The history of Britain began with Roman rule. In 55–54 BC, Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar organised two expeditions to Britain. The Romans had recently conquered Gaul, and the commander believed the Britons had been supporting the Gauls. Caesar did not conquer any territory, but instead brought Britain under the political influence of Rome. Trade relations soon developed, and taxes on trade brought more money to Rome than any conquest.

Four Roman legions invaded Britain in AD 43. Roman rule over the island was marked by insurgency and turmoil. Over time, larger parts of the island were conquered and Roman Britain grew in size. By the 4th Century, Britain’s economy declined. Coins were rarely minted, evidenced by the declining number of troops because of difficulties with paying officials and soldiers. Copper coins were rarely produced after the 4th Century. No new Roman coins were in circulation by AD 407, and coinage was abandoned as a means of exchange shortly thereafter.

Britain faced the additional threat of barbarian attacks. The country was torn by internal strife, which paved the way for the Saxon occupation in AD 600. Many Britons escaped to Brittany at this time, when the legends of King Arthur emerged. The benefits of Roman rule were that an extensive road network and sewage systems were built. The prestige of the Roman Empire influenced the British world view for many generations thereafter.

Germanic tribes arrived in Britain in the context of the Roman conquest, which were initially auxiliary troops of the Roman Army. They brought the Germanic language of English to the island. To this day, Germanic words form the base vocabulary of English. Native Germanic words are much lower in number than French ones, but this is attributed to the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066.

Before the Norman Conquest, Britain was divided into four realms, with four linguistic dialects, including the kingdoms of Mercia, Kent, Wessex and Northumbria. Christianity was also ushered into the history of Britain in AD 627 through baptism of King Edwin of Northumbria, the most significant kingdom until the 8th Century. On a stormy night, a monk from Rome persuaded the king to be baptised after a sparrow flew into the hall by a window and out another one. The monk likened life to a sparrow’s flight; we know nothing as to where we have come from, or where we are going, but Christianity would bring warmth and safety, and clarify our existence. Britain was often referred to as ‘the kingdom that was converted by a sparrow’.