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The history of Bristol is a long and interesting and dates back to Anglo-Saxon times when the settlement was known as Brigstowe

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Primary History Worksheets| KS1 & KS2 Lesson Plans & Resources

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Primary history worksheets & lesson resources suitable for KS1 & KS2, covering the ancient Greeks, the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Victorian Britain & more.

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When did the Romans invade Britain?

Over the course of nearly one hundred years, the Romans attempted to invade Britain three times.

In 55 B.C. Julius Caesar invaded Britain with two Roman legions. The Romans fought several battles against different Celtic tribes before returning to Gaul (France).

In 54 B.C. Caesar returned to Britain with a much larger army. He crossed the English Channel with five Roman legions, landing near Deal in Kent. The Romans marched inland and crossed the river Thames. Again they fought against the Celtic tribesmen and demonstrated the strength and power of the Rome. Caesar agreed to leave Britain, but only if the tribes agreed to make a tribute (payment) to Rome.

In 43 A.D. Emperor Claudius launched a third and final invasion of Britain. Four Roman legions, led by General Aulus Plautius, landed in three locations on the coast of Britain - Richborough, Lympne and Dover. A large battle was fought between the Romans and the Celtic tribes near to the River Medway. The Romans emerged victorius, but it took many years to gain control of Britain, as many tribes (such as the Iceni led by Boudicca) continued to fight against Roman rule. The Roman invasion of Britain was a gradual process.

Between Caesar's second invasion and the final invasion under the Emperor Claudius, Roman traders and merchants had established trading relationships with the Celtic tribes living in Britain. As a result, some areas in the South of England were being influenced by the Romans and their culture before the final invasion.

Why did the Romans invade Britain?

The Romans were constantly making moves to extend the Roman Empire and push the boundaries of the land under Roman control. Having subdued the Celtic tribes in Gaul (modern day France), the Romans turned their attention to the tribes living in Britain. Britain was full of natural resources, and the Romans believed that it would be of great benefit to the Empire if the island could be successfully invaded.

What next? Find out more facts about the Romans, or learn about Boudicca, the leader of the Iceni tribe, who fought back against the Romans in East Anglia.

Filed Under: The Romans

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The Roman Invasion of Britain: When and Why? - Primary Facts

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When did the Romans invade Britain? Over the course of nearly one hundred years, the Romans attempted to invade Britain three times. In 55 B.C. Julius Caesar invaded Britain with two Roman legions. The Romans fought several battles against different Celtic tribes before returning to Gaul (France). In 54 B.C.

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A brief history of the great city of Bristol from Saxon Times to the 21st Century

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Last updated: 20th November 2015

'Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings' is the longest British period in the primary history curriculum, lasting a thousand years - a millennium. It is also the most formative period in British history, when the country experienced several waves of invasion, including the last invasion to have been successful, in 1066. It both begins and ends with an invasion: the first Roman invasion in 55 BC and the Norman invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. Add 'in between were the Anglo-Saxons and then the Vikings'.

There is overlap between the various invaders, and through it all, the Celtic British population remained largely in place. In some areas, such as Wales and Cornwall, the invaders hardly changed the language or way of life of the people. In others, the British Celts learnt the language of the invaders, and adapted to their way of life. After 400 years of Roman rule, Romanised Britons tried to defend the religion and civilisation of Roman Britain against the Anglo-Saxon invaders.

During this 1000-year period there was constant shifting of boundaries, boundaries both on the map and in the minds of the people living then. Different cultures met and clashed time after time. Spiritually, the British moved from a people worshipping Celtic pagan gods at the start of the period to a nation of Christians at its end.

Terminology: at the start of the period, Britain was inhabited by Celtic peoples. The Romans called them Brittones, so they named the areas they conquered Britannia. Caledonians, Irish and Picts lived in what is now Scotland. Scotti lived in Ireland - all very confusing. (The Scotti later settled in Scotland, giving it its modern name by the 10th century).The point is that we have to be careful about names during this period.

When the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians invaded Britain, during the 5th and 6th centuries AD, the area they conquered slowly became known as England (from Angle-land). Before this we cannot accurately use the term 'England'.

By the end of the millennium, 1000 AD, the island was divided into the three recognisable countries of England, Scotland and Wales. Christianity was the established religion. In England, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Viking place-names reflected the mixture of peoples now living there, and the main places they had settled.

Teaching about the invaders: Even though you need only focus on one set of invaders, you will need to give the children an overview of the whole millennium. It is best to emphasise the differences between the invaders and to do a lot of (pictorial) timeline work.
Key questions

Why did the Romans invade Britain?

Why did the Anglo-Saxons invade Britain?

Why did the Vikings invade Britain?

(The answers to these three questions are different)

What made the Romans so powerful?

How and when did the invaders become Christians? (there will be different answers for each set of invaders)

Were there any major differences between the Anglo-Saxon and Viking invaders?

What can archaeology tell us about the invaders?

How are we to interpret the surviving primary sources? (They are written by one side)

More about Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings Teaching a topic on the Romans LESSONS MAGIC HISTORY AND WEB-LINKS Britain and the world in Tudor times
Magic History of Roman Britain
Lessons on Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
Teaching a topic on the Anglo-Saxons
Teaching a topic on the Vikings

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Teaching Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings in Britain

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'Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings' is the longest British period in the primary history curriculum, lasting a thousand years - a millennium. It is also the most formative period in British history, when the country experienced several waves of invasion, including the last invasion to have been successful, in 1066.

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How did the Celts fight back?

When the Romans invaded, the Celtic tribes had to decide whether or not to fight back. If they made peace, they agreed to obey Roman laws and pay taxes. In return, they could keep their kingdoms. However, some Celtic leaders chose to fight.

After years of heavy taxes and the Romans taking their land, some Celtic tribes were desperate for revenge. In AD60, one leader who chose to fight was Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe. She raised a huge army and went on a rampage, burning the Roman towns of Colchester and London, before heading north to St Albans.

When the Roman army heard about this, they turned back from their campaign in Wales to face Boudica. Even though the Romans were outnumbered by Boudica's 200,000 warriors, they were better trained and had better armour. Both sides clashed in a fierce battle, but the Romans won.

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When the Romans invaded, the Celtic tribes had to decide whether or not to fight back. If they made peace, they agreed to obey Roman laws and pay taxes. In return, they could keep their kingdoms. However, some Celtic leaders chose to fight.