Roman Norfolk
Encyclopedia
This is part of a series on the History of Norfolk
Roman Norfolk began after the first contact by Julius Caesar in his expeditions of 55 and 54 BC and the eventual invasion of England by Emperor Claudius
in 43 AD. After this century of co-operation, during which the Roman client states
held power, the infighting and other troubles led to the Roman invasion in 43 AD. The Iceni
were in power in Norfolk during that period from 55 BC to 43 AD and further problems between them led to eventual war between Boudica and the invading Romans.
which is dated to around 900 BC just before time of the transition from the Bronze Age
to the Iron Age
and is believed to have been coming to Britain from Europe. No hull remains were recovered, however the cargo found so far consisted of 259 Copper ingots, 27 tin ingots, 3 gold bracelets several slingshots and a bronze leaf sword which in those days was an extremely valuable cargo.
Although Bronze Age production was still under way when the Iron Age arrived in Britain around 600 BC the change to Iron implements soon came. The Celts arrived in around 400 BC and brought with them the first Iron Age
tools for farming. These tools and other implements such as axes allowed more efficient methods of cutting and ploughing and so heavier soils could be turned allowing agriculture to spread.
This influx of Celts brough significant changes to the religious practices as well. It is about this time that the peoples of Britain first began to call themselves Britons. From around 350 BC we find the start of burials as worship or offerings to the gods.
The first written records of Britain were produced by a Greek man called Pytheas of Massilia(Marseilles) who sailed completely around the coast of Britain between 330 and 320 BC. It is here that we learn of the Cornish tin trade with the Mediterranean and he also says that Britons were "peacable but formidable in war" as well as describing horse drawn chariots which the Britons used in battle.
By 200 BC the two metals were still being worked alongside and it is from this time we find some of the most interesting pieces.
Gold coins made in Gaul and other parts of France around 100 BC have been found and coin producition started in Britain around 70–80 BC.
The people of Norfolk and the Iceni
had a wide reaching trade with other parts of Britain as well as the European continent prior to the attempted invasion in 55 BC. It is estimated that there may have been as many as 10 large boat trade journeys every week from the east coast. Norfolk people would have exported and imported items from Celtic countries including Spain and France and the Mediterranean. By 55BC the Roman empire stretched from its western borders just across the English Channel in Gaul all the way to Artaxata in the east which is now called Artashat
, Armenia
near to the Mount Ararat
in far east Turkey
(level with the eastern Iran
ian border). The empire encompassed the whole of the Mediterranean spreading as far north as Scandinavia
to Africa and Egypt in the south.
was allowed to rule independently as a client king
. On his death in 60 AD Roman rule was imposed on the territory and his widow Boudicca led a rebellion in which the towns of Colchester (Camulodunum
), London (Londinium) and St. Albans (Verulamium
) were sacked.
Prasutagus
was the king of the Iceni
who inhabited what is now Norfolk
. They initially were not part of the territory under direct Roman control having voluntarily allied themselves to Rome after Claudius
' conquest in AD 43. The Iceni guarded their independence and revolted in AD 47 when the governor Publius Ostorius Scapula
threatened to disarm them. Prasutagus lived a long life of conspicuous wealth and, in hope of preserving his line, made the Roman emperor
co-heir to his kingdom along with his wife Boudica and their two daughters.
Unfortunately for Boudica and the Iceni normal Roman practice was to incorporate a client state into the Roman Empire upon the client kings death. That plus the Roman Law
which only allowed male heirs to inherit power sealed the fate of both the Iceni and Norfolk. When Prasutagus died the Romans moved in to take power and seize their assets. Boudica
was flogged, her daughters were raped and the Romans took property and land to pay for the debt that Prasutagus had built up as, upon his death, his subjects had become liable for the outstanding monies.
(near the present Caistor St. Edmund
), a smaller town being built at Brampton
and other settlements developed at river crossings or road junctions. The mostly rural population lived in scattered homesteads, villages or more affluent Roman villas. The level of the sea fell during Roman times and the swampy region to the west of Norfolk slowly dried. The land was then able to be converted into fertile farmland where sheep-rearing
and salt production could be established.
forts were built by the Romans in the third century AD as a defence against Saxon raiders. In Norfolk the ruins of the fort built at Burgh Castle
(possibly Roman Gariannonum
), guarding the estuary across from the island of Flegg, still remain, but there is now little remaining of the forts at Brancaster (Branodunum
) built on the north coast, and at Caister-on-Sea
on the east coast, and close by to Burgh Castle. After the last of the armies of Rome left Britain in 410 AD, most of the visible remains of Roman Britain slowly disappeared.
