We Asked the Public Who the First Roman to Conquer Britain Was… | History's First

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  • Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
  • The Romans occupied Britain for more than 350 years and some big names graced the British isles, from Caesar, Hadrian, and Septimius Severus. However, who was the very first Roman to conquer Britain? Think it sounds like an easy question? Let’s find out!
    Join Louise Quick who, with the help of the public and Ancient Roman historian Dr. Simon Elliot, is determined to uncover the first Roman to conquer Britain.
    #historyhit #RomanBritain #romanhistory
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 896

  • @HankD13
    @HankD13 Місяць тому +150

    "I Claudius" was brilliant and told his story amazingly well. Derek Jacobi rocks.

    • @johnwarr7552
      @johnwarr7552 Місяць тому +9

      Robert Graves Rocked :-)

    • @cameronmeikle6766
      @cameronmeikle6766 Місяць тому +1

      @@HankD13 aye they were great at writing their owns history lol

    • @JohnnieAshton
      @JohnnieAshton Місяць тому +3

      @@cameronmeikle6766 Er Robert Graves, was an English Poet? No Romans involved in writing ~I Claudius~
      It is a brilliant exposition of looking afresh at History and putting pieces together that fit the outcome, not the accepted narrative.
      If you read Tacitus and Suetonius, you will find they didn't think Claudius was up tp the job.
      Graves says, hey this supposed dim wit actually ruled successfully for 13 years, How?
      Because he played the dimwith when needed?
      May I humbly suggest you read up on Claudius, from the original Latin sources, and also watch the brilliant Derek Jacobi playing the fool?

    • @patmanchester8045
      @patmanchester8045 Місяць тому +2

      that is how I figured it out, too.

    • @gaugeray7462
      @gaugeray7462 Місяць тому +2

      Great show. Mesmerizing.

  • @paladin56
    @paladin56 Місяць тому +217

    Gluteus Maximus. He came, he saw, he sat down.

    • @annecarter5181
      @annecarter5181 Місяць тому +8

      😂😂😂😂😂

    • @BTL6666
      @BTL6666 Місяць тому +2

      Stultus est! Tu adducendum!!!

    • @yodaz101
      @yodaz101 Місяць тому

      No, you idiot ...but funny 🤣🤣🤣

    • @yodaz101
      @yodaz101 Місяць тому +1

      AHAHAHA.......😂😂😂😂😂

    • @michaelmoorrees3585
      @michaelmoorrees3585 Місяць тому +12

      and according to Life of Brian, his buddy, Biggus Dickus.

  • @susanb8354
    @susanb8354 Місяць тому +33

    I watched I Claudius years ago and I thought I remembered that he conquered Britain. In my opinion, I Claudius is the best thing that was ever on TV, which is saying a lot in the face of Masterpiece Theatre, not to mention all the mystery TV series like Midsomer Murders, and the situation comedies, Are You Being Served was my first, I think. I believed I Claudius offered employment to everyone who lived on this island. If you watched the credits of I Claudius you’d think so too. Unbelievable number of people involved in making it and incredible cast.

    • @optimusprinceps3526
      @optimusprinceps3526 Місяць тому +1

      Logical conclusion indeed

    • @bobkoroua
      @bobkoroua Місяць тому

      I have to comment 😂.
      Not sure I can take your ranking seriously when "are you being served" is in the same bag.
      To each their own I guess.

    • @ralphclark
      @ralphclark Місяць тому +3

      @@bobkorouaI, Claudius was absolutely magnificent. BBC historical drama at its very best, despite the very limited budget.

    • @bobkoroua
      @bobkoroua Місяць тому

      @@ralphclark
      I think you missed my jab but thanks for the recommendation.

    • @ralphclark
      @ralphclark Місяць тому +2

      @@bobkoroua no I did see it, but it wasn’t me who composed that list. I’m no fan of lowbrow “nob joke” TV situation comedy from any decade.
      I’m just here to speak up for “I, Claudius”.

  • @famebrightstudio451
    @famebrightstudio451 Місяць тому +15

    I've never hated humanity so much. Thanks! The guy spouting early celtic mythology as history was very special.

    • @petergibson2318
      @petergibson2318 24 дні тому

      It could be Biblical mythology as well "There were Giants in the earth in those days." (Genesis 6:4 King James Version.)

    • @amogorkon
      @amogorkon 23 дні тому

      Well, he did stick to his story 😛

    • @Immopimmo
      @Immopimmo 8 днів тому

      The guy was just making stuff up, I can respect that. It's better than just guessing and getting it wrong.

    • @rexmyers991
      @rexmyers991 7 днів тому

      Very interesting - even for an American.

  • @098anne
    @098anne Місяць тому +150

    Has NOBODY watched “I, Claudius”??!

    • @alanjones7815
      @alanjones7815 Місяць тому +13

      Apparently not😊

    • @kevinjohnbetts
      @kevinjohnbetts Місяць тому +24

      I remember it being first broadcast! Derek Jacobi in the titular role was simply brilliant.

    • @lizzieh5284
      @lizzieh5284 Місяць тому +11

      Brilliant series. I rewatched it recently.

    • @123bwlch
      @123bwlch Місяць тому +5

      Romand did nothing for England or english people because the place did not excist in any form until the 5th century

    • @kevinjohnbetts
      @kevinjohnbetts Місяць тому +7

      @@123bwlchEngland, as a geographical entity, existed just as much as Germany. If you wish to argue that the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes had no contact with the Romans then I am afraid you have not studied history in the appropriate depth. If you are conflating the English with the British it's even worse!

