After the Romans

On the face of it, there would seem to be few more decisive breaks in British history than that which marks the end of Roman rule in Britain. For three and a half centuries, Britain had been part of the Roman Empire, garrisoned by a Roman army, administered by imperial officials, paying its dues to Caesar and enjoying, for at least some of that long period, the fruits of the Roman peace. At one moment Britain was still part of that empire; the next she was severed from it, cast adrift and at the mercy of barbarian forces who came to plunder her wealth and to throttle civilised life. The potent (and false) image of the last Roman troops embarking on their ships and sailing off to the defence of Italy still haunts the popular imagination. Was the break really so sharp? What led up to it? What was the state of Britain after the end of Roman rule but before the invasions of the barbarians which began in earnest about fifty years later? 1