Roman Britain
Late Roman Period:
Septimius to Constantine
- Septimius Severus (193-211 CE)
- Dispatches a series of governors to Britain
- To eject the invaders from the province
- To suppress internal rebels
- To rebuild destroyed installations
- Campaigns himself in Britain: 208-11
- Finally takes charge of the situation in Britain himself in 208
- Regains territory lost in the north
- Reestablished Hadrian’s Wall
- Had a major impact on Roman Britain
- Died in 211 in York
- Son Caracalla named emperor
Years of uneasy peace in Britain: 213-342
- 3rd century period of consolidation
- Britain enjoyed relative peace compared to the continent
- Settlement of conditions along northern frontier had major effect
- Several towns now build stone walls
- Interior of the island peaceful and prosperous
- Coastal areas subject to raids
- Raids from
- Northern France
- Low countries
- Ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons
- Founding of the Saxon-shore defenses
- Introduce new style of fort
- By end of 3rd century Saxon-shore system in operation
- Forts
- Richborough
- Dover
- Portchester
- Postumus
- Created independent Gallic kingdom
- Period of relative peace and prosperity
- Kingdom lasted until 273
- Carausius
- Roman commander of channel fleet
- Defeats pirates in 286
- Declares himself emperor
Western emperor Constantius
- Appointed as deputy Caesar
- Was to destroy empire of Carausius
- Carausius’ fleet prevents Canstantius’ crossing
- He now attacks Boulogne
- Naval headquarters of the channel fleet
- Captures it after a short siege
- Carausius isolated on Britain
- Allectus kills Carausius
- Constantius crosses into Britain
- In 305 became the western emperor
- Begins campaign against the Picts
- Earliest mention of them is in 3rd century
- Refurbished several forts along Hadrian’s Wall
- Brought large military force with him
- Died at York in 306
- Son, Constantine, declared emperor
Last Years of Roman Rule
- Increase in military emergencies in Britain after 337
- Constans
- Visited Britain in dead of winter in 342-3
- May be dealing with problems related to channel defenses
- Set up emergency warning system
- Sporadic troubles on northern frontier in mid-4th century
- Frontier overrun
- In 360
- Picts had broken the treaty
- Emperor Julian was in Gaul at the time
- Barbarian coalition
- Picts in Scotland
- Scots in Ireland
- Anglo-Saxons
- New Roman commander sent to Britain
- Theodosius arrives in 367
- Brings a large army with him
- Fights for 2 years
- Regained control of Britain
- Instituted major rebuilding program in the province
- During 4th century lawlessness spreads
- Countryside is unsafe
- Produce brought into the cities and towns for safety
- Expanded fortifications of towns
- Intro duce wall bastions
- Add moats before walls
- Towns establish own mercenary garrisons
- Another battle with the Scots and Picts
- In 382
- Attack led by Magnus Maximus
- Defeats the Scots and Picts
- In 383 claimed imperial throne
- In place of Gratian
- Takes troops from Britain
- Defeats Gratian in Gaul
- Maintained his kingdom for 5 years
- Never returned to Britain
- Defeated in 388 at Arles
- Coastal defenses strengthened with signal towers
- Frontier posts manned now by peasant militia
- Independent kingdom by 407
- Entire regular Roman army withdrawn
- Honorius became emperor
- Needed to protect Italy
- Capital now at Ravenna
- Alaric sacks Rome in 410
- Britons appeal to Rome for military assistance
- Britain in 410 ceases to be part of the Roman Empire