Roman Britain KS2 resources help you teach children aged 7 to 11 about how the Romans conquered and ruled Britain for nearly 400 years. They brought roads, towns, laws and changes that shaped our country. Picking the right mix of lesson plans, activities and visual aids can make this National Curriculum topic feel real for your pupils.
The Romans and the Roman Empire at KS2 covers everything from Julius Caesar’s first attempts to invade Britain to the impact on our language, buildings and daily life.
Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole and a former primary teacher with over 15 years of classroom experience, says, “Roman Britain captures children’s imaginations because they can still see Roman walls, roads and ruins around the UK. Connecting history to their own towns and cities makes learning meaningful.”
Whether you’re covering Emperor Claudius, Boudicca’s rebellion or daily life in Roman Britain, having quality resources really saves planning time and keeps children interested.
This guide gathers practical teaching ideas, free resources and creative approaches to help you teach Roman Britain with confidence. You’ll find everything from understanding the Roman army to exploring how ordinary people lived.
There are also cross-curricular activities linking history with art, literacy and geography.
Key Takeaways
Teachers can use a wide range of materials to bring the Romans in Britain topic to life. These include complete lesson plans aligned with the National Curriculum and hands-on activities that help pupils understand daily life in the Roman Empire.
Lesson bundles give you structured teaching sequences covering the Roman Britain unit. The 10-lesson planning bundle from KS2History has detailed plans, PowerPoint presentations and pupil worksheets. These cover topics from the expansion of the Roman Empire to its lasting impact on Britain.
Each lesson usually starts with an activity, then gives main teaching content and assessment opportunities. You’ll find lessons on Boudicca’s rebellion, Roman settlements and archaeological evidence to meet National Curriculum requirements.
Oak National Academy offers downloadable resources, including starter quizzes with and without answers in PDF format. These resources break learning into manageable concepts linked to specific outcomes.
BBC Teach provides comprehensive materials covering Roman gods, buildings, roads and daily life with teacher notes.
Printable materials let pupils engage with Roman Britain through writing, drawing and problem-solving. You can find worksheets on Roman army organisation, villa layouts and timeline activities that help with chronological understanding.
Activity sheets often include tasks like designing Roman mosaics, labelling diagrams of Roman baths or comparing Celtic and Roman settlements. These hands-on resources work well for differentiation, so you can adjust tasks for different ability levels in your class.
Twinkl offers colouring sheets and matching card games to help pupils learn about Roman gods and the structure of the Roman Empire. Many worksheets have comprehension exercises using historical sources or archaeological findings.
Good non-fiction books support your teaching by providing age-appropriate information about Romans in Britain. Choose titles with photographs of artefacts, reconstructions of Roman buildings and maps showing the Roman Empire.
Guided reading works well with texts about topics like Hadrian’s Wall, Roman roads or the Vindolanda tablets. These can help pupils develop historical vocabulary and practise extracting information from different sources.
LearningMole gives free curriculum-aligned videos that complement reading materials. These explain Roman military tactics and engineering achievements in language that’s accessible for primary pupils.
Digital resources get pupils involved through interactive learning experiences that test knowledge and keep things interesting. Online quizzes let you check understanding of key facts about the Roman invasion, occupation and withdrawal from Britain.
Games that simulate Roman army training, town planning or trade routes help pupils grasp abstract ideas through play. Many platforms offer matching activities where pupils connect Latin words to English translations or pair emperors with their achievements.
You’ll find resources for interactive whiteboards for whole-class teaching and tablet activities for independent learning. These digital tools often give immediate feedback, so pupils can see where they need more help.
The Romans built one of history’s most powerful civilisations. They started from a small city in Italy and eventually controlled vast territories across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Learning who the Romans were, how they expanded, and what daily life looked like helps KS2 pupils see why this ancient civilisation still matters now.
The Romans lived in and around the city of Rome, in modern-day Italy. Rome began as a small settlement around 753 BCE and grew into a powerful city-state.
According to legend, twin brothers Romulus and Remus founded Rome, though historians believe the city developed gradually. The Romans built a highly organised society with strong leadership.
They started as a kingdom, then became a republic with elected officials, and finally changed into an empire ruled by emperors. Their culture valued military strength, law and order, and engineering skills.
The Romans spoke Latin, which later influenced many European languages including English. They worshipped many gods and goddesses, with Jupiter as the king of the gods.
The Roman Empire grew because of military conquest and clever planning. Roman soldiers, called legionaries, trained hard and used advanced tactics and equipment.
