B.C. - 802 A.D.

Julius Caesar invaded Britain about 55-54 B.C. He won all the major battles but was unable to establish Roman rule, perhaps because the tribes and clans that lived there were so fiercely independent.

In 46 A.D., Claudius brought another Roman legion and tried to complete the job. He was more successful and history reflects that the Romans ruled there, followed by the Norse and Danes, until the Normans came in 1066. But, in fact, no one ruled Britain at the time. From what we know, the British Isles were inhabited before 802 A.D. by tribes and clans that constantly fought each other much like is seen today (2002) in Africa and Central Asia (i.e., Afghanistan).

From the time Claudius arrived, there were pockets of oranized rule controlled by Rome, and later, Rome controlled organized religion through the Pope. But it was 750 years after Claudius that Egbert became the First King of England.

For an impression of what England was like from 1 A.D. until Egbert became king, see The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Another reference is a map of the Isles c.843.