Romans in Britain
New food and medicine
Glass flask discovered intact during excavations at Corbridge Roman Town, near Hadrian’s Wall.
The Romans introduced many new foods to Britain. The Romans introduced over 50 new kinds of food plants: fruits such as fig, grape, apple, pear, cherry, plum, damson, mulberry, date and olive; vegetables such as cucumber and celery; nuts, seeds and pulses such as lentil, pine nut, almond, walnut and sesame; and herbs and spices including coriander, dill and fennel.
In the Roman period these new foods became much more widely available and revolutionised the diet of people in the growing cities and small towns, where market gardens and orchards growing cash crops must have become a common sight.
Many of the new herbs were valued for more than just their nutritional qualities. Knowledge of their possible medicinal uses was widespread. Anyone suffering from ill-health in Roman Britain might have had the option of turning to a professional doctor, if they had the money to pay – and then only if they had access to the kind of urban environment where doctors could be found.
Economical growth
Coins from the late 4th century
The only possible means of meeting the supply requirements of the immense army in Britain was the development of a money economy.
There was a gradual shift away from imports from the Mediterranean and Gaul as the local economy grew. Army supply became more and more local, with few imports.
The growth of the economy could be seen in the growth of the small towns. These urban centres had sizeable populations performing well-developed industrial or commercial activities, most commonly ironworking, pottery and glass manufacture.
They were places where agricultural products and services could be exchanged.
Also, a benefit of the pax Romana was the trading links made between Britain and other provinces, now sharing a largely common currency. Goods reached Britain from all parts of the empire and there were especially strong bonds with the Gaulish, Spanish and German provinces.
Roman Roads
As Roman power extended across England, so did the road network. Eventually a system was created that linked the south coast ports to Hadrian’s Wall and even reached into what is now Scotland.
The roads built by or for the army not only served to link forts and towns as they developed, but were also essential for trade. Moving goods by water was cheaper than overland transport, however, so the road network linked with the sea and inland ports.
Peace and order
With the presence of a large roman army in the island, the endemic warfare between celtic tribes will decrease.
We will have peace at last and peace is good for the prosperity of our communities. Our children will live without the burden of warmongering.