The expansion of the Roman Empire happened over centuries, as the Romans looked for new resources, trade routes and territories. By 117 CE, the empire stretched from Britain in the northwest to Egypt in the southeast.
The Romans invaded Britain in 43 CE under Emperor Claudius. Julius Caesar had tried earlier invasions in 55 and 54 BCE.
The Romans kept control with their strong army, building roads to move troops quickly, and setting up Roman law in new territories. They often let local customs continue if people paid taxes and followed Roman rule.
Daily life in Rome depended on whether you were rich or poor, free or enslaved. Wealthy Romans lived in large villas with underfloor heating and mosaics.
Poor Romans lived in cramped apartment blocks called insulae. Romans liked to visit public baths, watch gladiator fights and chariot races, and go to theatre performances.
Children from wealthy families attended school to learn reading, writing and maths. Most Romans ate simple foods like bread, cheese, olives and vegetables, while the wealthy enjoyed fancy feasts.
Life in ancient Rome involved advanced technology such as aqueducts that brought fresh water into cities, public toilets and central heating systems. The Romans wore togas for special occasions and simpler tunics for everyday.
The Romans invaded Britain several times between 55 BC and AD 43. Emperor Claudius ordered the successful invasion in 43 CE, which set up Roman rule for nearly 400 years.
The invasion attempts included military campaigns, political motivations and the leadership of two famous Roman leaders who shaped Britain’s future.
The Roman Empire wanted Britain for practical reasons. Britain had valuable resources like tin, iron, lead and gold that the Romans needed.
The island also produced grain and had good farmland for Roman soldiers and citizens. Emperor Claudius also had political reasons for invading Britain.
He needed a military victory to prove himself and secure his position as emperor. A successful invasion of Britain would impress the Roman Senate and people in Rome.
British tribes sometimes helped Gauls in France rebel against Roman rule, which made Britain a potential threat. By conquering Britain, the Romans could stop this support and make their empire safer.
Britain’s location also gave Rome control over important trade routes across the channel.
Julius Caesar led the first Roman attempts to invade Britain in 55 BC and 54 BC. Both invasions were short visits, not full conquests.
His forces landed on the beaches but faced tough resistance from British tribes and bad weather that damaged his ships. The successful Roman invasion of Britain happened in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius.
About 40,000 well-trained soldiers landed in Kent. The Romans used their military tactics and organisation to defeat the British tribes.
The Roman army built forts as they moved through Britain. They used these bases to control the areas around them.
Within four years, the Romans had conquered most of southern Britain and made Colchester their first capital.
Julius Caesar led the first two invasion attempts in 55 BC and 54 BC as part of his campaigns in Gaul. He wanted to stop British tribes from helping the Gauls fight against Rome.
His invasions didn’t bring permanent Roman control, but they gave Rome useful information about Britain and its people.
Emperor Claudius ordered the successful invasion in AD 43 and even visited Britain himself to celebrate the victory. He sent four legions led by Aulus Plautius, who became the first Roman governor of Britain.
The invasion succeeded because of the strengths of the Ancient Roman army, which included highly trained soldiers and better weapons.
British leaders also played important roles during the Romans in Britain. Queen Boudicca led a major rebellion against Roman rule in AD 60, burning Colchester, London and St Albans before the Romans defeated her.
Other British kings like Togodumnus and Caratacus fought against the invasion. Some tribal leaders decided to work with the Romans instead.
The Romans controlled Britain for nearly 400 years after invading in AD 43. They brought new systems of government, built permanent structures and changed British society through a process called Romanisation.
The Romans set up a complex government in Britain, mainly focused on military control and civilian administration. An emperor in Rome appointed a governor who held supreme authority over the province of Britannia.
This governor commanded the legions stationed across Britain and made important legal decisions. Britain was split into smaller regions called civitas, based on the territories of existing British tribes.
Each civitas had its own local council made up of wealthy landowners. These councils collected taxes and kept order.
The Romans built major administrative centres like Londinium (London), which became the capital, and Camulodunum (Colchester). Military forts and settlements appeared across the landscape, especially along Hadrian’s Wall in the north.
Roman soldiers didn’t just fight. They also built roads, bridges and other structures.
The army kept peace and collected taxes throughout the province.
Romanisation describes how British people started to adopt Roman customs, language and ways of life during the occupation. Many Britons, especially wealthy tribal leaders, adopted Roman culture to gain power and status.
