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Dark ages – After Roman Britain

Below is a detailed article about the dark ages experienced in England after the Romans left the country. There was a sudden change in the system of working of the government along with the administration that is referred to as a rough time period in Great Britain. Let us learn the details below.

Post Roman Britain Dark Ages

In the year, 476 AD, a German prince from a Germanic tribe called Oduvacar defeated Roman Emperor Augustulus. He also defeated him and his military in Italy. This replaced the Roman King with many other kings and princes in the vast expanse that had been under Roman control. The Roman empire was now finished after a long rule of 500 years across many parts of Europe.

roman-emperor-augustulus
Roman Emperor Augustulus

The different rulers that captured the provinces after the Roman downfall was from a non – roman origin. They were the descendants of the immigrants that got hold of the different areas their ancestors migrated into. Most of them were Anglo Saxons in Britain, the Goths in southern Gaul and Spain and the Vandal community in the North of Africa.

The end of the Roman empire was marked as a major event in the history of humans. There was a political revolution in the whole of Europe due to new conquests which made a vast difference in the daily life of the people in England as well as other parts where the Roman Empire fell.

The fall of Rome was a period that marks the end of education and literacy, the phenomenal architecture, trade was affected in many ways and the economic interaction built by the Romans was completely broken. As people did not know how to read or write, there was no written form of law as the Romans maintained.

It also affected the spread of Christianity in England. While the people of England under the Roman Empire were Christian, due to the barbaric invasions many pagan religions were introduced to the people and pagan practices began to take place. Not only that, these practices included animal sacrifices and violent prayers that were not civil. However, eventually, the spread of Christianity increased slowly

Life of the people was highly affected. Life expectancy became much shorter due to change in systems, people’s forceful migration, and unexpected warfare. It was brutal and led to a stop in human progress.

However, the Roman empire too had its flaws like the practice of slavery and the social hierarchy which caused injustice in the society. These things were further carried in post-Roman Britain but in a secular way. The fall of Rome put an end of the massive slavery that went on in Rome and therefore, people valued the importance of life and of each other.

Restoration period

Slowly, due to numerous barbaric invasions in England and their settlement during these years, human life became stable. They founded their kingdoms in England – starting from the Kingdom of Kent and then so on. These Kings remained in their kingdoms and safeguarded their boundaries. They were known as the Anglo Saxons. They developed an era of rich artistic culture. They also revived literature by bringing in their languages in the courts.

The daily life of the people was simple and slavery was not a part of Anglo Saxon culture. During the Anglo Saxon era, many works of literature were developed like the poem of Beowulf by an unknown Anglo Saxon author in Old English – the local language of the day.

Therefore, the after Roman Britain period was a tough period known as the Dark Ages in Britain as the people were lost as to what to do next.

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