KS2 History: Life in Roman Britain (animation)

NARRATOR:It is 1,800 years ago. The Romans have invaded and taken over much of Britain. They build new forts and Roman roads that link the areas they’ve conquered.

ROMAN COMMANDER:Remember we need one fort every mile. We must have this finished by the time the Emperor Hadrian arrives.

NARRATOR:They build new Roman towns, often in exactly the same places where native Britons have been living for thousands of years.

NARRATOR:With new Roman style buildings, public baths, temples, market places and amphitheatres where people can watch gladiators fight to the death.

QUINTUS:Yeah, yeah, yeah.

QUINTUS:Uh!

QUINTUS:Oh no, my father’s military scarf, his [focale], I had it with me, find it.

NARRATOR:In rich people’s homes, slaves look after under floor heating to keep out the chilly British weather.

ROMAN MOTHER:Now make sure my birthday invitations are all delivered today.

QUINTUS:Shame father will miss the party.

QUINTUS:Ouch.

CORNELIA:Look at me Quintus, I’m dad, I’m a Roman Commander fighting those barbarians.

ROMAN MOTHER:You can’t be a Roman Commander Cornelia. Girls aren’t allowed to join the army.

CORNELIA:That’s not fair, I want to fight.

QUINTUS:Father’s not fighting at the moment. He’s building a wall for Emperor Hadrian.

CORNELIA:In Rome?

QUINTUS:No, here in Britannia, up north.

CORNELIA:But he’s been gone for ages.

QUINTUS:Well it’s a very long wall.

NARRATOR:Hadrian’s wall in Northern Britain is built to mark where the Roman Empire ends, and what the Romans call, barbarian territory begins.

NARRATOR:It stretches right across the country from coast to coast. As well as Hadrian’s wall, the Romans build roads, forts and even towns across the country. But building is expensive. To cover the costs, the people are made to pay the Romans the tax whether they like it or not.

ROMAN SOLDER:Pay the tax, this wall wasn’t built for free you know.

NARRATOR:Education is also expensive. So well-off families have slaves to teach their children.

QUINTUS:26 add 13, oh, father will be so angry with me when he finds out his focale has been stolen.

TEACHER:You must put a curse on the thief. The goddess [Sulis] will deal with him.

QUINTUS:I call upon the most holy goddess, Sulis, to curse the thief who’s stolen my father's focale, and not allow them food or sleep until the scarf is returned.

NARRATOR:Curses are written as a way of getting revenge, and are thrown into the sacred springs.

NARRATOR:The Romans believe the power of the water goddess lives there and she will carry out the curse.

THIEF:No food or sleep, oh no!.

THIEF:I better get this back to that boy or I’ll never get any rest.

ROMAN MOTHER:Just a moment, that’s your father’s military scarf. What’s been going on?

QUINTUS:Thank you Sulis.

ROMAN MOTHER:Welcome, welcome. Here we have dormouse dipped in honey and poppy seeds, bring our guests the very best fermented fish sauce.

ROMAN COMMANDER:Thank goodness the heating’s on.

ROMAN CHILDREN:Dad.

QUINTUS:Here’s your scarf, I’ve looked after it really carefully.

ROMAN COMMANDER:Seems like I arrived just in time. Ah, just what a man needs after working hard for the Roman Empire.

CORNELIA:Pater, where is the Roman Empire?

ROMAN COMMANDER:Good question, well we’re part of it here; it stretches all the way from Hadrian’s Wall, right the way down to Southern Britannia, then right across to Italia and beyond, and down as far as Egypt.

CORNELIA:That’s a big empire.

ROMAN COMMANDERYes it is a very great empire. I reckon it’ll last forever.