  • @csipawpaw7921
    @csipawpaw7921 Місяць тому +48

    By Dr Elliot's prior definition of invasion vs incursion, Agricola's invasion of the north was just an incursion as he did not stay. So no one Roman ever conquered all of Britain! But Claudius was responsible for conquering most of Britain.

    • @optimusprinceps3526
      @optimusprinceps3526 Місяць тому +6

      @@csipawpaw7921 Emperor Domitian had Agricola recalled out of reasons of jealousy according Agricola's son in law Tacitus

    • @optimusprinceps3526
      @optimusprinceps3526 Місяць тому

      @@csipawpaw7921 The Emperor Flavius Vespasianus was in the invasion and conquest of Britain under Emperor Claudius as an legionary commander, years before he became Caesar.

    • @the_dark_braga2190
      @the_dark_braga2190 Місяць тому +1

      All I remember of High School Latin was the work agricola meant "farmer."🤔

  • @ripvanwinkle2002
    @ripvanwinkle2002 Місяць тому +180

    easy!
    it was Biggus Dickus!

  • @draoi99
    @draoi99 Місяць тому +170

    Claudius. Though Caesar came here on holiday.

    • @JackBlack-gh5yf
      @JackBlack-gh5yf Місяць тому +13

      CLAVDIVS, as we used to call him (when I was at skool nearly 50 years ago) 😁

    • @bvyup2112
      @bvyup2112 Місяць тому +21

      yup, kind of a trick. Caesar landed first, Claudius conquered first.
      Good ol Claudius the "idiot"

    • @sherlockcooms7777
      @sherlockcooms7777 Місяць тому +3

      ​@@bvyup2112 Imagine having a lisp and you're kind of a nerd and fearing for you life until one day, the guards start doing everyone like the end of goodfellas, then they find your goofy ass behind a curtain and say "you're the captain now", I find the 'dullards' of history to be fascinating (he is the same guy who raised Caligula and supposedly had little boys swimming around him in the pool... so an evil dullard.. chaos dullard?)

    • @richardscanlan3419
      @richardscanlan3419 Місяць тому +2

      best answer.

    • @kennyshortcake999
      @kennyshortcake999 Місяць тому +2

      Twice

  • @davidwright7193
    @davidwright7193 Місяць тому +28

    I am surprised you found someone who thought that Geoffrey of Monmouth was an accurate source.

    • @vortimer2351
      @vortimer2351 Місяць тому +3

      ...though they've confused his made up Trojan Brutus with the real Roman Brutus. They know some obscure stuff, but not the relatively easy.... Like someone who can attempt a souffle without being able to hardboil an egg!

    • @rocktapperrobin9372
      @rocktapperrobin9372 Місяць тому +2

      Though he got it wrong. Brutus, according to ol’ Geoffrey, was not a Roman but the first Briton and if you read the entire text, the Romans never conquered Britain at all, they just popped over from time to time on request to help the Britons out

  • @jarlborg1531
    @jarlborg1531 Місяць тому +35

    Claudius, of course!

  • @djowen5192
    @djowen5192 Місяць тому +38

    Fishus Chipus.

  • @paulspeedy4704
    @paulspeedy4704 Місяць тому +53

    Agricola conquered the half of Britain that Claudius had not conquered.
    You can't fill the top half of a glass of water until the bottom half has been filled , so Claudius was the first to conquer Britain.

    • @JohnnieAshton
      @JohnnieAshton Місяць тому +5

      That's my take as well. No Clau, Clau, Claudius, no Conquest of Britain.

    • @xhagast
      @xhagast Місяць тому

      Yes, but she asked who was the FIRST to get in boats and go over there.

    • @RasheedahNizam
      @RasheedahNizam Місяць тому +3

      ​@@xhagast was that the question?

    • @xhagast
      @xhagast Місяць тому

      @@RasheedahNizam Listen to her before she starts asking people.

    • @adeliomoro2069
      @adeliomoro2069 Місяць тому

      ​ Such record happened thanks tò the Scottish and apparently the English keep punishing them for that since

  • @davejlh4988
    @davejlh4988 Місяць тому +46

    If you were to ask this question in Scotland I would expect the answer to be none of them!

    • @Krolose_hill
      @Krolose_hill Місяць тому +8

      Exactly, the question wasn't "Which Roman Emperor was the first to hold territory in Britain?" was it!

    • @CompleteClassics.
      @CompleteClassics. Місяць тому +4

      Answer would still be agricola

    • @paladin56
      @paladin56 Місяць тому +5

      @@davejlh4988
      However, the Romans did conquer a large proportion of Scotland, hence the Antonine wall. Apparently, they didn't think conquering the rest of it was worth the effort.

    • @Cruithneach
      @Cruithneach Місяць тому

      ​@@paladin56That's one theory

    • @musik102
      @musik102 Місяць тому +1

      Did Claudius actually visit Britain?

  • @enkisdaughter4795
    @enkisdaughter4795 Місяць тому +12

    It was Clavdivs, bless him.
    Absolutely loved Sir Derek Jacobi in I, Clavdivs.

  • @FinlayMacintyre-ti9li
    @FinlayMacintyre-ti9li Місяць тому +35

    Derek Jacobi

  • @CrankyGrandma
    @CrankyGrandma Місяць тому +40

    “They had slavery”. Dude. Through history until modern times just about everyone had slavery.

