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Post-Roman Britain

In response to a request for military assistance in 410, Emperor Honorius told the British

people they would have to defend themselves. The occupation of Britain by Roman forces

had come to an end.

The next 200 years are the least well-documented in the recorded history of Britain.

Historians must turn to archaeological finds to glean an understanding of life in this time

period; but unfortunately, without documentary evidence to provide names, dates, and the

details of political events, the discoveries can only offer a general, and theoretical, picture.

Still, by piecing together archaeological evidence, documents from the continent,

monument inscriptions, and the few contemporary chronicles such as the works of SaintPatrick and Gildas, scholars have gained a general understanding of the time period as set

forth here.

The People of Post-Roman Britain

The inhabitants of Britain were at this time somewhat Romanized, especially in urban

centers; but by blood and by tradition they were primarily Celtic. Under the Romans, local

chieftains had played an active role in the government of the territory, and some of these

leaders took up the reigns now that the Roman officials were gone. Nevertheless, cities

began to deteriorate, and the population of the entire island may have declined, in spite of

the fact that immigrants from the continent were settling along the east coast. Most of

these new inhabitants were from Germanic tribes; the one most often mentioned is Saxon.

Religion in Post-Roman Britain

The Germanic newcomers worshipped pagan gods, but because Christianity had become

the favored religion in the empire in the preceding century, most Britons were Christian.

However, many British Christians followed the teachings of their fellow Briton Pelagius,

whose views on original sin were condemned by the Church in 416, and whose brand of

Christianity was therefore considered heretical. In 429, Saint Germanus of Auxerre visited

Britain to preach the accepted version of Christianity to the followers of Pelagius. (This is

one of the few events for which scholars have corroboratingdocumentary evidence from

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records on the continent.) His arguments were well-received, and he is even believed to have

helped fend off an attack by Saxons and Picts.

Life in Post-Roman Britain

The official withdrawal of Roman protection did not mean that Britain immediately

succumbed to invaders. Somehow, the threat in 410 was kept at bay. Whether this was

because some Roman soldiers stayed behind or the Britons themselves took up arms is

undetermined.

Nor did the British economy collapse. Although no new coinage was issued in Britain,

coins stayed in circulation for at least a century (though they were ultimately debased); atthe same time, barter became more common, and a mixture of the two characterized 5th-

century trade. Tin mining appears to have continued through the post-Roman era, possibly

with little or no interruption. Salt production also continued for some time, as did metal-

working, leather-working, weaving, and the production of jewelry. Luxury goods were even

imported from the continent -- an activity that actually increased in the late fifth century.

The hill-forts that had originated centuries before show archaeological evidence of

occupancy in the fifth and sixth centuries, suggesting they were used to evade and hold off

invading tribes. Post-Roman Britons are believed to have built timber halls, which would nothave withstood the centuries as well as the stone structures of the Roman period, but which

would have been habitable and even comfortable when they were first constructed. Villas

remained inhabited, at least for a while, and were run by wealthier or more powerful

individuals and their servants, be they slave or free. Tenant farmers also worked the land to

survive.

Life in Post-Roman Britain couldn't have been easy and carefree, but the Romano-British

way of life survived, and the Britons flourished with it.