Podcast on Celts and Romans in Britain

Kapitoly

A Tale of a Wall

The Artistic Celts

Enter the Romans

Hadrian's Wall and Roman Retreat

Přepis

Grace: Ever seen a picture of a massive stone wall cutting across the green hills of northern England? That's Hadrian's Wall. And the story of why a Roman emperor built it right here in Britain is wild. It’s all about a clash of two powerful cultures.

Ben: That's right. You're listening to the Studyfi Podcast, and today we're digging into that exact story: the Celts versus the Romans.

Grace: So, Ben, who was here first? Before the Romans showed up with their sandals and swords.

Ben: Definitely the Celts. They started arriving from central Europe between the sixth and third centuries BC. They were originally pagans, with priests called Druids, but they later became Christians.

Grace: And they were artistic, right? I've seen pictures of that intricate Celtic knotwork.

Ben: Absolutely! They were famous for their sophisticated designs on jewelry, decorated crosses, and incredible illuminated manuscripts. They were seriously skilled craftspeople.

Grace: Okay, so in come the Romans in AD 43. Did they just take over everything?

Ben: They tried! They established a colony called Britannia, with London as the capital. They built major cities we still know today, like Bath, Chester, and York, complete with public baths and fancy villas for Celtic aristocrats who played along.

Grace: It wasn't all peaceful, though, was it? I remember learning about a warrior queen.

Ben: You're thinking of Queen Boudicca. In AD 60, her tribe destroyed three cities, including London! The Romans crushed the rebellion brutally, but it showed the Celts wouldn't go down without a fight.

Grace: So that brings us back to the wall. Why build it?

Ben: Because the tribes in what's now Scotland never fully surrendered. So, in AD 122, Emperor Hadrian basically said, "Fine, we'll build a giant wall to keep you out!"

Grace: A very expensive 'stay off my lawn' sign.

Ben: Exactly. It was overrun several times and finally abandoned around AD 383 as the Roman Empire started to collapse. The legions left Britain, and the Celtic culture continued strong in places like Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

Grace: A fascinating power struggle. That’s all for today!