The Roman Conquest of Britain | Julius Caesar’s Invasion | Part 1

Next Episode:    • Claudius's Invasion Of Britain: The Roman ...   Playlist Here:    • The Roman Conquest of Britain   Julius Caesar saw the Britons as brutal savages. Yet the Romans romanticised their lack of civilisation, deeming them as untainted by Mediterranean luxury. In 55 BC, after sending scouts along the Kentish coast, Caesar launched an invasion of the island as part of his Gallic Wars campaign. After a disastrous first attempt marred by storms, the “menacing horde of barbarians” of the English Home Counties asked Caesar for help and he returned with a bigger, stronger army to support their prince. Will this campaign succeed? Join Tom and Dominic as they explore Caesar’s invasion of Britain and how it entered the orbit of the great imperial power. 0:00 - Caesar, 55 BC, and the first date in British history 05:16 - The mysterious Greek accounts of Britain before Rome 09:06 - Julius Caesar’s ambition and the dream of conquering the edge of the world 14:10 - Why Britain seemed terrifying, divine, and barbaric to the Romans 18:06 - Wine, slavery, trade, and Rome’s soft power before invasion 22:47 - Caesar crosses the Channel and lands in Britain 25:03 - The beachhead, the British counterattack, and Caesar’s difficult first expedition 31:00 - Why Caesar returned: glory, resources, slaves, and British tribal politics 34:17 - Caesar’s second invasion with five legions 37:03 - Crossing the Thames and defeating Cassivellaunus 40:01 - Rome’s fascination with savage Britain, pearls, oysters, and prestige 42:24 - Why Caesar never came back to Britain 45:32 - Commius, Roman influence, and Britain entering the written record 49:13 - Britain drawn into Rome’s orbit before Claudius’ invasion in AD 43 Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @restishistorypod   Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor