ANGLO-SAXONS.
In the later Empire. according to the Yolitia Dignitatum, Britain formed a diocese of the pre fecture of Gaul and was subdivided into five provinces: .Marina Orsariensis, [(lien! la, Britan nia Prima, Britannia Sccunda, and Maria Ca'sa riensis. The boundaries of these provinces are very uncertain. To insure the obedience of the natives, at least three Roman legions were usu ally in Britain. Under the Roma ns. many towns (colonic- and municipia)—fifty-six are enumer ated by Ptolemy—arose in Britain. and were the means of diffusing Roman law and civilization over the country. Among the most important. were: Load/n/11in (London), Eborarum (York), 1 erulamium (Saint Albans). ramulodunum (Colchester). Durorcraum (Canterbury), Yenta Icenarum (Norwich), Aqmr Solis (Bath), and Lindum (Lincoln). The Ponnans built many roads (strata), of which there are still numerous remains. ( See WATLING STREET.) They also developed Britannia into a corn-growing country. Druidism was the religion of the Britons at their conquest by the Romans, hut the latter intro duced Christianity and Roman learning into the country. There are many remains still ex tant of the presence of the Romans in Britain, such as camps, roads, ruins of Inmses, fines, altars, mosaic pavements, painted metallic implements and ornaments, weapons, tools. utensils, pottery. coins, sculptures, bronzes, inscriptions, etc. These remains show that the Romans sought to render their British conquests perma nent. and that they had greatly improved the arts of the ancient Britons, as is evident on comparing the remains with the far ruder native antiquities of the British pre-Roman or prehistoric era. such as tumuli, barrows. earth
works, so-called Druidical monoliths, and circles. cromlechs, cairns, pottery, weapons. tools, uten sils and ornaments, etc. .1Iany of the Roman remains in Britain also show that the Romans had introduced into the country the refinements and luxuries of Rome itself.
Under the term Britannia, Great Britain has been personified in the line arts as a female seated on a globe or on an island roek, leaning with one arm on a shield, with the other hand grasping a spear or a trident. The first example of this personification is on a Roman coin of Antoninus Pius (died A.D. 161). The figure re appears first on the copper coinage of England in the reign of Charles II. (1665) : the celebrated beauty, Aliss Stewart, afterwards Duchess of Richmond. is said to have served as model to the engraver Philip Roctticr. The Britannia that appears on the reverse of British copper coins since 1825 was the design of Air. W. \Vyon. (See NumtsmATics.) Among a considerable nmn ber of good hooks on ancient Britain, consult especially: Elton, Origins of English History (London, 1882) ; and Sea rth, Roman Britain. (London, 1883). Bury, in The Student's Boman Empire (London. 1893), gives a very accurate account of the conquest.