History Channel - The Roman Invasion of Britain HD (2009) Part 1 Onslaught

Rome's daring conquest and occupation of the British Isles. At the beginning of our era, the Roman Empire was undoubtedly the most powerful empire on earth. It covered the entire Mediterranean region. And the Romans' urge to conquer was unchecked. The legions also set out across the English Channel to conquer Britain. The three-part documentary series describes the 400-year rule of Rome over the British Isles with the help of re-enacted scenes and elaborate computer animations. Motivated by an emperor's greed and political ambition, Rome added Britain to its empire in the first century CE, changing the land and its people forever. Join historian Bettany Hughes (“When the Moors Ruled in Europe”) as she examines new research and the latest archaeological evidence to reveal the brutal realities of the Roman conquest. Meet scheming politicians, beleaguered generals, and fiery revolutionaries–including Queen Boudicca, the wronged woman who mobilized her people for a bloody and tragic revolt. Interviews with noted military experts and meticulous reenactments illuminate a little-known but pivotal period in British and Roman history. Packed with drama and detail, this absorbing series reveals how a nation sprang from 400 years of subjugation. Oxford-educated author and historian Bettany Hughes has presented historical documentaries for the BBC, PBS, and the Discovery Channel. She serves on the Innovation Programs Committee of the U.K.'s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.

Part 1 Onslaugh

By the time Emperor Claudius ascended the throne of Caesar in AD 41, the Roman Empire was already a superpower, stretching from Portugal to Turkey and from the English Channel to North Africa. Now the British Isles are also supposed to become part of the Roman Empire. On the one hand, the ambitious undertaking goes back to the desire of the Roman Emperor Claudius to consolidate his power through a large-scale military campaign of conquest. On the other hand, Rome wants to take advantage of the diverse reserves of gold, silver, grain, wood and other natural resources that are said to exist on the island. Julius Caesar had tried to conquer Britain a century earlier, but his campaign was unsuccessful. The soldiers who are now setting out to conquer the island under the command of the respected general Aulus Plautius are confident of victory. They consider the British Celtic tribes to be backward barbarians who would not withstand the extraordinary military strength of the Romans a second time. However, this notion ultimately turns out to be a fallacy. The Roman invaders won the first major battle on British soil, the Battle of the Medway. They succeed in taking the fortress of Camulodunum - today's Colchester - and later all of southern Britain. The local population put up fierce resistance and a long and bloody war ensued. Under the Roman general Publius Ostorius Scapula, who replaced Aulus Plautius, there were cruel field battles, which the Romans initially won. But the tide turns when the Iceni tribe, led by the determined Queen Boudicca, begins a devastating campaign against the Romans. The historian and archaeologist Guy de la Bedoyere refers to the escalating conflict as “the Vietnam of the Romans”.

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