| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
One vector of Roman influence into British life was the grant of Roman citizenship. At first this grant went out very selectively: to the council members of certain classes of towns, which Roman practice made citizens; to veterans, either legionaries or soldiers in auxiliary units; and to a number of natives whose patrons were able to obtain it for them -- some of the local Celtic kings, such as Togidubnus, received citizenship in this manner. However, the number of citizens steadily increased over the years, as people inherited citizenship and more grants were made. Eventually all people who were not slaves or freed slaves were granted citizenship by the Constitutio Antoniniana in AD 212.
The other inhabitants of Britain, who did not enjoy citizenship, were Peregrini, who continued to live under the laws of their ancestors. The principal handicaps were that they could not:
But for the vast number of British inhabitants, who were peasants tied to the soil, citizenship would not dramatically alter daily operation of their lives.
Britain was also independent of the rest of the Roman Empire for a number of years, first as a part of the Gallic Empire, then a couple of decades later under the usurpers CarausiusMarcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius (d. 293) was a Roman emperor and usurper in Britain and northern Gaul ( 286 293). Carausius was a Menapian who had proven his ability during Maximian's campaign against the Bagaudae rebels in Gaul in 286. As a result, he and AllectusAllectus (d. 296) was a Roman emperor in Britain ( 293 296). Allectus was the treasurer of Carausius. When Carausius lost control of northern Gaul and its crucial port of Boulogne, Allectus assassinated him and took control. Geoffrey of Monmouth adds in h.
ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara came to Britain in the third century. One early figure was Saint Albansee St Albans (disambiguation) for place names St Albans Cathedral Saint Alban was the first Christian martyr in Britain. Though he is no longer listed in the Roman Catholic calendar, he continues to be venerated in the Anglican Communion. The first menti, who was martyred near the Roman town of VerulamiumVerulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. Its site is located beside the present-day city of St Albans in Hertfordshire, on park and agricultural land. Before the Romans it was known as Verlamion, (meaning 'settlement above the marsh') the c, on the site of the modern St AlbansFor other places named St Albans see St Albans (disambiguation St Albans (thus spelt, no apostrophe or dot) is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. 5km) north of London. It was, by tradition during the reign of the emperor Decius.After the withdrawal of Roman troops in the reign of the emperor HonoriusFlavius Augustus Honorius ( September 9, 384 August 15, 423) was a emperor of the West ( 395 423). He was the younger son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Eastern emperor Arcadius. Bronze coin bearing the profileof Ho the Romano-British were forced to defend their Romanised civilisation with their own forces. The depredations of the Picts forced them to seek help from the pagan Saxons, who decided to settle. However the Saxons turned on their hosts, eventually confining the Romano-British to the western part of the island: Wales, Cornwall, Strathclyde and Elmet. Many migrated to Brittany and possibly Ireland and Galicia in Northern Spain.
The struggles of this period have given rise to the legends of Uther Pendragon and King Arthur. It is sometimes said that Ambrosius Aurelianus, the leader of the Romano-British forces, was the model for the former, and that Arthur's court of Camelot is an idealised Welsh memory of pre-Saxon Romano-British civilisation.
See: Roman Britain, Roman sites in the United Kingdom
Ancient Rome