AD 43-410 Roman

South-east England was probably the most successfully ‘Romanised’ part of Britain. In the 1st century AD southern tribes were already trading with mainland Europe. Some local rulers, like Verica of the Atrebates, had even been to Rome and some built large and luxurious palaces modelled on the villas of Roman aristocrats. The most famous of these is the palace of Cogidubnus at Fishbourne, near Chichester (Noviomagus) in Sussex. After initial resistance to Rome from the Catuvellauni tribe, the south-east remained peaceful, profiting from its geographical position, mild climate and thriving towns. In spite of increased instability during the 4th century, landowners in the south-east seem to have prospered right up to the withdrawal of the Roman administration in 410.

Towns like Noviomagus (Chichester) and Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester) enjoyed major public building programmes after the conquest. Londinium (London) was particularly important, with a network of roads radiating out into the province and an estuary providing access to the sea. Although it was burned during the Iceni rebellion of 60-61, and suffered several destructive fires in later periods, the city was always rebuilt. By the 60s, the provincial procurator, Julius Alpinus Classicianus, was based there, and over the next 200 years the city became a thriving commercial and manufacturing centre.