Since the early antiquity period, Rome followed the political strategy to conquer various regions and assimilate the people in these regions through naturalization and offering citizenship as well as all the privileges of being Roman. The Romanization of Gaul and Britain was also an extension of this political strategy. This paper argues that the conquest and Romanization of both Gaul and Britain were politically motivated and were enabled through the lack of cultural unity in both Gaul and Britain; but while Gaul was easier to Romanize, Britain posed unprecedented challenges to this process.
The Roman ambition to consolidate small Celtic and Teutonic kingdoms into an imperial province was the driving force behind the multiple conquests
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Birley points out that by the time of King Hadrian’s rule, a wall to separate the Romans and the barbarians had already been completed. The urban communities of Britain were considered barbaric by Hadrian’s administration, and therefore they pursued active Romanization strategies to change the status quo. Pursuing the age old naturalization and Romanization strategy, Hadrian made all Britons and the free inhabitants within the empire, Roman citizens. This new legal status of the Britons was welcome because it accorded them with a special status. At the beginning, Birley claims that only a select few, who had assisted in the conquests, were rewarded with citizenship to Rome for their assistance. However, unlike the Gallo-Romans, the Roman Britons never fully acquired the spirit of Romanization, which is why many aspects of Britain continued to remain different from the other provincial Roman colonies (Birley 152). On the other hand, some other aspects of their life had acquired complete Romanization. Owing to these differences, Britain was considered the remotest part of the Roman empire, and was used to exile dissenters and criminals. As far as public life is concerned, there is little historical evidence of any significant contributions to Rome on the part of Britain. Such an environment meant that Romanization of Britain was not as simple as that of Gaul. Some aspects of Britain’s material life was influenced by Rome. Religion, was one of the most significant import from Rome, but evidence suggests that the native cults continued to survive along with Roman religions. Roman art was another important area where Romanization is most evident in Britain. Unfortunately, the Roman artistic standards proved to be too much for native artists, who ended up producing something much inferior to what Rome conceived to be valuable art (Birley 156). Rome also aggressively pursued trade in the region, thus exporting mass
Bartlett, Robert, ‘The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization and Cultural change 950-1350’ (Penguin Books 1994)
In 476 AD, centuries of amassed knowledge in science and philosophy, literature and the arts lay in peril of destruction alongside the physical Roman Empire. Thomas Cahill's book How the Irish Saved Civilization sheds light upon the role of the Irish people in the conservation and rebirth of civilization and the Western tradition after the fall of the Roman Empire. It is here that Cahill opens his book and after a brief description of classical civilization, that we are given a look at another people, far different from the Romans and Greeks- the vibrant and intriguing Celts. How these people came in contact with the civilized world and how they assisted in pulling the West out of the Dark ages is, then, the paramount of Cahill's argument.
When the Romans Invaded Briton each Celtic tribe was treated differently. The Celtic Iceni tribe kept out of the violent conflict, and because of this they were awarded ‘client kingdom’ status by the Romans. Being a client kingdom meant that the Iceni tribe maintained a considerable amount of independence. They were allowed to keep their rulers, and they were allowed to mint coin. They were bound by treaty to Rome, who in return would back them up, often against rival tribes. Yet the Romans took the view that they had the authority, to at any time intervene in the internal affairs of their client kingdoms. On the other hand the main city of the Trinovantes tribe, which was located just south of the Iceni tribe, was declared by Emperor Claudius as the capital of his British province. The Trinovantes people lost their freedom as well as having most of the...
During 243 – 476 AD, some of the main reasons that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire were the dwindling population, economic problems, the reign of different Emperors, and wars with the Visigoths on two separate occasions, but eventually during the 4th century, barbarians penetrated deep into Roman territory. Barbarians were nations compiled of various...
Twenty years after the invasion, Britain was feeling oppressed by the Roman Empire, none more so than the Iceni tribe. Their late king, Prasutagus, had left the Icenian land to the Romans in his will, but on certain conditions. Upon his death, the Romans took over without abiding by any of these conditions, treating the land as if it was theirs by right of conquest. There was looting and tyranny, the king’s family was abused and the Romans savagely ruled over the Iceni. Another factor in aggravating the Britons was that the occupiers began to recall large loans which had been forced upon unwilling Britons. Some Britons were conscripted into the army, the Roman procurators wanted to extract as much wealth as could be had from the latest addition to the empire.
