Abstract/Summary

Against the background of political developments between the Roman invasion of AD 43 and the abandonment of Britain by Rome in AD 409-10, this chapter explores how the character of Britain changed through the emergence of towns, a road network, the development of agriculture and a re-ordered countryside, the growth of industry and mineral exploitation, and of external and internal trade. However, with a decreasing population and the eventual loss of the controlling authority, the achievements of the first two centuries of occupation could not be sustained.