During the middle years of the fifth century, the island of Britain found itself struggling against enemies from within and without.
Since prehistoric times the natives of the western isles had been, and still were, mostly of Celtic origin, descendants of the nomadic groups who had populated the Northern European landmass in the days before the seas rose and formed the island group.
When Julius Caesar made his initial journey across the channel, he found the islanders to be tribal, warlike and without any sense of national identity. He did not stay long.
The Romans continued their expansionist and intrusive ventures, before being allegedly invited. This time their presence lasted for four hundred years.
By the fifth century AD, Rome, struggling against corruption, disorder, demise and attack, recalled her Legions and departed these shores. Effective communication with the Empire broke down, leaving Britain to look to herself for her defence.
Unwittingly, but mainly due to the indigenous attitudes they never really succeeded in quelling, the Roman presence had created two distinct, British population groups:
The first group were prosperous, civilised and predominantly Christian. These were the Romano-British. They were well educated, lived mostly within urban areas in central and southern Britain, understood the rule of trade and looked to Rome for guidance and the one God for forgiveness.
The other group were much as they had always been, working the valley fields and fishing the streams. They mostly populated the rural areas of wood and forest, moor and marsh, river and shore. They were considered by Roman standards to be uneducated. They worshiped the gods of earth and sky and believed in the magic of their ancestors.
When the Legions marched away one group became dysfunctional and indecisive while the other remained mostly indifferent.
As urban rule slowly and inevitably broke down, outside forces, sensing an easy kill, gathered in the wings.
From the far north came the Picts, the wild and unconquered descendants of the pre-roman era.
From the west came the Scotti, sea raiders and traders in slavery and death.
From the east came the Germanic settlers, Saxons, Angles and Jutes.
For the first time Britain as a threatened, parentless nation stood alone.
Since prehistoric times the natives of the western isles had been, and still were, mostly of Celtic origin, descendants of the nomadic groups who had populated the Northern European landmass in the days before the seas rose and formed the island group.
When Julius Caesar made his initial journey across the channel, he found the islanders to be tribal, warlike and without any sense of national identity. He did not stay long.
The Romans continued their expansionist and intrusive ventures, before being allegedly invited. This time their presence lasted for four hundred years.
By the fifth century AD, Rome, struggling against corruption, disorder, demise and attack, recalled her Legions and departed these shores. Effective communication with the Empire broke down, leaving Britain to look to herself for her defence.
Unwittingly, but mainly due to the indigenous attitudes they never really succeeded in quelling, the Roman presence had created two distinct, British population groups:
The first group were prosperous, civilised and predominantly Christian. These were the Romano-British. They were well educated, lived mostly within urban areas in central and southern Britain, understood the rule of trade and looked to Rome for guidance and the one God for forgiveness.
The other group were much as they had always been, working the valley fields and fishing the streams. They mostly populated the rural areas of wood and forest, moor and marsh, river and shore. They were considered by Roman standards to be uneducated. They worshiped the gods of earth and sky and believed in the magic of their ancestors.
When the Legions marched away one group became dysfunctional and indecisive while the other remained mostly indifferent.
As urban rule slowly and inevitably broke down, outside forces, sensing an easy kill, gathered in the wings.
From the far north came the Picts, the wild and unconquered descendants of the pre-roman era.
From the west came the Scotti, sea raiders and traders in slavery and death.
From the east came the Germanic settlers, Saxons, Angles and Jutes.
For the first time Britain as a threatened, parentless nation stood alone.