They learned Latin, wore Roman clothing like togas and built villas decorated with detailed mosaics. The Romans introduced new foods like wine, garlic and herbs.
They built public bathhouses where people gathered to wash and socialise. Towns grew around Roman settlements, with shops, temples and forums for public meetings.
Roman technology changed daily life across Britain. They constructed straight, paved roads that connected major settlements and military forts.
These roads allowed troops and goods to move quickly across the province. The Romans also brought underfloor heating systems called hypocausts, which kept their buildings warm during cold British winters.
Emperor Claudius ordered the successful invasion of Britain in AD 43, sending four legions across the channel. His forces beat British tribes and established Roman rule that lasted for centuries.
Claudius visited Britain personally to accept the surrender of several tribal kings. Emperor Hadrian visited Britain around AD 122 and ordered the construction of a massive stone wall stretching 73 miles across northern England.
Hadrian’s Wall marked the northern frontier of the Roman Empire and protected against raids from Scottish tribes. The wall included forts, towers and gates that housed thousands of soldiers.
Constantine the Great declared himself emperor while stationed in York (Eboracum) in AD 306. He later became the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire, which influenced religious practices in Britain.
Emperor Honorius effectively ended Roman rule in Britain around AD 410 when he told British cities they must defend themselves without Roman military support.
The Romans changed Britain’s landscape by introducing planned towns connected by paved roads. This looked very different from the small Celtic hillforts that came before.
Roman settlements featured grid-pattern streets, public buildings and engineering systems that brought fresh water into urban centres.
The Romans brought organised town design to Britain, creating settlements with streets laid out in a grid pattern. Before the Romans arrived, the largest Celtic settlements were small hillforts built on hilltops and surrounded by wooden fences.
Roman towns featured a forum at the centre, which served as the main meeting place and marketplace. Cirencester, known as Corinium Dobunnorum, became Roman Britain’s second largest town and is a good example of this planning style.
Many larger towns included amphitheatres for public entertainment like gladiator fights. These oval arenas could hold thousands of spectators.
Some towns also had aqueducts: bridges that carried clean drinking water from distant sources into the settlements. Britain stayed mostly rural during Roman occupation.
Most people continued living in small Celtic settlements scattered across the countryside rather than moving to the new Roman towns.
Wealthy Romans built grand country houses called villas across the British countryside. These buildings featured advanced heating systems called hypocausts, which warmed rooms from beneath the floors.
Roman buildings used different materials than traditional Celtic structures. Celtic roundhouses were made from wattle and daub with thatched roofs, while Roman structures often used stone, brick and tile.
Wattle and daub consisted of woven twigs and rods covered in clay. The remains of Roman buildings still appear across Britain today.
Archaeological evidence shows how the Roman Empire brought new architectural styles and construction techniques that influenced building design for centuries.
Romans in Britain created an extensive network of paved roads connecting their towns and military outposts. These roads allowed troops, merchants and officials to travel quickly across the country in all weather.
Roman roads were built to last, with multiple layers like large stones, gravel and a smooth paved surface. Many followed straight routes between major settlements, ignoring the natural landscape when needed.
Some Roman roads still form the basis of modern British roads today.
Romans in Britain brought new ways of living that changed how people ate, dressed, worshipped and organised their families. Rich and poor had very different daily lives, with wealthy families enjoying luxuries while most people worked hard just to get by.
Wealthy Roman families lived in large houses called villas with many rooms, including a kitchen, dining room, bedrooms and sometimes even bathrooms with underfloor heating. The father acted as the head of the household and made all important decisions.
Mothers looked after the home and children, though wealthy families often had enslaved people to help with cooking and cleaning. Boys from rich families learnt Latin and practised writing on wax tablets.
Girls usually stayed at home learning how to run a household. Children could marry at just 14 years old, and families often arranged marriages for them.
Most people in Britain lived in simple wooden houses with thatched roofs. These homes had just one or two rooms where the whole family would eat, sleep and work.
Poor families kept animals inside during winter to help keep warm.
Romans in Britain ate differently depending on their wealth. Rich families enjoyed meals with meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, often flavoured with herbs and spices from across the empire.
Poor people ate simple foods like bread, porridge, vegetables and sometimes meat. Most Romans wore a tunic made from wool or linen.
Men’s tunics reached their knees, while women wore longer ones down to their ankles. Wealthy people wore togas over their tunics for special occasions.
Children dressed like small adults in similar clothing. Daily life started early, usually at dawn.
