THE ROMAN WITHDRAWAL FROM BRITAIN – 410 OR 435? A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Alexander Canduci

Abstract


This article discusses the evidence to support a continued official Roman imperial presence in Britain after the traditional date of 409-410, with the possibility of the final loss of the British provinces occurring sometime around 435-440. It will explore the reasons why the later date is to be preferred, commencing with an analysis of why any dating of events based on Zosimus and Gildas should be ignored, including why the replacement of Britain with Bruttium is consistent within Zosimus’s narrative. It then assesses the remaining evidence, looking first at how other official Roman withdrawals were managed, and what the evidence for the continued existence of the Limitanei implies for any official withdrawal around 410. This is followed by an analysis of how ongoing religious appointments to Britain within the framework of an imperial church would co-exist with ongoing civil and secular appointments. It then assesses the material evidence for both pottery and coinage before concluding with an analysis of the empire’s economic situation in 410 compared to 435-440 and its ability to hold on to the British provinces.

Keywords


Roman Britain; Honorius; Zosimus; Gildas; Limitanei

Full Text: PDF

DOI: 10.14795/j.v9i3.793

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