This they did in the second campaign of Agricola, about the year 79
A.D., and the Roman power was due to the divided factions and parties
of the Britons, who, though they might have kings and all the outward
show of sovereignty, were merely puppets in the hands of the conquerors.
From this year to 400 the Romans steadily evolved a unity of their own
in Britain. On their departure, history tells us how the British
implored them to come back and protect them, so helpless had they become
in the art of attack and defence.
As Evrauc belonged to the Brigantes, we may take it that it was the
chief town of the British in the north when it passed into the hands of
the Romans after the defeat of Caractacus. By them it was called
Eboracum, and became the metropolitan of the north, the military capital
and centre of the Romans in Britain.
The original Roman city was rectangular in form and of considerable
dimensions. It is supposed to have been laid out in imitation of ancient
Rome, on the east bank of the Ouse. A temple to Bellona was erected as
well as a praetorium, in which the emperors sat, for Eboracum was
honoured by the great heads of Rome. The first to reside here was
Hadrian, in 120, whilst Severus died in the city in 211. This last had
come over with his sons, Caracalla and Geta, and a large army, and the
attendance of his whole court. His time was busily engaged in reducing
the troublesome Britons to proper submission. The two sons nobly helped
their aged father. Caracalla completed the erection of a strong wall of
stone nearly eighty miles long, close to the rampart of earth raised by
Hadrian, in accordance with the wish of Severus, to form a more
effectual barrier against future incursions of the natives. During the
residence of the court, Eboracum reached to the highest state of
splendour. The constant visits of tributary kings and foreign
ambassadors, who came to pay their allegiance to Rome, caused it to be
unsurpassed among the cities of the world, so much so that it came to be
called "Altera Rome." The remains of the Emperor Severus, though he died
here in 212, were enclosed in an urn and sent to Rome.
The Emperor Constantius Chlorus died also in Eboracum in 307. His son,
Constantius the Great, was present at his father's death, and by the
army proclaimed emperor.
After 409 the Greek and Latin writers tell us that Britain was no longer
ruled by the Romans. Their statements are borne out by the Saxon
Chronicle. This did not mean that there was a general exodus of the
Latin race or civilisation, for the connection of Rome with its British
provinces did not cease suddenly, though the tie gradually became
weakened, because from 409 Roman officials probably ceased to be sent
regularly. Britain still considered itself to be Roman, and the
inhabitants, or rather the upper classes, continued to speak Latin. Even
in the sixth century they were pleased to call themselves "Romani," and
held themselves aloof from the surrounding barbarians--a term which we
know was applied by the Romans to tribes, not necessarily because they
were uncivilised, but rather as a convenient mark of distinction from
themselves. Since their departure from Britain, archaeologists have found
rich mines of Roman remains in every place of their occupation, and none
more so than at York; but to enumerate the many discoveries would
require more space than can here be allotted. Suffice it to say that the
"multangular tower" is a notable evidence of the Roman occupation,
though it is much dilapidated.
The city was frequently assailed by the Picts and Scots, and after the
arrival of the Saxons it suffered considerably from the many wars that
arose between the Britons and their new allies, as well as in the
struggle for supremacy during the establishment of the several kingdoms
of the Octarchy, and other minor wars. Early in the seventh century
Eboracum underwent a change. By the Saxons the city was called Euro wic,
Euore wic, and Eofor wic, which by Leland is supposed to have been
borrowed from its situation on the river Eure, now known as the Ouse;
but by what process these titles came to be contracted into its present
name of York seems rather difficult to account. However, under the name
of Eoforwic, the city flourished as the capital of the Bretwaldas early
in the seventh century. Consequent on the conversion of Edwin, King of
Northumbria, to Christianity, resulting from his marriage to Ethelburga,
daughter of King Ethelbert of Kent, the city was erected in 624 into an
archiepiscopal see, over which Paulinus, the confessor of the Queen, was
made primate. In addition to this, Edwin had constituted the city as the
metropolitan of his kingdom. Edwin's work upon the church, which he
dedicated to St. Peter, and the missionary work of Paulinus, were
suddenly suspended by an attack of the Britons under Cadwallo in 633.
Edwin was killed, whilst Ethelburga escaped into Kent with Paulinus. The
church in the meantime was allowed to decay until it was restored by
Oswald, successor to Edwin. He managed to regain possession of his
kingdom after a sanguinary conflict with Cadwallo, who, with the
chief officers, was killed during the fight.
[Illustration: YORK