Roman Britain : life at the edge of empire

For nearly four centuries Britain was a province on the outer edge of the Roman Empire and developed a distinctively Romano-British culture and way of life.

Using the archaeological evidence, ancient written sources and the latest research on surviving artefacts – from a child’s leather shoe to fascinating letters, from the monumental bronze head of the emperor Hadrian to hoards of stunning gold and silver – a picture of Roman Britain is brought vividly to life.

Whether for a Roman soldier on the northern frontier or a native British farmer; for a pagan British king or a Christian Roman lady living in a villa, the diversity of lifestyles, experiences and cultures is revealed.

Native British traditions of trade and craftsmanship merged with the imported Roman styles and practices to create a unique cultural synthesis, the legacy of which is still visible today in British landscapes, architecture, art and society.

The authors Ralph Jackson and Richard Hobbs are curators of Romano-British antiquities in the British Museum.

Ralph Jackson is also author of British Museum Research Publication 181: Cosmetic Sets of Late Iron Age and Roman Britain, which published in 2010.