Year 4 - History
Towns in Roman Britain
The Romans: what impact did the Romans have on Britain?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn how and why Claudius invaded Britain, Boudica's resistance to Roman rule, and how far various aspects of life in Britain changed under Roman rule. The unit is focused on the second-order concepts of change and continuity.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how many Roman towns in Britain were designed.
Key Notes
- The largest settlements built by the Celts were small hillforts.
- The Ancient Romans introduced towns, connected by roads across Britain.
- Cirencester (Corinium Dobunnorum) was Roman Britain's second largest town.
- Towns like Cirencester were designed in grids with the forum in the centre and some had aqueducts.
- Some big towns like Cirencester had amphitheatres which were used for public entertainment.
Vocabulary To Learn
- hillfort: a Celtic hillfort was built on top of a hill and surrounded by wooden fences for protection
- amphitheatre: an amphitheatre was a large arena that hosted public entertainment like gladiator fights
- forum: a forum was an important area in the middle of an Ancient Roman town where people would meet
- aqueduct: an aqueduct was a series of bridges used to transport clean drinking water to towns
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that all people in Roman Britain lived in Roman towns.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
The largest settlements built by the Celts were small hillforts. The Ancient Romans introduced towns, connected by roads across Britain.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'hillfort'
a Celtic hillfort was built on top of a hill and surrounded by wooden fences for protection.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may think that all people in Roman Britain lived in Roman towns. Correction: Make it clear to pupils that although many people came to the towns, Britain remained largely rural, with lots of small Celtic settlements.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 4 History guide library.