    • @optimusprinceps3526
      @optimusprinceps3526 Місяць тому

      Logical conclusion

    • @RC-fm6bj
      @RC-fm6bj Місяць тому

      what a knob. woke knob.

    • @B-A-L
      @B-A-L Місяць тому +5

      Shhh , don't tell the African Americans that!

    • @charttrenelogan635
      @charttrenelogan635 Місяць тому +3

      @@B-A-Lyour sheet is showing black people know and understand that slavery existed. But what people who like to you refuse to acknowledge is that what was practiced during then was not on a global scale and was not the same as chattel slavery. The slavery created and practiced on black people was created specifically and only for the color of a persons skin. Not through conquests of war. Then with other cultures before chattel slavery you were able to be integrated within the society you earned your freedom and were a citizen. You could marry be paid for your work still be allowed to move freely within the society. You were not enslaved because of the Color of your skin. Your children had the chance to be born free.So don’t pretend that black people didn’t or don’t know the difference on what was done to us as a whole. The chattel slavery practiced was done with cruelty and precision and then church even got in on the debasement to profit on the depravity. Please remove your sheet it seems to be preventing you from reading a book😮

    • @MyRackley
      @MyRackley 29 днів тому +1

      @@charttrenelogan635 Uh-oh! Someone's done a degree in Sociology . . .

  • @occamraiser
    @occamraiser Місяць тому +8

    All my late Republic / Early Empire Roman history is courtesy of the BBC's astonishingly good 'I Claudius'. So, the first invasion of Britain was by 'the Devine Julius' shortly before 'I Claudius' starts - which will have been sometime around year 10 (?). Then, subsequently Claudius went and recaptured Britain - sucessfully and comprehensively - using elephants. (Although I believe that being historically accurate, Claudius didn't invade, he simply joined the campaign once it had been a success - Emperors can't afford to be seen to fail!)

  • @peterdollins3610
    @peterdollins3610 Місяць тому +12

    Claudies as Robert Graves lays out in 'I Claudius' into 'Claudius the God.'

    • @Jared7873
      @Jared7873 Місяць тому

      But who got the seashells? Little Boots!

  • @user-ox9ec1id9x
    @user-ox9ec1id9x Місяць тому +6

    It's got to be Agricola, because he led the Army to the farthest north of the island of Britain, but he was not the Emperor of Rome but only the agent of the ruler Domitian. He was recalled by Domitian who was jealous of Agricola's success, & not allowed a Triumphal entry into Rome. The conquest of the north was desirable, to 'complete' it geographically & logically, but it also was to ensure peace, by ending the raids by the northern tribes into the Province, & removing the focus for rebellion. The earlier invasion is named Claudian because Claudius was the Emperor who instigated it, through the Governor Aulus Plautius. The Emperor, like a King, does not have to personally take part in an action by his deputies or army to be able to claim it.
    The number of Roman troops in Britain was not due to the threat posed by the Britons, but mostly based on the size of the forces available.
    The invasion force of 4 Legions, supported by a similar number of Auxiliaries in Cohorts of infantry, cavalry , & mixed units, was large enough for initial success, but was reduced before long to 3 Legions, with a corresponding reduction in Auxiliary numbers also. After this the Army, or at least the number of units, both Legions & Auxiliary Cohorts, remains constant, & in place within Britain, which suggests it was more or less adequate for the task it was meant to do, that is maintain the peace, resist & repel hostile forces, & make advances into unconquered territory through punitive raids.
    Occasionally the army in Britain was augmented by additional forces. This was essentially for specific reasons, very little to do with problems within the British Province itself. Firstly, Britain was a convenient place to send new draughts of Auxiliaries, of uncertain loyalty, because it was far from their homelands &, as an island, isolated so that any hint of mutiny could be nipped in the bud. It was also necessary occasionally to augment the forces within Britain, as all sitting armies are likely to degrade over time & a fresh injection of manpower can counter this. An example of this is the posting to the Province of a large number (5000?) of Sarmatians by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in the 170's. Inscriptions mentioning such troops have survived at Ribchester fort where some of these were in garrison, but they could not have all been in this single site, as the Romans would never keep such a large force together, for fear of mutiny, but also because troops had to be spread around for resource & logistical reasons. These Sarmatians were most likely cavalry, which would be usefully employed in patrolling the Pennine hills etc. At times when a concerted effort was to be made to complete the conquest of the whole island by a drive to the limits of the north, usually led by an Emperor in person, then many extra troops came along, just for the prestige of Rome & glory of the Emperor. This would include units of the Praetorian Guard, & the Emperors personal bodyguards, then extra Legions, & as well as any other troops or allies that the Emperor fancied. This was mostly for display, these extra troops usually left the Province with the Emperor, if not before him, so had very little effect on the regular operation of the army in Britain. At a very late stage in the Roman occupation 'rescue' expeditions came into Britain, under the Magister Stilicho etc, including 'Legions' , actually by this time late in the 4th century, units of the mobile army of Commitatenses, which would also leave as soon as possible once immediate emergency had been dealt with. The conquest & continued occupation of Britain was NOT to do primarily with resources, minerals & financial gain, because the Province even at the best of times was probably at net loss to Rome, & could barely support the Army kept there to hold on to it. No, it was to do with pushing sources of revolt ever further away by absorbing new areas & peoples until, at the end of the island all resistance was ended & the whole could be prosperously at peace. Then there was imperial prestige
    to consider. Emperors had to display leadership, & the most Roman way to do this was through successful military actions, & conquests. Very little thought seems tohave been given in this regard to the cost of such adventures, except the idea that they could undertake them in the first place.

