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Week one – Joining the Roman empire

Week one – Joining the Roman empire

In the first week of the HistoryExtra Academy course on Roman Britain, Professor Rob Collins explores how Britain's collection of Iron Age societies were brought into the Empire, by choice or by force

Published: August 21, 2024 at 12:48 PM

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Roman Britain has been described as the most researched province in the entire Roman empire, and there is an incredible amount of interesting and exciting information about the era – discovered by archaeologists, written about by ancient historians, and that can be seen in museums and at historic sites.

The Roman period was the first time in Britain’s history that its varied regions and people became more unified and joined a larger, international empire. Between AD 43 – the year of Emperor Claudius’ invasion and the start of the conquest of Britain – up until about the year AD 410, Britain was part of the Roman empire.

Across these 370 years, the island saw considerable change. This week we take a look late-Iron Age Britain, to better understand what life was like for Britons before being forcibly added to the Roman empire. We'll look at Julius Caesar’s expeditions, and the Claudian conquest, as well as Boudica’s famous rebellion.

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Joining the Roman empire. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

In the first week of the HistoryExtra Academy course on Roman Britain, Professor Rob Collins explores how Britain's collection of Iron Age societies were brought into the Empire, by choice or by force
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A timeline of Roman Britain. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

In the first century AD, the Romans founded a new province at the very edge of their empire: Britannia. We look back at the key events in its storied history
Roman videoWhat did Boudica’s Iceni warriors look like?

Duncan Mackay considers what Boudica’s rebellious troops might really have looked like when they faced up to the Roman legions in Britain in AD60-61
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Caratacus: Roman Britain’s greatest rebel. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

In the AD 40s, the British king Caratacus led a huge revolt against Rome's occupying army. Miles Russell tells the story of a warrior who overcame massive odds to rock Britannia to its very core...
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Caesar's British gamble. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Julius Caesar loved to roll the dice. And in 55–54 BC he took one of his greatest gambles yet, leading two invasions of Britain. These were meant to be glorious staging-posts on his journey to supreme power in Rome. But, as Guy de la Bédoyère relates, a combination of poor planning, enemy chariots and inclement British weather almost left his career in tatters
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The Roman invasion: whose side were the Britons on?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The display of the Hallaton helmet reconstruction in 2012 sparked debate about how far Britons colluded with the Romans on their invasion in AD 43. Here, Gillian Hovell considers this and other key questions about the start of the Roman occupation
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Boudica: scourge of the Roman empire

Vanessa Collingridge tells the story of Boudica (also called Boudicca or Boadicea), the woman who raised and led a native army in revolt against oppressive Roman rule in Britain in AD 60
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HistoryExtra Academy Roman Britain quiz – week one. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

How much did you learn about the Roman invasion of Britain this week? Test your knowledge in our quiz

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Week one – Joining the Roman empire

Boudica: scourge of the Roman empire