To anyone who's into Roman history here's 1 that puzzled me?

Question

To anyone that studies Roman history here's 1 that puzzles me, when the Romans left Britain, did all Romans just up and leave or did some think 'hang on, I've got a fine villa and living the life of luxury, why should I leave? I'm staying' ?

Answer 1

Great question. As a matter of fact, as you suspected, not all the Romans left in the 4th or 5th century. Many of the soldiers were half-Roman and half-Celt, and they had a real incentive to hang around. Especially those around Hadrian's Wall, there was a mix of races, many had wives and families, and some of the wealthier families had lands and villas as you noted. So no, they didn't all just get up and leave on any one date. They hung around and blended in, some quite successfully.

Answer 2

The end of the Roman era in Britain did not just happen overnight. By the 4th century AD the British had simply kicked out most of the Romans and burnt their villas. There is a great deal of evidence for this.

By the 5th century [Arther Pendragon, Merlyn etc] the Roman cities of London and Canterbury were probably already abandoned.

Roman Britons [Romano British] gathered in the West, many moving south into Brittany and also to Spain. Spain managed to remain Roman through into the 6th century AD.

Here in Britain, darkness fell upon the land. Little is known of the period, which we call "The Dark Ages". Some scholars call this period the "Germanic Golden Age". Not much light but plenty of golden hair and blue eyes etc.

The age of the Saxons - Anglo Saxons.

Answer 3

I'm sure some would of stayed behind when they left Britain. I love Roman history and love playing Rome total war. The Roman's were war mongers but they were really clever and advanced people. In the game Barbain invasion set suring the fall of the Roman empire they is a tribe called romo britains maybe they are the people that stayed behind.

Answer 4

The Legions where recalled from Britain and as they left the Romans Left, however, the Romano British stayed as well as anyone else who wanted to. The Romans had no intention of staying away at that stage and left enough of the infrastructure and governing bodies intact, taxes would still be paid, etc. However they did not return and slowly the power of the Romano British faded and allowed the other tribes of Germania and Scandinavia to settle into this island.
And so the Dark ages began.

Answer 5

Many Stayed. By that time the vast majority were Romano Britons with close family ties. Germanic and Nordic incursions assimilated the remaining Romano Britain populace while areas like Wales and Cornwall retained their Romano British Identity. Of interesting Note, the province of Brittany in France was founded by Roman British exiles fleeing from the Angle and Saxon invaders.

Answer 6

Of course all the Romans didn't go. The troops were recalled, that is to say those who were still on active duty. They were recalled to duties closer to home. Many stayed, not just rich people with fancy villas, but ordinary foot soldiers who had retired from the army and been granted land to farm. There would have been all sorts of tradesmen too, who had got businesses going in Britain, and who stayed to carry on the business. Many British people were highly Romanized, and would need tradesmen to service them.
Roman culture and civilisation did not disappear from Britain, there is a theory that Arthur himself was a Roman.

Answer 7

Not if you're driven out by the natives.

Look at modern South Africa. When the ANC took power, all the wealthy whites left the country. Poor and middle class whites stayed. So far 15,000 whites have been murdered in South Africa and no one is saying anything about it.

A similar situation could have occured in Roman Britain at the end of the Roman occupation, the local British warlords and chiefs could have massacred the remaining Romans in their villas and farms.

Answer 8

In 442 the Saxon foederati (allies) rebelled and called in others of their race to help them. It was found that they had been given a stranglehold on Britain. A long period of warfare and chaos was inaugurated, which was economically disastrous. It was this period that saw the disintegration of the majority of the villa estates; with the breakdown of markets and the escape of slaves, villas ceased to be viable and must have gradually fallen into ruin, though the land itself did not cease to be cultivated. A few villas met a violent end. The towns, under the protection of their strong defenses, at first provided refuge at any rate for the rich who could leave their lands; but by degrees decay set in as trade declined and finally even the supply of food was threatened

Answer 9

When you read or hear about the Romans leaving Britain, they are referring to the military leaving. Many Roman citizens left with the military but many also stayed.

Answer 10

Army officially left but soldiers, merchants etc had british wives and families so stayed on. Sub-Roman Britain continued til 945AD apparently this perod contains the Arthur Legend, watch King Arthur on sky movies.