    • @DW-nb2zc
      @DW-nb2zc Місяць тому

      So kinda like Australia

  • @daemonartursson5952
    @daemonartursson5952 Місяць тому +14

    Due to Simon Scarrow's Eagles series of books . .i thought it was Aulus Platus ( with help from Macro and Cato and their CO Vespasian ) l. Very enjoyable video. Thanks

    • @youtubeyoutube936
      @youtubeyoutube936 Місяць тому +3

      Macro what a guy. What went wrong with Cato's wife Julia? It must have been that feminist dance class

    • @daemonartursson5952
      @daemonartursson5952 Місяць тому +1

      @@youtubeyoutube936 difference in class. She didn't know it but she was beneath Cato.

  • @ShazWag
    @ShazWag Місяць тому +12

    Wow, what an amazing explanation. I learnt so much.

  • @marsspacex6065
    @marsspacex6065 Місяць тому +16

    I think about the Roman Empire all the time and also the Roman republic.😊

  • @rowangliveathleticsblog6186
    @rowangliveathleticsblog6186 Місяць тому +4

    Biggus Dickus did it first. But actually it was Julius Caeser followed by Claudius.

  • @cynicaldodgyknees6248
    @cynicaldodgyknees6248 Місяць тому +4

    Amongst the serious academic discourse here, Monty Python just had to feature. So funny.😂

  • @ThePyramidone
    @ThePyramidone Місяць тому +10

    The question "Who was the first Roman to conquer Britain?" is complicated" The answer is that Septimius Severus completed the conquest of what they considered Britain. Britain was "conquered" or occupied in stages. Julius Caesar's incursions put Britannia on the Roman map. Gaius Caligula only imagined that he did. Claudius established the province and completed the first phase of the conquest, with subsequent province governors expanding the conquests north and westward. Hadrian was in Britain in 122 AD. He initiated the famous wall but most of his "conquering" was done on the European mainland. Septimius Severus traveled to Britain in 208 AD and completed the invasion of Scotland occupying Hadrian's and the lesser-known Antonine Walls, dying in York in 211 AD. I might remind those who cite "I, Claudius" and "Claudius, the God" that these were very well-written historical novels by Robert Graves in 1934 & 1935 respectively. According to Wikipedia, Graves wrote the novels after completing a translation of Suetonius' and Tacitus' work from that era and after experiencing a dream from Claudius asking that his story be told.

  • @zedeyejoe
    @zedeyejoe Місяць тому +2

    Claudius for me. As he took the first part of Britain. Without that base, the other conquests could not have happened.

  • @williamrobinson7435
    @williamrobinson7435 Місяць тому +9

    Thanks all! Most people are fooled by Julius and Hadrian as they built stuff. I know I was.
    Really interesting! Good this. 🌟👍

  • @stephenedwards1751
    @stephenedwards1751 11 днів тому +2

    As the romans landed on the beach, a Briton ran up to them and threw a handful of woad at the centurion. He was a bit miffed, and shouted at the Britons, "who threw that?". To which the Britons replied, "cul de sac", which as we all know means, no threw woad.

  • @paulbennett4415
    @paulbennett4415 Місяць тому +6

    I CLAVDIVS brilliantly portrayed by Derek Jacobi🎭

  • @Pyjamaslug
    @Pyjamaslug Місяць тому +3

    The guy with the giants and calling britain after brutus is just one epic mega-troll! Completely dead pan too, absolute classic.

    • @terryhunt2659
      @terryhunt2659 Місяць тому +2

      Yes. He was completely off the ball, since of course Brutus was a Trojan who lived well before Rome arose (though his [great?] grandfather Aeneas of Troy had settled in Italy and his descendents would eventually create Rome). Brutus landed in Albion, at Totnes (where today a stone in Fore Street marks the spot), and defeated the giant Gogmagog (descendant of Alebion, son of Poseidon), as anyone in Totnes will tell you.

    • @jaggy-snake
      @jaggy-snake Місяць тому

      He’s not a troll he’s a flat earther crypto bro

  • @nicholasjones7312
    @nicholasjones7312 Місяць тому +19

    The oversized legionary fortress and amphitheatre at Chester (and it’s location in the North West) gives credence to the theory that Chester was going to be the Roman capital of Britain, strategically located at the Centre of the UK (including Ireland and Scotland, but those were never conquered).

    • @ericconnor8251
      @ericconnor8251 Місяць тому +5

      Yes, though the Scottish Lowlands beyond Hadrian’s Wall were conquered multiple times by the Romans who not only built towns there but also another great wall, the Antonine Wall. Obviously they only invaded the Scottish Highlands under General Agricola in the late 1st century AD, but never held the region like the Scottish Lowlands.

    • @warrenstanford7240
      @warrenstanford7240 Місяць тому

      Live just up the road from Chester, there is a theory that the amphitheater was the legendary Camelot of King Arthur. 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

    • @fredginger1969
      @fredginger1969 Місяць тому +2

      they would have use it as a starting point to conquer Ireland. However Hadrian stopped the expansion and started to consolidate his empire.

