BUILDING BLOCKS
Interesting Events in Early British History
The Revolt Against Rome - AD 409
Britain, weakened by the withdrawal of so many of its defenders to the continent in support of the usurper, Constantine's, claims, was enduring devastating attacks; on land by the Picts and Scots and from the sea by the Saxons. Roman authority was in the process of breaking down, and without the power of Rome to protect them, the Britons were forced to resort to other alternatives:
The Byzantine historian, Zosimus, tells us that:
"And the barbarians from beyond the Rhine, ravaging everything at their pleasure, put both the Britons and some of the Gauls to the necessity of making defection from the Roman empire, and of setting up for themselves, no longer obeying Roman laws. The Britons, taking up arms and fighting for their own hand, freed their communities from the barbarians who had set upon them."
He goes on to say: "And the whole of Armorica and certain other provinces of Gaul imitated the Britons and freed themselves at the same time, expelling the Roman officials and setting up a constitution such as they pleased."
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