People worked during daylight hours because candles and oil lamps cost a lot. Many Romans visited public baths in the afternoon to wash, exercise and meet friends.
Romans worshipped many different gods and goddesses, each responsible for different parts of life. Jupiter was king of the gods, Mars looked after war, and Venus watched over love.
Families had small shrines at home where they prayed and left offerings like food or wine. Romans in Britain built temples where priests performed ceremonies and people came to worship.
The Romans believed their gods needed to be kept happy through prayers and sacrifices, or bad things could happen. When Christianity spread through the empire, some people in Britain became Christians.
This caused tension because Christians only believed in one god. By the end of Roman rule in Britain, Christianity had become more accepted and common.
The Roman army organised itself into units called legions, which helped them conquer and control Britain effectively. They built permanent defences like Hadrian’s Wall to protect their territory, and their superior training and tactics helped them defeat Celtic tribes during the Roman invasion of Britain.
The Roman army organised itself into clear units that made it incredibly effective. Each legion contained 5,000 men and an officer called a legate led it.
The legion split into 10 cohorts of 480 men each. Each cohort divided further into six centuries of 80 men.
A centurion commanded each century. The smallest unit was the contubernium, which had eight men who shared a tent and cooked together.
This structure meant the Romans could carry out several tasks at once. Some soldiers could guard the camp while others built roads or forts.
Key roles in a Roman legion:
Soldiers came from all across the Roman Empire, not just Rome itself. After 25 years of service, they received land and became Roman citizens, which made joining the army an attractive option for many people.
Hadrian’s Wall stands as the most famous Roman defence in Britain. Built in 122 CE, it stretched 73 miles across northern England from coast to coast.
The wall marked the northern boundary of the Roman Empire and controlled movement between Roman Britain and the unconquered tribes to the north. The wall wasn’t just a simple barrier.
It included a series of forts called milecastles every Roman mile, with two turrets between each milecastle. Larger forts housed hundreds of soldiers who could respond quickly to any threats.
Many soldiers at Hadrian’s Wall came from places like Romania, Spain and North Africa. These troops brought their own customs and skills to Britain.
Soldiers from hot countries ended up guarding a cold northern wall—imagine that. Romans also built forts throughout Britain wherever they needed to maintain control.
These forts had standard layouts with barracks, headquarters buildings, granaries and bath houses. This consistency meant soldiers could move between forts and know exactly where everything was.
The Romans won battles because of their training and discipline, not just their numbers. Roman soldiers trained all the time and fought together as a unit.
They used formations like the testudo. In this, soldiers held their shields above and around them to make a protective shell.
Roman soldier equipment:
Celtic warriors fought bravely, but they usually relied on individual combat and wild charges. They used long swords and sometimes fought from chariots, which worked well in open battles.
The Celts didn’t have the organisation or discipline the Romans did.
The Roman invasion of Britain in 43 CE worked mostly because of these military strengths. Emperor Claudius sent his legions to invade, and the well-drilled Roman soldiers beat the British tribes with better tactics and by building strong forts.
Roman armies could resupply over long distances. This meant they kept their soldiers fed and equipped during long campaigns.
The Romans faced fierce opposition from British tribes who wanted to defend their land and way of life. Native tribes launched uprisings that seriously challenged Roman control.
Boudica led the most famous rebellion against the Romans in 60 or 61 CE. She ruled the Iceni tribe in what’s now Norfolk and Suffolk.
When her husband King Prasutagus died, the Romans grabbed Iceni land and treated Boudica and her daughters terribly. Boudica gathered warriors from her tribe and others nearby.
Her army destroyed three major Roman settlements: Camulodunum (Colchester), Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans). They killed thousands of Romans and locals who sided with the Romans.
The rebellion nearly pushed the Romans out of Britain. But the Roman governor Suetonius Paulinus beat Boudica’s forces in a final battle.
Historians still debate where this battle happened, but most think it was somewhere in the Midlands. Boudica died soon after, possibly from poison or illness.
You can find lessons about Boudica’s rebellion that help Year 3 and Year 4 pupils explore this dramatic event.
The Iceni weren’t the only ones to resist. Many British tribes fought against Roman invasion and occupation during Roman rule.
Caratacus, a local chieftain, led resistance in Wales and the borders for almost ten years after the first invasion in 43 CE. He used guerrilla tactics and knew the land well, which frustrated the Romans.
The Romans eventually captured him in 51 CE and took him to Rome as a prisoner. The Brigantes tribe in northern England also rebelled more than once.