  • @winstonelston5743
    @winstonelston5743 Місяць тому +2

    Does nobody else remember _CARRY ON, CLEO_ ?
    "My Da was Ethelred!
    "Ethered the Unready"
    "Oh! He was always ready, So me Mum said."

  • @grovermartin6874
    @grovermartin6874 Місяць тому +1

    This slice of hostory was so well fleshed out. Truly entertaining, time well spent!

  • @Rwthless1
    @Rwthless1 Місяць тому +12

    Caesar entered on his head a helmet on each foot a sandal in his hand he held a trusty sword to boot
    They didn't do punctuation back then.

  • @ElSasser2007
    @ElSasser2007 Місяць тому +16

    No Roman ever conquered the whole of Britain… That’s why Hadrian’s and later the Antonine Walls were built.
    Julius Caesar first won a war of conquest IN (Southern) Britain; but he just wanted to pacify the British Celts to stop them helping the continental ones.
    Later, Claudius sent his legions to conquer and occupy the island; they never penetrated the far North, but we generally speak of the Claudian campaigns as the Roman conquest of Britain.

    • @Jamie_Case
      @Jamie_Case Місяць тому

      Antonine wall was built after Hadrian's wall

    • @ElSasser2007
      @ElSasser2007 Місяць тому +1

      @@Jamie_Case Thanks, I’ll correct my comment!

    • @Ifoldforweed
      @Ifoldforweed 15 днів тому

      you are wrong, they didnt conquer scotland. it would be same, when a French citizen says, the germanic tribes never got fully conquered. True, but the French/ gaulish got wasted. If we are truely honest the celts didnt get the land back, the danes took over in South GB.

    • @Grendel650
      @Grendel650 3 дні тому

      It was proposed that they held the whole of Britain for around six months. A moot point, perhaps? 😉

    • @ElSasser2007
      @ElSasser2007 2 дні тому

      @@Grendel650 The Romans NEVER held the whole of Britain; they never penetrated what we now call Scotland far enough.

  • @andreascovano7742
    @andreascovano7742 Місяць тому +41

    That Brutus guy was actually referencing an old story on the origin of the name of Britain actually. He is OMEGA level history geek!

    • @AceMoonshot
      @AceMoonshot Місяць тому +7

      Brutus was a mythical Trojan King. Gogmagog was the last big boi to fall. I wanted more from that guy's point of view.

    • @ethancoster1324
      @ethancoster1324 Місяць тому +2

      Sounds like he hinted at the Femorians as well.

    • @AceMoonshot
      @AceMoonshot Місяць тому +1

      @@ethancoster1324 They would be Irish, though.

    • @ethancoster1324
      @ethancoster1324 Місяць тому

      @@AceMoonshot Indeed.
      Not sure if there's evidence to suggest they crossover though?

    • @lightdrizzle
      @lightdrizzle Місяць тому

      A load of Syrian sisters came to Britain and met the giants I thought?

  • @MaBer-67391
    @MaBer-67391 Місяць тому +3

    According to the book Claudius The God, Claudius invaded Britain because he wanted to stamp out Druidism in Gaul, and the Druid priests were getting their training in Britain. Also, the new king in Britain treated Claudius very disdainfully in public correspondence, and Claudius had to declare war or be viewed by other Romans as weak. Later in the campaign, Claudius personally oversaw command of the Roman army.

  • @prollymunna
    @prollymunna Годину тому

    I watched 2+ hours of “Rome’s Brutal Conquest of Germany and Britannia” but didn’t take notes. So many different Romans tried conquering parts of Britain but were outsmarted and beaten by the locals.

  • @cerberus2881
    @cerberus2881 Місяць тому +9

    Claudius.

  • @MsMary957
    @MsMary957 Місяць тому +2

    It was Claudius, but I really want to hear about these indigenous giants that came before. I haven’t heard about them.

  • @kevincasey5035
    @kevincasey5035 Місяць тому +3

    Another brilliant video Louise!

  • @kaspiller89
    @kaspiller89 Місяць тому +7

    I love these videos.

  • @jimparlett4099
    @jimparlett4099 Місяць тому +5

    I think the honour belongs to the Leader of the 9th Legion, as that's the only Legion that went into Scotland and didn't later leave!

    • @fotograf736
      @fotograf736 Місяць тому +1

      They must have liked it better there.

    • @themanwithinflatableknees8770
      @themanwithinflatableknees8770 Місяць тому +5

      Aaaah the Rosemary Sutcliffe book rises its head again.
      All we know about the 9th is that they stopped being written about. There is no actual fact they went to Scotland and were wiped out.

    • @siramar6127
      @siramar6127 Місяць тому +3

      There's evidence that the 9th was in the Netherlands 50yrs after the conquest of Britain

    • @tonitemperance9960
      @tonitemperance9960 Місяць тому +3

      Some left. I'm an Italian , family from the south and my Surname is derived from Greeley and a DNA test showed Scottish origin!

  • @Bobblenob
    @Bobblenob Місяць тому +14

    Sir Derek Jacobi

  • @jeremiahpattillo2932
    @jeremiahpattillo2932 Місяць тому +1

    Agricola was a General and Governor, but usually the Emperor gets credit for whatever happens in his reign. Agricola always got permission from the Emperor before undertaking a campaign. Vespasian appointed Agricola Governor of Britain and he served under all of the Flavian emperors--Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. So who gets credit for the first conqueror of Britain? Under Dr, Elliot's definition, which seems a bit arbitrary, Claudius seems the most likely first invader, but the Flavian Emperors the first conquerors.

