What was Britain like before and after the Roman conquest?
📚 Learning Objectives
Understand what Britain was like in the Late Iron Age
Explain how Roman invasion changed British society
Identify key features of Celtic culture
Analyse archaeological evidence like the Snettisham Torc
📚 ME: Direct Instruction 10 minutes
Before We Begin: What Do We Already Know?
🤔 Starter Question
From the story gladius, what did you learn about how British people lived? Think about their homes and how they were organised.
From the story:
• Lived in tribes (like Aucissa's family)
• Skilled at making things (like swords)
• Had family groups and settlements
• Sometimes tribes didn't get along
📖 Teacher: Direct students to pages 124-125 in their textbooks
Key Teaching Points
Late Iron Age Britain (800 BC - AD 43):
• Tribal society - each tribe had its own territory
• Kings and queens ruled tribes, with chieftains below them
• Hill forts - settlements on hilltops with defensive ditches
• Some tribes developed commercial centres with coin-making and crafts
🏛️ Geography Question
Look at the map of the Roman Empire on pages 2-3. Where was Britannia compared to Rome? Why might Romans have thought it was far away and mysterious?
Britannia was way up in the northwest corner, far from Rome and the Mediterranean Sea. It was across the ocean from the rest of the Roman Empire, so it seemed like a distant, strange place to most Romans.
👥 WE: Guided Practice 15 minutes
Exploring the Evidence Together
🗺️ Map Analysis Activity
Using the map on page 125, let's trace the Roman expansion after AD 43:
📍 Mapping Question 1
How did the Romans expand after the initial invasion? Which legions went where?
After defeating the Britons at Camulodunum, the army divided strategically:
• Legion II: went south-west
• Legion IX: went north towards Lindum
• Legion XIV + part of XX: went north-west
• Rest of Legion XX: remained at base in Camulodunum
This allowed them to control different tribal areas simultaneously.
🛣️ Mapping Question 2
What was the purpose of the Roman road network? How did it help control Britain?
The straight, paved roads allowed:
• Quick troop movement for military control
• Easy supply lines from ports to inland camps
• Connection of major settlements for trade and administration
• Rapid communication across the province
The Snettisham Torc
🏺 Focus on the image: The Great Torc from Snettisham (page 124)
💰 Archaeological Question 1
This gold collar weighs more than a kilogram. Who do you think might have owned it?
Given its enormous value and craftsmanship, the owner was likely:
• A tribal leader (king/queen) or their close family
• Possibly an Iceni leader (found in Norfolk, Iceni territory)
• Could be male or female - both wore torcs
• Someone with immense wealth and status
🤔 Archaeological Question 2
Why do you think it was buried along with other valuable objects?
Possible reasons for burial:
• Hiding from Roman invasion - burying treasure to protect it
• Ritual/religious burial - offering to the gods
• Grave goods - buried with a dead leader
• Emergency storage - during tribal conflicts
Most likely: hidden during Roman conquest of Iceni territory.
🎯 YOU: Independent Practice 10 minutes
Your Turn: Comparing Responses
✍️ Written Task
Choose ONE of these questions to answer in a paragraph:
A
How did different British tribes respond to Roman invasion?
Give examples of different reactions and explain why responses varied.
Varied responses:
• Some resisted initially but then accepted Roman rule
• South-eastern tribes (Catuvellauni, Trinovantes, Cantiaci) adapted quickly
• Already had Roman influence - cremated dead, drank wine, used coins
• Remote hill fort tribes remained more resistant
• Some actively collaborated and built Roman-style towns
• Others maintained traditional ways longer
B
What changes did Roman invasion bring to Britain?
Consider government, settlements, and infrastructure in your answer.
Major changes:
• Government: Province system with civitates based on tribal areas
• Towns: Permanent stone buildings, public/admin areas
• Infrastructure: Straight paved roads connecting settlements
• Economy: Taxation system, Roman law, land ownership
• Military: Forts and camps for peacekeeping
• Culture: Roman lifestyle gradually adopted
🔑 Key Terms to Remember
Late Iron Age: Period before Roman conquest (800 BC - AD 43)
Civitas: Administrative area based on tribal territory