It has been debated by varying scholars as to whether Caesar Augustus’ foreign policy to expand Rome’s empire had more to do with defensive imperialism as a response to encroaching threats, or rather, an aggressive, unprovoked move to claim hegemony over the known world. However, I would like to postulate in support of the former theory that in an attempt to restore and ensure long-lasting security to their empire, Augustus was forced to take proactive measures in order to preserve it. With territorial boundaries normally running along the rivers so as to provide a better defensive posture, he felt it necessary to expand the northern border to the river so as to secure their autonomy and position. Perhaps if he could establish a wide buffer of room along Roman lands, he could ensure the safety of the people, the cities, and most of all—the government.
Felix Brutus On mony bonkkes ful Where were and wrake and wonder Bi syez hatz wont erinne, And oft boe blysse and blunder Ful skete hatz skyfted synne. (1-19) After the siege and the assault had ceased at Troy, the city battered and burnt to coals and ashes, the fellow that there wrought the machinations of treason was tried for his treachery, the foulest on earth: It was Aeneas the noble, and his noble kin, who then subjugated provinces, and became masters of well-nigh all the wealth in Western Europe. Then noble Romulus directs himself hurriedly to Rome. With great arrogance he builds that city in that place, and gives it his own name, as it is now called; (likewise) Ticius (travels) to Tuscany and founds dwellings, Longbeard lifts up homes in Lombardy, and far over the French Flood [i.e., the English Channel] Felix Brutus with joy on many broad banks plants Britain, where war and vengeance and wonder have existed in alternation therein, and often both bliss and blunder have very often alternated since. )
8. Edmondson, J. C., and MyiLibrary. “Augustus”. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2009. eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 4 May 2014.
Shelton, J.A. (1998). As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. (2nd ed.) New York: Oxford University Press.
"The Anglo Saxons appear as a race of fierce, cruel, and barbaric pagans, delighting in the seas, in slaughter, and in drink "(Allen, 17). The character of the ancient Saxons displayed the qualities of fearless, active, and successful. The Anglo-Saxons are mostly a barbaric race, not savage and rude but mostly military and...
Heichelheim, Fritz, Cedric A. Yeo, and Allen M. Ward. A History Of The Roman People. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1984.
3)Gwynn, David M. The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.
After the conclusion of the Gauls sacking Rome, Rome became obsessed with the security of their empire and acutely aware of any and all potential threats. “Following the sack by the Gauls, the Romans were frightened by strong neighbors and sometimes made preemptive strikes against peoples they believed were becoming too powerful” (Kidner, 129). Rome became a walled city that would not let any foreign soldiers through its gates from the conclusion of the sacking in 390 B.C. until 410 A.D., earning it the nickname of the Eternal City. The Roman mantra of Lex Fetiale, which prohibited Rome from going to war unless under siege or asked for assistance, was suddenly much easier to justify than before.
Roman art was also deeply influenced by the art of the Hellenistic world, which had spread to southern Italy and Sicily through the Greek colonies there. The Etruscans and Babylonians can also be seen as inspirations. “With the founding of the Republic, the term Roman art was virtually synonymous with the art of the city of Rome, which still bore the stamp of its Etruscan art” (Honour and Fleming,1999). During the last two centuries, notably that of Greece, Roman art shook off its dependence on Etruscan art. In the last two centuries before Christ, a distinctive Roman manner of building, sculpting, and painting emerged. Indeed, because of the extraordinary geographical extent of the Roman Empire and the number of diverse populations encompassed within its boundaries, “the art and architecture of the Romans was always eclectic and is characterized by varying styles attributable to differing regional tastes and the...
R. Bruce Hitcher. (2008). Globalization Avant La Lettre: Globalization and the History of the Roman Empire. New Global Studies: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 2.