  • @Segalmed
    @Segalmed Місяць тому +12

    My first thought would be Claudius as the official claimant, unless we get technical in that it was not him personally but his generals and that the Romans never controlled the entirety. If we go for maximum extension one could go with Nero or *Domitian* since iirc under these two expeditions were sent into Scotland.
    So, without having yet watched the video my bets are on a) Claudius (province established) and b) Domitian (formally greatest extension of said province).

    • @-NovaRoma.
      @-NovaRoma. Місяць тому +2

      I think that it was undeniably Claudius he enstablished the province ( as you said ) and he conquered most of the most of the province and it's not dometian because there is no good reasons supporting him he had the province at it's greatest extent and?

    • @davidsullivan7743
      @davidsullivan7743 Місяць тому +1

      Surely, Septimius Severus' campaigns of 208-2011 AD in what is now Scotland extended the provinces of Britannia to their furthest extent?

    • @-NovaRoma.
      @-NovaRoma. Місяць тому +1

      @@davidsullivan7743 you're right but they didn't last that long

  • @saphy45-uu8rd
    @saphy45-uu8rd Місяць тому +2

    Ringus Starrus. "I came, I saw, I gave them a good drumming."

  • @TravisBrady-wn8fr
    @TravisBrady-wn8fr Місяць тому +4

    That guy with the... with the knife😂

    • @belindawilson1350
      @belindawilson1350 Місяць тому +1

      Oh do you mean Brutus ,that chap?😂

    • @TravisBrady-wn8fr
      @TravisBrady-wn8fr Місяць тому

      @@belindawilson1350 he had a knife. I just know he did.....

  • @NubiBuiltKatchr
    @NubiBuiltKatchr 29 днів тому

    I appreciate the Professor’s precision with language. Let’s say Claudius the first Roman emperor to fund a conquest in Britain and Agricola the first emperor to fund conquering the whole of Britain.

  • @KarlaWagnerEU
    @KarlaWagnerEU Місяць тому

    First name that came to mind for the first Roman to conquer Britain was Rory Williams. But we learned about the lot in History class when we were about 10. It wasn't black & white. Fascinating... thank you for presenting this !

  • @peterburgess5974
    @peterburgess5974 25 днів тому +1

    The Roman period in the history of these islands is fascinating. I can't remember which comic annual my parent's bought me one Christmas, but a 'history' cartoon strip within it illustrated Caesar's incursion and pictured Caesar near the beach having a picnic (The Picnic Incursion). Ever since I remember that image and I chuckled again when I watched your presentation. Thanks. Ad altiora!

    • @andylongmore6697
      @andylongmore6697 10 днів тому

      The comic annual you referred to come from sections of the commando comic series.

    • @peterburgess5974
      @peterburgess5974 10 днів тому +1

      @@andylongmore6697 I actually thought it was the 'Sparky'.

    • @andylongmore6697
      @andylongmore6697 10 днів тому +1

      @peterburgess5974 the commando comic books did series issues every now an then. They put these historic storyline into sections bronze,silver,gold.

  • @dulcilass
    @dulcilass Місяць тому +1

    My first thought was Claudius. Julius Caesar stomped around a bit first but didn't really conquer Britain.

  • @gullsrus
    @gullsrus 9 днів тому

    Brilliant,I really enjoyed this, things from school ( long ago) are Refresh in my head thank you

  • @melissakhalar1842
    @melissakhalar1842 Місяць тому +4

    Thanks!

  • @olavl8827
    @olavl8827 Місяць тому +7

    More about Boudicca please.

  • @LupusSolitus
    @LupusSolitus Місяць тому +22

    Hmm. Per your definition, nobody conquered Britain, at least not all of it.

    • @FlatDerrick
      @FlatDerrick Місяць тому +2

      Aye, but you try telling the southerners in the vid that!

    • @jaffaman99
      @jaffaman99 Місяць тому +4

      Don’t think you guys watched the video, that’s directly addressed.

    • @LupusSolitus
      @LupusSolitus Місяць тому +1

      I stand corrected. I was about 2/3 through the vid still expecting an answer when I commented. It was quite a good analysis.

    • @FlatDerrick
      @FlatDerrick Місяць тому

      @@jaffaman99 What, HHs blatant bias towards posh southern English was directly addressed?

    • @jaffaman99
      @jaffaman99 Місяць тому

      @@FlatDerrick bizarre take

  • @v23452
    @v23452 Місяць тому +1

    Educational and entertaining. Good job!

  • @theunintelligentlydesigned4931
    @theunintelligentlydesigned4931 Місяць тому +1

    That one guy talking about giants doesn't even understand modern times.

  • @Philusteen
    @Philusteen Місяць тому +11

    Dammit! I was sure it was Super Mario....

  • @alex-1314
    @alex-1314 Місяць тому +1

    Circumnavigating the coastline does NOT give credence to any suggestion that Britain was conquered. Very few Roman towns were established in Caledonia. Britannia was essentially England. While there were military garrisons on the east coast to the far north of Scotland Antoninus Pius came closest to briefly consolidating Roman influence in southern Scotland with the building of the Antonine wall.

  • @tdog5035
    @tdog5035 Місяць тому +1

    Agricola was looking at what condition his permission from Domitian was in😊

  • @AceMoonshot
    @AceMoonshot Місяць тому +13

    I'm on Team Giant, myself.