Queen Cartimandua at first supported the Romans, but her ex-husband Venutius led revolts against Roman rule. Because of these northern uprisings, the Romans never really controlled Scotland.
Teachers looking for resources on resistance against the Romans can find lesson plans that cover these uprisings and help pupils understand why British tribes fought back.
The Romans ruled Britain for nearly 400 years. They left behind changes that shaped the country for centuries.
New building methods, roads, and ways of organising society stuck around long after the Romans left.
The Romans built more than 2,000 miles of roads across Britain. These roads connected towns and forts in straight lines.
They used layers of stone, gravel, and sand, so the roads lasted a really long time. A lot of British roads still follow the routes Roman engineers picked.
Roman bathhouses brought new hygiene habits to Britain. These buildings had heated pools, steam rooms, and underfloor heating called hypocausts.
Hot air from furnaces flowed under the floors and through the walls to warm the rooms. The Romans introduced central heating, glass windows, and concrete construction.
They built aqueducts for fresh water and created drainage for waste. What the Romans brought to Britain is covered in detailed fact files, showing these advances.
British people kept using many of these technologies after Roman rule ended.
Latin became the language of government, trade, and writing during Roman times. Lots of English words have Latin roots, especially in law, government, and education.
Words like ‘street’ (from ‘strata’) and ‘wall’ (from ‘vallum’) entered English back then. The Romans brought the idea of written laws that applied to everyone.
They kept records and settled disputes in courts. This shaped Britain’s legal system for a long time.
Christianity spread across Britain while the Romans ruled. The empire made it the official religion in the 4th century.
Churches and monasteries kept Roman writing and learning alive after the empire collapsed.
Roman Britain lasted from AD 43 until about AD 410. Roman soldiers left to defend other parts of the empire.
The army pulled out troops bit by bit as attacks on Rome itself got worse. Emperor Honorius told British cities in AD 410 to look after themselves.
After the Romans left, many buildings, roads, and towns fell apart. Still, the Roman impact on Britain included town layouts, road networks, and building methods that people later rediscovered.
The Roman legacy shaped Britain’s development long after the Romans went home.
Teaching about the Romans in different subjects helps children see how ancient civilisation links to real life. Hands-on projects in art, drama, and English let pupils explore Roman Britain by making things, acting, and writing.
Creating Roman tile mosaics gives your class a chance to play with patterns and symmetry while learning about Roman homes. You can use square paper, coloured tiles, or even bits of pasta painted in bright colours.
Children design their patterns on graph paper first, then move them to a bigger surface. Making Roman coins from clay or foil helps pupils learn about trade and currency.
They sketch designs with emperors or gods, then press them into the material. Pop-up models of the Colosseum work well for design technology, mixing measuring skills with history.
Sculpture projects let children make busts of Roman emperors or statues of gods using clay or papier-mâché. This links to the art curriculum and teaches about Roman religion and leadership.
You might also try volcano paintings inspired by Pompeii, using different paint techniques to show explosions and lava.
Role-play brings Roman settlements to life. Give each child a Roman name and character.
Pupils act out daily life as soldiers, merchants, or enslaved people. This helps them see how the Romans changed Britain through real situations.
Stop-motion animation is brilliant for retelling stories like Boudica’s rebellion or Romulus and Remus. Children plan scenes, make simple figures, and photograph each frame.
LearningMole has free videos on animation techniques for these projects. Creating and filming Roman story adaptations gives pupils a chance to write scripts, design costumes, and direct scenes.
Groups can focus on different topics like the invasion, gladiator fights, or life in a villa.
Writing instructions for making chocolate Roman roads mixes literacy with food technology. Pupils use imperative verbs and time connectives while following a real recipe.
This practical approach fits the Year 3 and 4 writing curriculum well. Newspaper reports about Pompeii or gladiator games teach journalistic writing.
Children research facts, create headlines, and write as if they interviewed witnesses. Diary entries from a Celt’s point of view during the invasion help pupils develop empathy and understand other perspectives.
Narrative writing based on Escape from Pompeii encourages descriptive language about disasters. Your class can plan stories, develop characters, and build tension.
Book reviews of Roman fiction get children thinking critically and keep the historical focus.
Roman Britain sparks loads of questions for Key Stage 2 learners. Kids often wonder what daily life was like, why the Romans came, and what happened when they left.
Understanding the timeline, culture, and long-term effects helps students get to grips with this period in British history.
