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The Celts
From around 750 BC to 12 BC, the Celts were the most powerful people in central and northern Europe. There were many groups (tribes) of Celts, speaking a vaguely common language. The word Celt comes from the Greek word, Keltoi, which means barbarians and is properly pronounced as "Kelt".
No-one called the people living in Britain during the Iron Age, Celts until the eighteenthcentury. In fact the Romans called these people Britons, not Celts. The name Celts is a 'modern' name and is used to collectively describe all the many tribes of people living during the Iron Age.
The Iron Age Celts lived 750 years before Jesus was born. The Iron Age ended in AD43 when the Romans invaded Britain.
The period of time in Britain immediately before the Roman period is known as the IronAge. The name 'Iron Age' comes from the discovery of a new metal called iron. The Celts found out how to make iron tools and weapons.
Before the Iron Age the only metal used in Britain to make tools was bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin (hence the Bronze Age).
The Celts lived across most of Europe during the Iron Age.
Several hundred years before Julius Caesar, they occupied many partsof central and western Europe, especially what are now Austria, Switzerland, southern France and Spain. Over several years, in wave after wave, they spread outwards, taking over France and Belgium, and crossing to Britain.
Northwest Europe was dominated by three main Celtic groups:
The Gauls
The Britons
The Gaels





The Romans
The Romans invaded England in 43 AD. They landed in Kent,made their way to the River Thames and sailed up it. The Romans knew it was important to control a crossing point at the river Thames, so they decided to build a settlement on the north bank. They chose a spot in two small hills and where the river became narrower. They built a bridge over the Thames, and there has been a 'London Bridge' in the same area ever since.
The Romans laid out buildings,streets and a port, and shortly afterwards they built a bridge. They called the settlement Londinium and it soon became the capital of Roman Britain.
In AD 61 the native Iceni tribe, led by Queen Boudicca, rose up against the Romans. They burnt Londinium to the ground and killed all its inhabitants.
The Romans regained control and rebuilt London, this time adding a Forum (market) and Basilica (abusiness centre), and slowly building a wall around the city to protect it from further invasion. The Romans ruled in Britain until 410.
The population of Roman London was between 12,000 and 20,000.
In Roman times, the River Thames was 300 meters wide
(today it is 100 meters wide).












Saxons and the Vikings
Later in the 5th century, Anglo-Saxons settled just west ofLondinium and formed the town of Lundenwic. Saxon London consisted of many wooden huts with thatched roofs.
Disaster struck London in 842 when the Danish Vikings looted London. They returned in 851 and this time they burned a large part of the town. King Alfred the Great totally defeated the Danes in 878 and they split the country between them. The Danes took eastern England including London whileAlfred took the South and West. Despite the peace treaty Alfred's men took London in 886. Alfred repaired the walls of the old Roman town. In 1016 the Vikings attacked London again but this time the Saxons fought them off.
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady."
It is thought that this nursery rhyme probably records an attackagainst London by the Viking, Olaf, at the beginning of the 11th Century. King Olaf of Norway attacked England but he was unable to sails up the Thames past London Bridge. At that time London Bridge was made of wood. Olaf and his men tied ropes to the wooden struts supporting it. They then rowed away and London Bridge collapsed.
The Vikings and Saxons ruled jointly England until 1042, when Edward...