    • @BravoManUK
      @BravoManUK Місяць тому +3

      I will have whatever that guy was smoking!

    • @tdog5035
      @tdog5035 Місяць тому

      Love a fruit loop.

  • @gregorysiegl543
    @gregorysiegl543 29 днів тому

    Loved the expert. Very knowledgable and entertaining!

  • @agnesmichel1286
    @agnesmichel1286 Місяць тому +2

    I know this one, it was Biggus Dickus !

  • @dennisjones9044
    @dennisjones9044 Місяць тому +2

    Time for the BBC to re run or remake "I Claudius"

  • @prollymunna
    @prollymunna Годину тому

    Anybody else notice the misspelling of Britain in the title card at 1:06? “Britian.” For all the fascinating and deep academic discussions, it’s a silly oversight to misspell the place you’re talking about.

  • @WhyMakeMeDoThis
    @WhyMakeMeDoThis Місяць тому +2

    If Julius Caesar doesn’t count as a conqueror because he didn’t stay, then neither does Agricola.
    If your definition depends on Roman dominion over the entirety of mainland Britain, then it was *never* conquered.

    • @CompleteClassics.
      @CompleteClassics. Місяць тому +1

      he said because he didn't "winter" in any case Agricola is the only one who can claim to have secured the entirety of it.

  • @mrgreen1888
    @mrgreen1888 Місяць тому +3

    AD 43 Claudius TIberius drusus nero Germanicus Caesar. Conquered some of Britain but not all.

  • @ImCarolB
    @ImCarolB 26 днів тому +1

    As a retired American history teacher, I shake my head at the complaints that Americans don't know history. "What do these teachers do???" You can lead a horse to water, as they say. If children don't come to school instilled with curiosity and a drive to learn, they will be dolts all their lives. What they learn in school is a springboard for lifelong learning; that means reading and listening, traveling and discussing. Sorry, parents, but it's true. By the way, I knew who the Roman was, because I want to know these things.

    • @kathrynburton7167
      @kathrynburton7167 22 дні тому +1

      I love the professor's distinction between invasion--intent to stay versus incursion--only to check it out. Sort like I want to move there and I only want to take a vacation there.

  • @domenicozagari2443
    @domenicozagari2443 Місяць тому +3

    Britain means savage people, some regions of Italy are called the same way like Abruzzi and Calabria, they got the bri from brutis and tania like Lusitania that means people.

  • @sureshot8399
    @sureshot8399 27 днів тому +1

    Wait 'til Biggus Dickus hears of this!

  • @alundavies1016
    @alundavies1016 Місяць тому

    My limited Roman History had Julius coming over with some troops, didn’t fancy it and then had to depart due to domestic troubles.

  • @jonathan.palfrey
    @jonathan.palfrey 12 днів тому

    “Julius Caesar, the Roman geezer, conquered Britain with a lemon squeezer”-as I remember from my school days long ago.

  • @johnmarks227
    @johnmarks227 Місяць тому +2

    It was Bigus Dickus!

  • @fredginger1969
    @fredginger1969 Місяць тому +1

    The answer is technically Claudius. who showed his face to mop up resistance. Aulus Plautus was the main man and commander of the army. He was tasked to be first governor of Britain
    Britain was invaded by Julius Caesar who came to kill enough inhabitants to get a triumphal march. Then he went back to Gaul and on to Rome.
    Claudius needed a triumph as the Pretorian guard murdered Caligula and elected Claudius as Emperor. Claudius conquered 9 kings and queens of Britain including Cartimandia who handed over Caractacus the main rebel opposing Roman rule. Julius Agricola was a Awesome governor of Britain and he definitely took the initiative to expand the province and he was also friends and a support of Vespasian. He conquered large tracts of land in the north and into Scotland. Hadrian built a wall to consolidate the farthest extent of the empire. Severus was way to late in the running! Still goes to the guy in charge of the empire so my vote is Claudius. Even if you had the picture of Plautus on the table he worked for Rome and Rome was Claudius. Sorry!

    • @smokeyhoodoo
      @smokeyhoodoo Місяць тому

      Technically the answer is nobody

  • @iansanderson4664
    @iansanderson4664 Місяць тому

    Both Julius Caesar and Agricola had their achievements well written up. Twentieth century British school pupils, studying Latin,, still read extracts from Caesar's Gallic Wars and Tacitus' book on Agricola. (Tacitus was Agricola's son-in-law.)

  • @kenmay1572
    @kenmay1572 Місяць тому

    The statistic that surprised me was that the Roman Empire in terms of size comes in as a mere 28th. The largest by a huge margin was the British Empire

  • @andiemorgan961
    @andiemorgan961 Місяць тому +1

    Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the first Roman Emperor who invaded the southern two thirds of Britannia in AD 43 -7.
    Not a bad achievement for someone who was cruelly decribed by his own mother as 'a monster of a man, not finished, just begun by nature!'
    Today, it would be recognised the poor man suffered from one or more neurological disorders such as Tourettes Syndrome, dyspraxia or perhaps dystonia.
    All being genetic problems, which his mother could have been responsible for him having!

  • @boxsterman77
    @boxsterman77 Місяць тому

    I remember learning that the famous emperor Constantine was proclaimed emperor in the city of Eboracum, the Latin name for York, when his father, with whom he was campaigning, died.
    And yes that means New York City would be Urbs Novum Eboracum in Latin.