Daily life in Roman Britain depended a lot on whether you were rich or poor. Wealthy Romans in villas managed estates, did business, and relaxed at public baths.
They ate fancy meals with many courses and had slaves to do most of the hard work. Poor people and slaves worked long hours.
Farmers looked after crops and animals. Craftspeople made pottery, metalwork, or textiles in workshops.
Children from rich families went to school for reading, writing, and maths. Poor children usually worked with their parents instead.
Soldiers at forts along Hadrian’s Wall followed strict routines. They trained, guarded the fort, and went on patrol.
In their free time, soldiers played games, gambled, and visited the baths. Teaching resources about Roman daily life explore these different experiences.
Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 BC and again in 54 BC. These were just short raids and didn’t lead to Roman control.
The real conquest started in AD 43 when Emperor Claudius sent four legions to invade. Roman Britain lasted for over three and a half centuries until about AD 410.
By AD 47, the Romans had conquered most of southern Britain and built their first big settlements. Queen Boudicca led a famous revolt in AD 60 or 61, burning down Londinium, but the Romans crushed the rebellion.
Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of Hadrian’s Wall between AD 122 and 128 to mark the northern edge of Roman Britain. The Romans began withdrawing from Britain around AD 383, needing soldiers elsewhere.
By AD 410, Roman rule in Britain had ended.
The Romans built over 9,000 kilometres of roads across Britain. Many of these roads still influence how we travel today.
They made their roads incredibly straight and solid, using layers of stone and gravel. Roman engineers shaped them so rainwater would run off to the sides.
Londinium became the capital city, with about 60,000 people living there at its busiest. The city had big buildings like a forum, basilica, amphitheatre and public baths.
Wealthy Romans in Britain lived in heated villas with colourful mosaic floors. Some even enjoyed underfloor heating, which they called hypocausts.
The Romans introduced new foods to Britain: carrots, peas, celery, turnips and apples. They also brought animals like cats, chickens and rabbits.
Most Britons before the Romans lived in round houses. The Romans built strong rectangular stone buildings that lasted much longer.
Roman soldiers couldn’t marry while serving in the army. Still, many started families with local British women.
Roman rule changed Britain in almost every way. People’s homes, diets and beliefs all shifted.
Before the Romans, most Britons lived in small farming villages and organised life by tribe. The Romans built towns, cities and proper roads, and they introduced a money-based economy.
Latin influenced how people spoke, and many English words today come from Latin roots. Romans also brought their writing system, which made it easier to keep records and share information.
Some wealthy Britons started wearing togas and speaking Latin. Poorer people mostly stuck to Celtic traditions.
Religion changed a lot too. The Romans brought their own gods like Jupiter and Mars, but people could still worship Celtic gods.
Christianity arrived in Britain during the later Roman period and slowly spread.
Roman engineering left its mark on Britain’s landscape. They built the first planned towns with streets, sewers and water supplies.
Archaeologists still find Roman buildings, pottery and coins across the country.
LearningMole has free videos about Roman Britain for Key Stage 2 learners.
Emperor Claudius wanted to show he was a strong military leader. Conquering Britain would bring him respect in Rome.
Britain offered valuable natural resources the Romans wanted to control. The island was also important strategically because Celtic tribes in Britain sometimes helped Gauls fight against Rome.
Britain had lots of metals: tin, lead, iron, copper, silver and gold. The Romans mined these metals, especially lead and tin, for making bronze and plumbing.
They took British slaves to work throughout the Roman Empire.
Grain from Britain helped feed Roman soldiers in other parts of the empire. British farms grew plenty of wheat and barley.
The Romans also valued British wool, hides and hunting dogs, trading them across the empire.
Some historians think the Romans invaded to stop British tribes from supporting rebellions in Gaul, which is now France. By controlling Britain, Rome could protect its northwestern border and avoid future trouble.
When the Romans left, Britain lost its central government and organised army almost overnight.
Towns and cities struggled without Roman administration or trade. People watched as many stone buildings fell into disrepair, since they just didn’t have the skills or resources to keep them up.
The Roman road network started to crumble because no one really maintained it anymore. For several generations, people stopped using coins and went back to bartering goods.
Latin faded as an official language. Still, it stuck around in British speech and stayed important in the Christian church.
With no Roman legions left to defend them, British communities faced attacks from Saxons, Angles and Jutes coming over the North Sea. These Germanic tribes settled in Britain and eventually set up their own kingdoms.
The period after the Romans left is sometimes called the
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