When the Romans arrived nearly 2,000 years ago, northern Britain was divided - just as it is today - about whether it wanted to be part of a larger Europe, or go it alone. STEPHEN LEWIS reports on a series of fascinating lectures which will shed life on early Roman Yorkshire

So what did the Romans ever do for Yorkshire?

No, it's not a joke question - but a serious attempt to understand the impact that the Romans had on our world today.

York-based historian Rob Wright will be running a short course starting later this month on behalf of the conservation charity PLACE which will look at the early days of Roman Yorkshire - and the legacy the Romans left behind.

There are some surprising parallels between those early days after the arrival of the Romans and Britain today, he says.

In 2018 we are in many ways a nation divided over the issue of Europe. Do we want to be part of the wider European project - or go it alone?

In some ways, Yorkshire was similarly divided two thousands years ago, when the Romans first came.

“The Romans got a foothold by swaying the queen of the Brigantes – Yorkshire’s Iron Age tribe - who became their ally," Rob says. "But her husband didn’t share her enthusiasm to join the empire and the region erupted into violence."

Back then, there was only ever going to be one winner, however - and it wasn't the cause of British independence. "When Roman York was established the legions were here to stay,” Rob says.

What followed was a cultural revolution. Mediterranean style villas with magnificent floor mosaics were built on primitive Iron Age round houses, towns like Aldborough, Catterick and Malton developed, and at least some locals became thoroughly European in tastes. York emerged as a seat of power for emperors including Constantine and Septimus Severus.

To this day, the county is dotted with relics from this imperial past when the legions came and stayed for nearly 350 years, making York their northern capital.

But what was life actually like back then? How did the native population adjust to their new overlords and did they fight back or become absorbed in a new culture? And what happened when the period of Roman occupation came to an end, and the Romanised people of what is now Yorkshire were left to fend for themselves?

"We’ll unpick the period and try and make sense of it all and also describe the fateful period when the storm clouds gathered," Rob says. "Having romanised Yorkshire, the empire withdrew its soldiers from about 410 AD, issuing an edict that citizens were allowed to arm themselves for protection. The Roman period was soon to end, opening the door to the Anglo Saxons.”

  • Roman Yorkshire, a series of six two hour talks, will run at the King's Manor, York between May 24 and June 28. The talks are on May 24, May 31, June 6, June 15, June 21 and June 29, all from 7-9pm. The cost of the full course is £25 (£20 for unwaged or retired people), or £5 for individual sessions. To find out more or book places contact place@yorksj.ac.uk, use the booking form at www.place.uk.com or or send a cheque made payable to PLACE to Dr Margaret Atherden, PLACE Office, York St John University, Lord Mayor's Walk, York, YO31 7EX.