Julius Caesar was appointed Head of the Roman army, which was sent to conquer Gaul. In the course of his campaign, in 55 B.C., Caesar reached the Channel and saw white cliffs of the land of Celts who met the enemies bravely and were ready to fight against them. The Celts saw their ships approaching and rushed to attack the invaders shouting loudly. The Celts made a great impression on the Romans, who saw them for the first time in battle. On the occasion of the battle their hair and moustaches were dyed red and their legs and arms were painted blue to frighten the enemy. It was autumn, the army was tired and well-armed invincible Romans under one of the greatest generals of that time returned to Gaul planning to return in spring to conquer territory of the brave Celts. In spring of 54 B.C. Caesar again came to Britain, this time with the larger forces (25,000 men). The Celts fought bravely for their independence but they couldn’t stop well-armed and better-trained regular army of Romans. Some of the chiefs of the tribes submitted and promised to pay tribute to Rome. Caesar went back to Gaul to continue his conquest. The Celts never paid the tribute to Rome.

The real conquest of the isles took place about hundred years later, when in 44 A.D. a Roman army invaded Britain and conquered the Southeast. The Celts fought fiercely against the Romans who never managed to become masters of the whole territory, especially the hilly districts of the West and the Highlands. From time to time Celtic tribes from the North managed to raid the Roman part of the island, burn their villages, and drive off their cattle and sheep.

To defend their province the Romans kept the legions and built roads so that the army might march quickly. Bridges of stone were built to cross a river (some of these bridges can be found in Britain today). High wall was built in the North with forts to separate two parts of the country where life was so different. Behind the walls there lived civilised Romans, while on the other part there lived a primitive life people of the tribal society.

Roman society differed greatly from that of the Celts. It was a slave society divided into antagonistic classes. The main classes were the slaves and the slave-owners. Romans were coming from Rome year after year with their families to settle on the new land with nice nature and climate. The towns grew up as trade centres; the houses were built of stone, plastered and painted, with roofs made of large red tiles. Every Roman town had a drainage system and a good supply of water. The Roman towns were military stations surrounded by walls for defence, which were guarded by the Roman warriors. Besides, a high wall was built in the North to guard the province against the Picts and Scots who lived in the hills of Scotland. It was called "Hadrian's Wall" because it was built by command of the Emperor Hadrian. From one end of the wall to the other forts were built a mile apart and the Roman warriors could be seen marching up and down the whole length of the wall.

The Romans remained in Britain for about four centuries until the power of the Roman Empire began to weaken. The unproductive labour of the slaves led to the economic decline of the empire.

Early in the 5th c. the Roman legions were recalled from the island to defend the central provinces of the Roman Empire from the attacks of the barbarian tribes. They didn’t return to the island and the Celts were left alone in the land.

During the 5th century the Germanic tribes that were migrating all over the Europe looking for new territories came to the island.