⚔ The Romans

In 55 BC, Julius Caesar tried to invade Britain, but he failed. For almost 100 years, Britain stayed separate from the Roman Empire. In AD 43, Emperor Claudius led a new Roman invasion. This time, the Romans took over most of Britain, despite resistance from some tribes. One famous leader who fought the Romans was Boudicca, queen of the Iceni tribe in Eastern England. There is a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London.

The Romans never conquered parts of what is now Scotland. Emperor Hadrian built a wall in the north of England to keep out the Picts, who were the ancestors of the Scottish people. Hadrian's Wall had many forts, and parts of it, like the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda, can still be seen today. It is a popular area for walkers and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Romans stayed in Britain for 400 years. They built roads and public buildings, made laws, and introduced new plants and animals. In the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, the first Christian communities started to appear in Britain.