The Myth of Roman Britain? – Part One

[Bren123]

What does the group think of this?

In the minds of many, quite wrongly, it is when the history of Britain truly began. Druidic cults would come face to face with the grandeur of Roman polytheism; roads would be slammed onto the landscape to allow the ferocious war machine of Rome to alleviate the Brits of their freedom with brutal efficiency and speed. Stone and glorious marble would replace tired wood, and Rome would slide its fingers around Britain’s throat whilst distracting it with death and gold.
 
This is the popular public view, the Romans came in 43 AD, saw, conquered, had an alarmingly close call with the fiery haired Boudicca, built lots of nice things and we basically just held hands for three hundred and sixty seven years in a lovely peace. The Romans gave us roads right? Not exactly true, examples have been found of a reasonably efficient road system already in place. They brought law and order, again, quite wrong; most of the evidence we have for law and order in the Roman style is from the very last convulsions of the empire. In addition and more importantly of course they brought civilisation. Well, that would depend what one would mean by ‘civilisation’.


http://www.heritagedaily.com/2012/07/the-myth-of-roman-britain-part-one/

[Richard Rocca]

What does the group think of this?

In the minds of many, quite wrongly, it is when the history of Britain truly began. Druidic cults would come face to face with the grandeur of Roman polytheism; roads would be slammed onto the landscape to allow the ferocious war machine of Rome to alleviate the Brits of their freedom with brutal efficiency and speed. Stone and glorious marble would replace tired wood, and Rome would slide its fingers around Britain’s throat whilst distracting it with death and gold.
 
This is the popular public view, the Romans came in 43 AD, saw, conquered, had an alarmingly close call with the fiery haired Boudicca, built lots of nice things and we basically just held hands for three hundred and sixty seven years in a lovely peace. The Romans gave us roads right? Not exactly true, examples have been found of a reasonably efficient road system already in place. They brought law and order, again, quite wrong; most of the evidence we have for law and order in the Roman style is from the very last convulsions of the empire. In addition and more importantly of course they brought civilisation. Well, that would depend what one would mean by ‘civilisation’.


http://www.heritagedaily.com/2012/07/the-myth-of-roman-britain-part-one/

This was Roman civilization...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjennings/62000359/lightbox/

I'm sure that anyone from Britain that would have entered Rome during that period would have gotten the meaning of 'civilization' very quickly.

Aside from 'pretty buildings', the biggest contribution was probably written language and the organization it provided.

[A.D.]

Intestinly you mention Boudicca, excavations on Venti Icenorum, a post 'rebelion' Roman 'market town' has round houses built on it post rebellion. It seems the Iceni were not 'wiped out' systematically and their lands resettled by Romans but were rather marginalized. The Romans seemed to have a 'colect the taxes and let them rort' attitude. This is surported by Guy de Bevedere (I think that' spelt right).