Britain, Iron Age

In around 750 BCE, iron working techniques reach Britain from Southern Europe.

Iron is stronger and more plentiful than bronze, and its introduction marks the beginning of the Iron Age.

Iron working revolutionizes many aspects of life, most importantly agriculture.

Iron tipped plows can churn up land far more quickly and deeply than older wooden or bronze ones, and iron axes can clear forest land far more efficiently for agriculture.

There is a landscape of arable, pasture and managed woodland.

There are many enclosed settlements and land ownership is important.Iron Age Britons lived in organized tribal groups, ruled by a chieftain.

As people become more numerous, wars break out between opposing tribes.

This is traditionally interpreted as the reason for the building of hill forts, although the siting of some earthworks on the sides of hills undermines their defensive value, hence "hill forts" may represent increasing communal areas or even 'Elite Areas'.

However some hillside constructions may simply have been cow enclosures.

Although the first had been built about 1500 BCE, hillfort building peaks during the later Iron Age.

There are over 2000 Iron Age hillforts known in Britain.

By about 350 BCE, many hillforts go out of use and the remaining ones are reinforced.

Pytheas is quoted as writing that the Britons are renowned wheat farmers.

Large farmsteads produce food in industrial quantities and Roman sources note that Britain exports hunting dogs, animal skins and slaves.The last centuries before the Roman invasion see an influx of mixed Germanic-Celtic speaking refugees from Gaul (approximately modern day France and Belgium) known as the Belgae, who ware displaced as the Roman Empire expanded around 50 BCE.

They settled along most of the coastline of Southern Britain between about 200 BCE and CE 43, although it is hard to estimate what proportion of the population there they form.

A Gaulish tribe known as the Parisii, who has cultural links to the continent, appears in Northeast England.From around 175 BCE, the areas of Kent, Hertfordshire and Essex develop especially advanced pottery-making skills.

The tribes of Southeast England become partially Romanised and are responsible for creating the first settlements (oppida) large enough to be called towns.The last centuries before the Roman invasion see increasing sophistication in British life.

About 100 BCE, iron bars begin to be used as currency, while internal trade and trade with continental Europe flourishes, largely due to Britain's extensive mineral reserves.

Coinage is developed, based on continental types but bearing the names of local chieftains.

This is used in Southeast England, but not in areas such as Dumnonia in the west.As the Roman Empire expanded northwards, Rome begins to take interest in Britain.

This may have been caused by an influx of refugees from Roman occupied Europe, or Britain's large mineral reserves.

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