History of Norfolk
Norfolk is a rural county in the East of England. Our knowledge of prehistoric Norfolk is limited by a lack of evidence — although the earliest finds are from the end of the Lower Paleolithic period...
Roman Norfolk began after the first contact by Julius Caesar in his expeditions of 55 and 54 BC and the eventual invasion of England by Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
in 43 AD. After this century of co-operation, during which the Roman client states
Roman client kingdoms in Britain
The Roman client kingdoms in Britain were native tribes who chose to align themselves with the Roman Empire because they saw it as the best option for self-preservation or for protection from other hostile tribes...
held power, the infighting and other troubles led to the Roman invasion in 43 AD. The Iceni
Iceni
The Iceni or Eceni were a British tribe who inhabited an area of East Anglia corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD...
were in power in Norfolk during that period from 55 BC to 43 AD and further problems between them led to eventual war between Boudica and the invading Romans.
Norfolk pre 55 BC
A shipwreck was discovered in 2010 off the coast of south DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
which is dated to around 900 BC just before time of the transition from the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
to the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and is believed to have been coming to Britain from Europe. No hull remains were recovered, however the cargo found so far consisted of 259 Copper ingots, 27 tin ingots, 3 gold bracelets several slingshots and a bronze leaf sword which in those days was an extremely valuable cargo.
Although Bronze Age production was still under way when the Iron Age arrived in Britain around 600 BC the change to Iron implements soon came. The Celts arrived in around 400 BC and brought with them the first Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
tools for farming. These tools and other implements such as axes allowed more efficient methods of cutting and ploughing and so heavier soils could be turned allowing agriculture to spread.
This influx of Celts brough significant changes to the religious practices as well. It is about this time that the peoples of Britain first began to call themselves Britons. From around 350 BC we find the start of burials as worship or offerings to the gods.
The first written records of Britain were produced by a Greek man called Pytheas of Massilia(Marseilles) who sailed completely around the coast of Britain between 330 and 320 BC. It is here that we learn of the Cornish tin trade with the Mediterranean and he also says that Britons were "peacable but formidable in war" as well as describing horse drawn chariots which the Britons used in battle.
By 200 BC the two metals were still being worked alongside and it is from this time we find some of the most interesting pieces.
Gold coins made in Gaul and other parts of France around 100 BC have been found and coin producition started in Britain around 70–80 BC.
The people of Norfolk and the Iceni
Iceni
The Iceni or Eceni were a British tribe who inhabited an area of East Anglia corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD...
had a wide reaching trade with other parts of Britain as well as the European continent prior to the attempted invasion in 55 BC. It is estimated that there may have been as many as 10 large boat trade journeys every week from the east coast. Norfolk people would have exported and imported items from Celtic countries including Spain and France and the Mediterranean. By 55BC the Roman empire stretched from its western borders just across the English Channel in Gaul all the way to Artaxata in the east which is now called Artashat
Artashat
Artashat , is a city on Araks River in the Ararat valley, 30 km southeast of Yerevan. Being one of the oldest cities of Armenia, Artashat is the capital of Ararat Province. Modern Artashat is situated on the Yerevan-Nakhichevan-Baku and Nakhichevan-Tabriz railway and on...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
near to the Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat and Lesser Ararat .The Ararat massif is about in diameter...
in far east Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(level with the eastern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian border). The empire encompassed the whole of the Mediterranean spreading as far north as Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
to Africa and Egypt in the south.
Client state
After the Romans conquered Britain in 43 AD forts and roads were constructed around Norfolk as the Roman army became established. After a minor rebellion by the Iceni in 47 AD, king PrasutagusPrasutagus
Prasutagus was king of a British Celtic tribe called the Iceni, who inhabited roughly what is now Norfolk, in the 1st century AD. He is best known as the husband of Boudica....
was allowed to rule independently as a client king
Client state
Client state is one of several terms used to describe the economic, political and/or military subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs...
. On his death in 60 AD Roman rule was imposed on the territory and his widow Boudicca led a rebellion in which the towns of Colchester (Camulodunum
Camulodunum
Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...
), London (Londinium) and St. Albans (Verulamium
Verulamium
Verulamium was an ancient town in Roman Britain. It was sited in the southwest of the modern city of St Albans in Hertfordshire, Great Britain. A large portion of the Roman city remains unexcavated, being now park and agricultural land, though much has been built upon...
