World Turned Up-side Down

      For most of the first 500 years my Celtic ancestors who reached their world's end... [In a geographic sense, see last post.]... occupied their family's land, lived, loved, reproduced, responded to multiple threats, and grew as the years went along. Legends and traditions developed around their small collection of settlements to be centered around a common place of refuge on a hilltop. A sameness of blood, and the descent from a common ancestor gave rise to kin groups. An aggregate of families formed tribal groups sharing language and customs which was the social glue that bonded one generation to the next. Little did anyone guess their world would be turned up-side down.

      Say what? During the next 400 years you Romans plan to ship over from Gaul (France) four huge military units of roughly 6,000 men each. Let's see, invade, kill off those who oppose, claim the land, take the resources, and control every tribe who remains? You want to be fed, housed, entertained, clothed, and maintain all these new folks in their new bricked walled military forts? You've got to be kidding? A militaristic society that speaks the language called Latin, and you expect us to figure out how to survive? A whole bunch of strangers you want to flop down upon us? Our domestic reality in a new political world it is going to be? No wonder our world will be turned up-side down.

      A comprehensive discussion of this "Romanization" can be found in the book by Salway, chapter 18, titled "The Assimilation of Britian", pp. 337-367. The cover of my copy is shown in post dated May 7. Also, an enjoyable read on these complex issues can be read in Roman Britian and Early England, by Peter Blair, first published by The Norton Library, London in 1963. The cover of my copy is shown.

      Chapter 5, pp.90-113, discusses the town life and the Provincial Roman government that played an important role in my Celtic ancestors "Romanization". Chapter 6 is titled "The Countryside in Roman Britian", pp.114-135. Raising corn, cattle, and sheep, which my Celtic ancestors knew something about.