THE ROMANISATION OF THE BRITISH ISLES 1 - THE ROMAN CONQUEST SOURCE N°1 : CHRONOLOGY

Chapter 37. [The decisive battle] TACITUS (AD 56 – 120) Roman orator and public official, probably the greatest historian and one of the greatest prose stylists who wrote in the Latin language. Among his works are the Historiae (Histories), concerning the Roman Empire from Ad 69 to 96, and the “ Annals ”, dealing with the empire in the period from AD 14 to 68.

54 BC : Ceasar invades the British islands to prevent Gaul leaders to seek protection from fellow celtic people living there. He controls the southern part of the Chapter 31 : Causes of Boudicca's revolt (british princess) British islands , AD 61 [Boudicca’s belongings] were seized [by the roman army] as lawful plunder. (…) Boudicca, was disgraced with cruel stripes; her daughters were ravished. (…) The relations of the deceased king were reduced to slavery. What chiefly fired the indignation (…) was the conduct of the veterans, lately planted as a colony at Camulodunum. These men treated the Britons with cruelty and oppression; they drove the natives from their habitations, calling them (…) slaves (…).

A dreadful slaughter followed. Neither sex nor age was spared. (…)The glory of the day was equal to the most splendid victory of ancient times. According to some writers, not less than eighty thousand Britons were put to the sword. The Romans lost about four hundred men, and the wounded did not exceed that number. Boudicca, by a dose of poison, [ended] her life. Chapter 36. "Despise," he said, "the savage uproar, the yells and shouts of undisciplined Barbarians. In that mixed multitude, the women out-number the men. (…) In all [battles] it is the valour of a few that turns the fortune of the day. It will be your immortal glory, that with a scanty number you can equal the exploits of a great and powerful army. Keep your ranks; discharge your javelins; rush forward to a close attack (…). Conquer, and victory gives you everything." Tacitus, Annals, Book XIV, Chapters 29-37 The translation from Latin is adapted from Arthur Murphy (Works of Tacitus, 1794).

That lead to the revolt of the Britons against the Romans. After a bitter defeat, Suetonius, the Roman general adresses his army before the battle. Tacitus reports :

2 - THE ROMANISATION OF BRITAIN 81 AD : Agricola governor of Britannia (roman province) controls the whole island but Caledonia.

SOURCE N°2 : Top britons adopt "civilized" attitudes of roman overlords :

Britain, 84 AD : During his 7-year governorship Julius Agricola has produced a dramatic change in the attitudes of leading Britons towards Roman ways. The nobility are now seeking 84 AD : Battle at fluency in Latin, for example, because of the Mount Graupius : career advantages it offers, and have taken The roman beat the to wearing Roman clothing such as the toga. Caledonian tribes They are also beginning to appreciate the with Britons in luxuries of Roman life, such as wines and hot their army for the baths. 1st time In recent speeches Agricola [has said] that the natural abilty of the British is greater than that of 122 - 132 AD : The the Gauls. (...) This is clearly a hint that he would Roman emperor like to see greater local involvment in British Hadrian orders the affairs, both to wean tribes from their hostility to construction of a Rome and to keep down the cost of running frontier wall Britain. between the roman Source : Chronicle of Britain province and the To wean : changer les affinités Scotland, to A hint : une allusion “protect” the Isles from the uncontrolled caledonian tribes

SOURCE N°3 : British and Roman gods live in harmony Southern England, 100 AD In matters of religion, the Romans are showing a pragmatic tolerance as long as local practices do not clash with their own interests, as was the case with the Druids. At the most important British shrines, the Romans encourage the joint worship of both native and the Roman god. For, in Roman eyes at least, the myriad gods and spirits worshipped by the British are identifiable with Roman gods : the Roman god for war Camulos, for example, is equated with the Roman god Mars. Source : Chronicle of Britain A shrine : sanctuaire To worship : vénérer

SOURCE N° 4 : A Roman account on the Caledonian people [The Picts] live in huts, go naked and unshod. They mostly have a democratic government, and are much addicted to robbery. They can bear hunger and cold and all manner of hardship; They will retire into their marshes and hold out for days with only their heads above water, and in the forest they will subsist on barks and roots. Dio Cassius (Roman commentator), 197 AD Marsh : marécage Bark : écorce

DOC N° 4 : A Caledonian account on the Romans In 84 AD, The Picts are beaten by the Roman army during the battle of Mount Graupius. They will never accept the roman occupation, which will lead Hadrian to build the frontier wall. Here is what their leader , Galgacus, is reported to have said before the battle : [The Romans] rob, kill and rape and call it Roman rule. They make a desert and call it peace.

Agricola was in Britain from 77/78 to 84. After conquering portions of Wales, including the island of Mona (now Anglesey), he completed the conquest of what is now northern England. By the end of the third campaigning season, he had advanced into Scotland, establishing a temporary frontier of posts between the firths of the Clota and Bodotria (Clyde and Forth) rivers. The Romans crossed the Forth in 83 and defeated the Caledonians in a decisive battle at Mons Graupius. Agricola's permanent occupation of Scotland reached the fringe of the highlands, where he blocked the main passes with forts and placed a legionary fortress at Inchtuthil (near Dunkeld in Perthshire). Recalled to Rome after his victory, the general lived in retirement, refusing the proconsulship of Asia.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ROMANISATION

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FAILURES OF THE ROMANISATION

THE ROMANISATION OF THE BRITISH ISLES 1st STAGE : PRESENT SOURCE N° 1 ET 2 : . Nature . source . Date . Historical context . Theme 2nd STAGE : - DOC N°1-2-3-4: What is the attitude of the Roman towards the Britons ? Explain. DOC N°1-2-3-4 : How would you define the term of "romanisation" ? DOC N°1-2: How can you explain the evolution of the attitude of the Romans ? of the Britons ? 3rd STAGE : Fill up the table, using all the documents, and show the failures and achievements ao the romanisation in the British Isles

THE ROMANISATION OF THE BRITISH ISLES 1st STAGE : PRESENT SOURCE N° 1 ET 2 : . Nature . source . Date . Historical context . Theme 2nd STAGE : - DOC N°1-2-3-4: What is the attitude of the Roman towards the Britons ? Explain. DOC N°1-2-3-4 : How would you define the term of "romanisation" ? DOC N°1-2: How can you explain the evolution of the attitude of the Romans ? of the Britons ? 3rd STAGE : Fill up the table, using all the documents, and show the failures and achievements ao the romanisation in the British Isles