) were sacked.
Background
Prasutagus
Prasutagus
Prasutagus was king of a British Celtic tribe called the Iceni, who inhabited roughly what is now Norfolk, in the 1st century AD. He is best known as the husband of Boudica....
was the king of the Iceni
Iceni
The Iceni or Eceni were a British tribe who inhabited an area of East Anglia corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD...
who inhabited what is now Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. They initially were not part of the territory under direct Roman control having voluntarily allied themselves to Rome after Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
' conquest in AD 43. The Iceni guarded their independence and revolted in AD 47 when the governor Publius Ostorius Scapula
Publius Ostorius Scapula
Publius Ostorius Scapula was a Roman statesman and general who governed Britain from 47 until his death, and was responsible for the defeat and capture of Caratacus.-Career:...
threatened to disarm them. Prasutagus lived a long life of conspicuous wealth and, in hope of preserving his line, made the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
co-heir to his kingdom along with his wife Boudica and their two daughters.
Unfortunately for Boudica and the Iceni normal Roman practice was to incorporate a client state into the Roman Empire upon the client kings death. That plus the Roman Law
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
which only allowed male heirs to inherit power sealed the fate of both the Iceni and Norfolk. When Prasutagus died the Romans moved in to take power and seize their assets. Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
was flogged, her daughters were raped and the Romans took property and land to pay for the debt that Prasutagus had built up as, upon his death, his subjects had become liable for the outstanding monies.
Roman rule
Following the defeat of Boudicca, the Romans imposed their own order on the region, with an administrative centre established at Venta IcenorumVenta Icenorum
Venta Icenorum, probably meaning "Market Town of the Iceni", located at modern-day Caistor St Edmund in the English county of Norfolk, was the civitas or capital of the Iceni tribe, who inhabited the flatlands and marshes of that county and earned immortality for their revolt against Roman rule...
(near the present Caistor St. Edmund
Caistor St. Edmund
Caistor St Edmund is a village on the River Tas, near Norwich, Norfolk, England. It covers an area of and had a population of 270 in 116 households at the 2001 census....
), a smaller town being built at Brampton
Brampton, Norfolk
Brampton is a small village and parish in the county of Norfolk, England, in the Bure Valley, east of Aylsham.Brampton station is an intermediate halt on the Bure Valley Railway.Its church, St Peter, is one of 124 existing round-tower churches in Norfolk...
and other settlements developed at river crossings or road junctions. The mostly rural population lived in scattered homesteads, villages or more affluent Roman villas. The level of the sea fell during Roman times and the swampy region to the west of Norfolk slowly dried. The land was then able to be converted into fertile farmland where sheep-rearing
Sheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
and salt production could be established.
Forts
Fortification against the Saxons
The Saxon ShoreSaxon Shore
Saxon Shore could refer to one of the following:* Saxon Shore, a military command of the Late Roman Empire, encompassing southern Britain and the coasts of northern France...
forts were built by the Romans in the third century AD as a defence against Saxon raiders. In Norfolk the ruins of the fort built at Burgh Castle
Burgh Castle Roman Site
Burgh Castle is the site of one of several Roman shore forts constructed around the 3rd Century AD, to hold cavalry as a defence against Saxon raids up the rivers of the east and south coasts of southern Britain; and is located on the summit of ground sloping steeply towards the estuary of the...
(possibly Roman Gariannonum
Gariannonum
Gariannonum, or Gariannum, was a Saxon Shore fort in Norfolk, England. The Notitia Dignitatum, a Roman Army “order of battle” from about AD 400, lists nine forts of the Saxon Shore in south and east England, among which one was called Gariannonor...
), guarding the estuary across from the island of Flegg, still remain, but there is now little remaining of the forts at Brancaster (Branodunum
Branodunum
Branodunum was the name of an ancient Roman fort in the modern English village of Brancaster in Norfolk. Its Roman name derives from the local Celtic language, and means "fort of Bran".- History :...
) built on the north coast, and at Caister-on-Sea
Caister Roman Site
Caister Roman Site is a Roman Saxon Shore fort, located in Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk. It was constructed around AD 200 for a unit of the Roman army and navy and occupied until around 370-390 AD...
on the east coast, and close by to Burgh Castle. After the last of the armies of Rome left Britain in 410 AD, most of the visible remains of Roman Britain slowly disappeared.