1. Iberian civilization (3000 – 2000 b.C.)

Long ago, in early centuries, Britain lay on a regular and frequent trade route which linked Mediterranean civilization with the amber-bearing North.

In Cornwall, Ireland and along the coasts of Wales and Scotland we can find monuments left by Iberian or Megalithic people who reached and settled in Britain between 3000 and 2000 B.C. It’s difficult to explain now why they settled on the island, but probably because of geographical reasons they didn’t go through the Channel and along the European coast. The Iberians of the New Stone Age remained in Britain, and the present population of the British Isles, especially in Ireland, Wales and the West of England originated from them. Their main occupation was agriculture.

2. Alpine people (2000 b.C.)

Soon after 2000 B.C. during the epoch of Bronze Age, a new race of Alpine people came to the country from the South-East and East. The two peoples were closely connected in culture and the newcomers spread along the East coast through the territory which is known now as East Anglia and up the Thames Valley. Some mineral resources such as tin, copper and lead were mined on the territory of modern Cornwall and Wales and exported at that time. But the civilization was spread over a small part of Britain. The mountains were thinly peopled and much of the lowland area was untouched as it was covered with thick forest. Prehistoric people kept to the dry chalk uplands because those were the best territories they could occupy with the tools they had at their disposal.

3. Celtic britain (700 b.C.)

Soon after 700 B.C. the first wave of Celtic invaders entered Britain. They came from the Upper Rhineland. They were tall, fair-haired and war-like men. The movement of these tribes began in the second millennium B.C. when barbarian tribes learned to use bronze and started producing weapons. In Britain the first Celtic invaders were the Gaels. Two centuries later came the Brythons(500 B.C.) These people were Celts with extensive knowledge of the use of iron, and they drove their kinsmen out of the South and East into Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the hilly Pennine and Devon areas.

A third wave of invaders consisted of the Belgae from Northern Gaul. They arrived about 100 B.C. and occupied the South-East of Britain.

The coming of the Belgae opened a new and important stage in the development of Celtic Britain. They practiced more extensive way of agriculture, and the South-East of Britain soon became a corn-growing part of the country. Towns began to spring up (St. Albans and Colchester). The Belgae kept up a close relation with Gaul and regular trade developed. Also, the earliest native coined money appeared.

Roman conquest of britain (47 – 407 a.D.)

Due to the trade relationship of Britain and Gaul, Caesar learned about the British Isles. When he conquered Gaul, he heard stories of an island rich in pearls and corn. However, Caesar’s invasions were dictated by more by strategic rather than by economic reason. It was from Britain that Gaullist resistance to Roman power was maintained. Additionally, British warriors would cross the Channel to help their Gaullist kinsmen while rebels from Gaul could find a refuge in Britain.

The first of Caesar’s invasions was made in the summer of 55 B.C. with two legions and a body of cavalry, making about 10,000 men in total. The opposition was very strong, and in the following year an army of about 25,000 landed on the island. They crossed the Thames and stormed the capital Cassivellaunus. Following this, Caesar departed. The real conquest of Britain began about 90 years later in 43 A.D. under Emperor Claudius. During this period much changed. Trade became considerable, towns grew. The Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly 400 years.

Britain in Roman period was divided into two parts: the civil or lowland district and the upland or military district. The latter included Wales, territories to the north of York and west of Chester of the Peak, all the way up to the Roman Wall, known also as Hadrian’s Wall. This wall was heavily garrisoned and it separated Roman Britain from unconquered areas.

There were several military camps and no civil towns of any importance in the military districts. The Romans hardly affected native population. The native population frequently revolted and kept to their tribal organization. The whole area was poor and hilly and there was nothing of interest to the conquerors.

In the civil district the situation was quite different. Grain was produced there and annually exported to Gaul.

Towns grew up along the Roman roads, and Verulamium (St. Albans), Colchester, York, Lincoln and Gloucester acquired municipal rank, meaning they had civic self-government and their inhabitants had rights of Roman citizenship. During that time London became the most important trading centre in Northern Europe. Between the towns were Roman villas, i.e. country houses which were centers of agricultural estates. The British upper classes were completely romanized, and Celtic tribal chiefs transformed into Roman landowners and officials.

In the 4th c. A.D. after a series of migrations Germanic tribes were brought to the borders of the Roman Empire. At first these Germanic tribes were allowed to enter the Empire where they assimilated with the population and were partially romanized, while some even served in the Roman army. With the course of time, outlying provinces were overrun by barbarian tribes who set up independent kingdoms, some of them Roman in culture, others were barbarian.

Britain, as the most remote colony, was among the first ones to fall away. But the first attacks which the Romans experienced in Britain came not from Germanic tribes across the North Sea, but from the unconquered Gaelic Celts of Scotland and Ireland. They reached even the walls of London, burning villas and surrounding the walled towns.

Celtic tribalism began asserting itself. In 407 A.D., two events ended the period of Roman occupation. First, the troops stationed in Britain were needed at home, and so they departed, called by Constantine. Secondly, Germanic tribes crossed the Rhine, entered Gaul and cut Britain off the Roman world, making it impossible for the Roman legions to return.

The effect of the Roman rule was not lasting. The towns as well as the roads remained, but were laid waste. The tribal organization of the people of South and East Britain had been destroyed, and their new civilization was not strong enough. They had to think of some new government and the way of defense against their never conquered kinsmen of the more remote parts of the islands.

They expected Rome to help them in their war against the Picts – the Celtic tribes living in the North. But no help came. Then the king of Britons, Wyrtgeorn, appealed to two Germanic chiefs to help him in the war against Picts. The chiefs - two brothers Hengest and Horsa - brought the first Germanic teams to Britain and landed in Kent. They were Jutes.

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