ROMAN BRITAIN, 55 B.C.; 43-410 A.D.

A CIVILIZATION WHICH DID NOT CIVILIZE

16. Europe shortly before Caesar's Invasion of Britain.

Before considering the Roman invasion of Britain let us take a glance
at the condition of Europe. We have seen that the tribes (S2) of
Britain, like those of Gaul (France), were not mere savages. On the
contrary, we know that they had taken more than one important step in
the path of progress; still the advance should not be overrated, for
north of the shores of the Mediterranean there was no real
civilization.

[1] Reference Books on this Period will be found in the Classified
List of Books in the Appendix. The pronunciation of names will be
found in the Index. The Leading Dates stand unenclosed; all others
are in parentheses.

17. Caesar's Campaigns.

Such was the state of Europe when Julius Caesar, who was governor of
Gaul, but who aspired to be ruler of the world, set out on his first
campaign against the tribes north of the Alps (58 B.C.).

In undertaking the war he had three objects in view: First, he wished
to crush the power of those restless hordes that threatened the safety
of the Roman Republic. Next, he sought military fame in the hope that
it would make him supreme ruler of that Republic. Lastly, he wanted
money to maintain his army and to bribe the party leaders of Rome to