AD 43: The Roman Invasion of Britain

Prehistory ends in Britain and written records begin with the Romans. But how much do we truly know of the process by which the Empire gained control of this distant land? For most of the twentieth century, archaeologists and historians believed that the Roman invasion of AD 43 was first enacted on the beach-heads of east Kent and then, decisively, along the banks of the River Medway.

In this original, sometimes irreverent, book John Manley considers afresh the whole range of evidence for such beliefs. The results may be unnerving for those who have grown to accept them as unbiased fact. Fishbourne in Sussex is revealed as just as likely a site for the landing. Moreover, the events of AD 43 are no longer seen to be quite as sudden or dramatic as once thought. Rather they appear as the culmination of a gradual Romanisation of Britain over the previous century, initiated with Julius Caesar in 55 BC. At least the south-east corner of Britain had effectively been conquered and brought under the control of the Romans some years before AD 43. Thus that year's events, with the unopposed landings, were more a political annexation than a military invasion.

Whilst building a foundation of solid historical and archaeological evidence for his arguments, the author encourages readers to question the objectivity of all views of the past. He affirms the enduring relevance of Roman history and archaeology to our society, not in the physical remains alone, but their less tangible legacies in our daily lives.