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Web links and activities

4. Why Did The Romans Invade?

Interactive map – see the Roman empire grow

Discover why the Romans invaded Britain

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4. Why Did The Romans Invade?

Why did the Romans invade? – watch the video

Why did the Romans invade? Put your reasons here:

Why did the Romans invade? – website

Why did the Romans invade? – website 2

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4. Why Did The Romans Invade?

Teacher’s notes

Suetonius, a Roman Governor of Britain, records Julius Caesar’s extravagances at home and plundering on campaign, he had serious debts. He says the pearls were the motivation, but we were invaded on the pretext that we’d helped the Gauls fight the Romans.

The Conway was a famous source of freshwater pearls in these times

Fame: A procession (called a triumph) on return from a successful campaign would secure an emperor’s place in history.

The case for fame and glory as the reasons Claudius ordered the invasion is made here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/overview_roman_01.shtml

This article is also a very clear overview of events during the period of Roman occupation.

There is evidence of Roman mining at Y Fan, Llanidloes (lead) also at the gold mines at Dolaucothi (Carmarthenshire) and Clogau http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_gold

It took decades of war to subdue Wales, fighting the Silures, Ordovice and Deceangli  tribes. The Romans fought the Celts all the way up to Anglesey and as the battles and slaughter took place there, Boudicca led a major insurrection in S.E. England and the Romans had to redirect their forces to deal with her.

http://www.dot-domesday.me.uk/tribes.htm#dece