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The Romans in Britain

The true extent of the Emperor Augustus's power can be found in the exile of the great poet, Ovid in AD 8. Just why he was punished is not clear; however, having offended the emperor he was sent to an island in the middle of nowhere. So clear was Augustus's authority, Ovid was told to go and go he went.

Throughout the empire, the emperor's word ensured stability and even peace. To counter external threats, he bribed potential enemies not to attack the borders; without internal challenge, life went on without interruption. The distribution of powers was balanced, if not equitable. Augustus, army, senate: the power flowed in diminishing proportions in that order while the people were content with adequate food and peaceful prosperity. This extraordinary state of affairs lasted for the next 150 years or so. Skirmishes in Britain with the Scots and Welsh were easily dealt with; while the 'English' seemed also to prosper with the rest of the empire.

Having such extensive, despotic powers was a temptation which felled some emperors like Caligula and Tiberius. Yet there were enlightened rulers, indeed liberal as we would understand the term. The following is from a letter Trajan wrote to Pliny the Younger who had asked for guidance on the growing number of Christians and their 'superstition'.

They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it--that is, by worshiping our gods--even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon through repentance. But anonymously posted accusations ought to have no place in any prosecution. For this is both a dangerous kind of precedent and out of keeping with the spirit of our age.

There were something like 15,000 legionaries stationed in Britain -- it was officially a province, as was Gaul and Lusitania, for example -- who were supported by perhaps three times that number of auxiliaries.

It's worth remembering that the majority of the Roman Empire's armed forces were not exclusively Romans, and were probably not even born in Italy. There weren't enough citizens for that. The legions recruited throughout the empire; one of the bonuses was retirement in a colony such as Lincoln -- and great cash gifts or 'donatives' on the accession of a new emperor. These sweeteners meant later that the soldiers would decide the new emperor.

This lack of native soldiers and the use of 'mercenaries' to fight Rome's battles was one of the primary reasons Edward Gibbon cited for the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

It's likely that Horncastle was garrisoned by auxiliaries; while Lindum would have been home to some legionaries. [The legions' main bases were at York, Chester, and Caerleon.] Horncastle was simply a small fort on the way to Lincoln -- and further north -- which in time became a major centre of power. In fact, it was designated a colonia in AD 98 . [York had to wait until AD 237.]

Like most imperial troops, the Romans treated Britons with disdain and contempt. This is scarcely surprising. British troops in the British Empire were disdainful and contemptuous of all local inhabitants in Africa and the Far East; the Americans effectively destroyed the Indians.