  • @matthewhoey4386
    @matthewhoey4386 Місяць тому +5

    Plautius

    • @nuclearmedicineman6270
      @nuclearmedicineman6270 Місяць тому +2

      That's what I would have said. Actual command on the ground counts more than some politician giving orders back home.

    • @matthewhoey4386
      @matthewhoey4386 Місяць тому

      @@nuclearmedicineman6270 I read the Simon Scarrow 'under the eagle' novels 😅the first few are set during the invasion

  • @deepredson
    @deepredson Місяць тому +1

    In 212 B.T. the lost scrolls of Caen state that The former gardener and inventor, Johnny Onions came saw and conquered Britain with a small force of men in smocks and a large number of his secret planet which made those who opposed him cry many tears. These 'Onions' as he called them were used to great effect.
    Once the Britons got his secret, he became outnumbered and was sent back, but with one gift, which later became known as the 'Beret'.
    Barty (philostopher and Historicalon).

  • @paulkirkland3263
    @paulkirkland3263 Місяць тому +2

    Great video.

  • @aspenrebel
    @aspenrebel Місяць тому

    I was there in Richmond, w the first Roman fort and Roman Road To London. The channel Shoreline used to be right there but now it's far far away.

  • @guillaumeessertel9743
    @guillaumeessertel9743 Місяць тому

    I'm a little proud of hearing about Claudius who was born in Lyon like me. In fact Claudius is very bad know (in comparison with his successor Nero), I'm not surprised that only a few britanic common people know that he was the first to conquer the island.

  • @petergibson2318
    @petergibson2318 24 дні тому +1

    The Bards were the local poets and storytellers in Britain and Ireland. The Romans didn't bring them in.

  • @dereklyle6589
    @dereklyle6589 19 годин тому

    According to more than a few items on You Tube, "Britain" was never totally conquered hence Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall.

  • @Caesar.Nutter
    @Caesar.Nutter Місяць тому

    2:05 failed is a strong term for the great Caesar

  • @shaggycan
    @shaggycan Місяць тому +3

    I often point this out when people winge about English colonialism. The Romans did it to us first, they left and we we never complained about it again. Move on people.

  • @freyavanderwesthuizen7281
    @freyavanderwesthuizen7281 Місяць тому +2

    Julius Caeser , he came , he saw and conqured! What did the Romans ever do for us? Lol

  • @allyfox5900
    @allyfox5900 Місяць тому +2

    Entertaining episode!😁😂

  • @peteregan3862
    @peteregan3862 22 дні тому +1

    Slavery was everywhere till the Brits set about ending it

  • @512Squared
    @512Squared 7 днів тому

    I chuckled when people talk about what the Romans gave 'us'. The Engles and the Saxon invasions came AFTER the Romans left. The 'us' is implied to be the English presenter and most of the folks interviewed.
    But the 'us' at that time were in fact Celts (Britons).

    • @WH-hi5ew
      @WH-hi5ew 6 днів тому

      We're all a bit of a mix... only 1 person in 1,000 of us has any DNA going back to Palaeolithic Britain. A much greater percentage has DNA going back 3,000 years or so.

  • @pearsonart
    @pearsonart Місяць тому +1

    Arturius / Arthur / Clive Owen

  • @MsTraceymitchell
    @MsTraceymitchell Місяць тому

    "Ahh"... that moment when you know it is time to slowly back away

  • @Monka69monka
    @Monka69monka 29 днів тому

    Fo me 3 names come to mind, though none fully conquered Great Britain, simply parts of it. 1 Julius Caesar, he did defeat tribes here and subjugate some but had to leave due to trouble brewing down south in Gaul (Vercingetorix)
    2 Plautius (who commanded the forces of candidate 3)
    3 Claudius since he was the princeps at the time of the conquest.
    The last two names is really a matter of the question as to in how far you want to attribute the conquest to the man sitting in Rome or to the man who commanded the forces of said man in Rome.

  • @casaromantica215
    @casaromantica215 Місяць тому

    Gnaeus Iulius Agricola was the first Roman governor to unify the whole of Britain from North to South

  • @skasteve6528
    @skasteve6528 Місяць тому +2

    I'm just shocked at how few had any idea. I thought it was widely known that Julius Caesar came with an army twice to Britain. I know he didn't conquer, or even intend to conquer Britain. (I'd always assumed it was partly a punitive raid to stop British tribes aiding the Gauls), but I thought it would be one of those misremembered 'facts' English people have like Americans thinking Eddison invented the lightbulb.

    • @johndoe-qg7jp
      @johndoe-qg7jp Місяць тому

      Ere NO
      Why should we!
      Most people have heard of Julius Caesar and he landed in Britain in 55 BC.
      And he is the most famous Roman of all.🤔
      He landed here with a significantly large military force but found it wasn't big enough.
      Most half intelligent people would have said Caesar.

  • @Alan316100
    @Alan316100 26 днів тому

    And while we are chatting the only legio we know was in the invasion fleet was the II Augusta, the legate being Vespasian.

  • @davidstokes8441
    @davidstokes8441 Місяць тому

    55BCE - Julius Caesar, followed by Caligula and Claudius

  • @feralbluee
    @feralbluee 16 днів тому +1

    Agricola means farm in Latin. That’s why we call it agriculture. :)🌾👨🏼‍🌾🐐🌷🌱
    I looked up Agricola and he was really a Roman who fought in Britain. Huh!