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The Fall of Roman Britain

2024/9/15
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The Ancients

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By the late Roman period, Britain was divided into four or five provinces, each with its own governor, and military power was separate from civilian power. This complex bureaucracy and division of power made it difficult for Britain to respond effectively to threats and contributed to its eventual decline.
  • Roman Britain was divided into four or five provinces.
  • Military and civilian power were separated.
  • The complex bureaucracy made it difficult to respond to threats.

Shownotes Transcript

In the early 5th century AD, after almost four centuries of iron-fisted Roman rule, the empire in Britain was beginning to fade. Franks, Saxons and Roman usurpers were running rampant. Britannia was on its last legs and in 410 AD, the Britons were told to ‘look to their own defences’.

However the story of the fall of Roman Britain is far more complex than the traditional tale of swift Roman withdrawal. In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Rob Collins and Dr James to journey from Londinium to Hadrians Wall and unpick the ultimate fate of Roman Britannia.

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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