On August 26th, 55 BC, Julius Caesar and his legionaries waded ashore just north of the White Cliffs of Dover. Right there in the surf, they were met by Celtic warriors, who charged them on foot and on horseback. The fighting was fierce, but Caesar's legions prevailed. A few months later, having extracted tribute and pledges of allegiance from local tribes, Caesar returned to Gaul. But this was just the beginning - a hundred years later the Romans would return, beginning a period of Roman rule that lasted for over 350 years.

This is the first of a two-part series that tells the story of Roman Britain, from Julius Caesar's first expeditions through to the collapse of the Roman Empire. For this, we're joined by Patrick Wyman, host of the Tides of History and The Fall of Rome podcasts.

If you'd like to hear more about the history of Rome, you can listen to:

The Roman Navy in Britain - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/theromannavyinbritain

Stone Age to Roman Days - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/story-of-england-stone-age-to-roman-days

Roman Emperors with Mary Beard - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/roman-emperors-with-mary-beard

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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The Rise of Roman Britain

Dan Snow's History Hit