rejoice over the deed, for his eyes dropped | | together with the blessed martyr’s head | | later the magnificent abbey of St. Albans | | commemorate him who had fallen there. \________________/

[2] Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History of Britain,” completed about the year 731. [3] St. Albans:  twenty miles northwest of London. (See map facing p. 16.)

26.  Agricola builds a Line of Forts (7 [END OF LINE MISSING]

When Agricola, a wise and equitable Roman ruler, became governor of Britain he explored the coast, and first discovered Britain to be an island.  He gradually extended the limits of the government, and, in order to prevent invasion from the north, he built a line of forts (completed by Antoninus) across Scotland, from the mouth of the river Forth to the Clyde. (See map facing p. 14.)

From this date the power of Rome was finally fixed.  During the three hundred years which followed, the surface of the country underwent a change.  The Romans cut down forests, drained marshes, reclaimed waste land, and bridged rivers.  Furthermore they made the soil so productive that Britain became known in Rome as the most important grain-producing and grain-exporting province in the Empire.

27.  Roman Cities; London; York.

Where the Britons had once had a humble village enclosed by a ditch and protected by a stockade, the Romans built the cities of Chester, Lincoln, London, York, and other towns, protected by massive walls and towers of stone.  These places have continued to be centers of population ever since.

London early became the Roman commercial metropolis, while the city of York in the north was made the military and civil capital of the country. (See map facing p. 14).  There the Sixth Legion was stationed.  It was the most noted body of troops in the Roman army, and was called the “Victorious Legion.”  It remained there for upwards of three centuries.  There, too, the governor resided and administered justice.  For these reasons York got the name of “another Rome.”

The city had numerous temples and public buildings, such as befitted the Roman capital of Britain.  There an event occurred in the fourth century which made an indelible mark on the history of mankind.  Constantine, the subsequent founder of Constantinople, was proclaimed Emperor at York, and through his influence Christianity became the established religion of the entire Roman Empire.[1]

[1] Constantine was the first Christian Emperor of Rome.  The preceding emperors had generally persecuted the Christians.

28.  Roman System of Government; Roads.

During the Roman possession of Britain the country was differently governed at different periods, but eventually it was divided into five provinces.  These were intersected by a magnificent system of paved roads running in direct lines from city to city, and having London as a common center. (See map facing p. 14.)