Continuing our discussion on colonialism and post colonial observation, it is also important to note that the tribes of the British Isles themselves at this time still probably bore the scars of colonization from the Roman Empire. The most egregious geographical example I could find was Hadrian's Wall, built by the Roman Empire in 122 AD to 'separate the Romans from the barbarians'. This may be the source of the dichotomy references in some of the texts, as the north and south of the British Isles were now geologically separated. Of course, considering the multitude of different tribes through the British Isles before and after Roman colonization, there was probably already some dichotomy to begin with, especially with the mountainous north versus the more forested south.
The Roman Empire also left Latin (Roman scholars spoke Latin) which quickly became a part of English culture and mixed with the current indigenous languages to form a more universal English language, the ones used in our texts.
Christianity also entered the British Isles through the Roman Empire, as Christianity was (after many decades of persecution) welcomed by the Roman Empire very soon after their conquest of the lower half of the British Isles, and most likely spread to the British Isles through them. The Western half (which included the British Isles) was Roman Catholic, so that also led to a more Catholic presence in the British Isles, though Catholicism would not fully form in the British Isles until after the Roman Empire had collapsed.
Sources:
http://aboutscotland.co.uk/hadrian/index.html
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/6f.asp
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ReplyDeleteKathryn, thank you for further informing us about the effects that the Roman Empire had on forming the British Isles. Given the diversity of tribes on the Isles before their arrival, its interesting to think of what might have become of Isles without their influence. Would you say that without the arrival of the Roman Empire the British Isles would have never become the world economic and colonial power Great Britain?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to assess simply because the Roman Empire's influence is the only history we have. Personally, I would think that the unification of Britain would have been prolonged without Roman influence, and would have drawn more Nordic influence. They may have become a power eventually if they took advantage of the Nordic influence in Canada, however, the Nords did not colonize Canada as the Spanish colonized South America.
DeleteSo no, probably not. They probably would have been acquired/influence by the Nords if not from Spanish and French. Their rise to power would have been forestalled if at all.
It is hard to assess simply because the Roman Empire's influence is the only history we have. Personally, I would think that the unification of Britain would have been prolonged without Roman influence, and would have drawn more Nordic influence. They may have become a power eventually if they took advantage of the Nordic influence in Canada, however, the Nords did not colonize Canada as the Spanish colonized South America.
DeleteSo no, probably not. They probably would have been acquired/influence by the Nords if not from Spanish and French. Their rise to power would have been forestalled if at all.
I agree that the Roman's colonization of England had a powerful effect on the English. However, it does influence the English in what they would later do as they try to pull together the United Kingdom in their many attempts to colonize Scotland, Ireland and their success in colonizing Wales. After gaining control of Wales, they built walls around their Welsh cities and forced the "barbaric" Welsh people to live outside of these walls, only allowing domestic slaves inside the walls during the daytime with all of the other Welsh being forced to stay without doing hard labor. It would seem that Romes influence over the English lasts for several centuries as England develops its own identity and becomes a world power.
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