The Origins and Development of the English Language

Chapter 5: The Old English Period

John Algeo and Thomas Pyles

Michael Cheng National Chengchi University

Human habitation of Britain

Pleistocene

70,000-10,000

One third of the land covered in ice

http://geography.howstuffworks.com/terms-and-associations/ice-age.htm/printable

18,000 years ago

12,000 years ago

Land bridge from UK to Europe

Recolonization 10,000 years ago

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ahob/Picture_Library/repopulation/index.html

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ahob/Picture_Library/repopulation/Full_Size/Goughsskull.JPG

Roman Conquests

55 BCE Julius Caesar has conquered Gaul and now plans to invade Britain

Celts populate Britain

Possibly wanted to keep the British Celts from aiding the Celts in Gaul

No success

Roman Conquests

54 BCE Julius Caesar tries again

Storms, loses cavalry

No success

Too late in the year

Caesar returns to Gaul

Roman Conquests

53 BCE

Better preparation

Establishes landing in southeast

Successful campaigns

Exacts tribute (not paid)

Returns to Gaul

Roman Conquests

43 CE

Emperor Claudius invades Britain

Army of 40,000 prepared and sent to Britain

3 year campaign leads to control of central and southeastern Britainb

http://cominganarchy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/rombrit.gif

Roman Conquests

Rome controls the southern part of Britain for over 300 years

Roman culture brought to Britain

Roman bathshttp://www.travelsinireland.com/england/roman.htmhttp://www.workmall.com/wfb2001/united_kingdom/roman_statue_bath_england_photo.jpg

http://image18.webshots.com/18/4/89/70/362148970KFjXuQ_fs.jpghttp://concierge.typepad.com/cntraveler__perrinpost/images/roman_baths_in_bath_england.jpg

http://www.old-picture.com/europe/Circular-Abbey-Roman-Baths.htm

http://www.itraveluk.co.uk/photos/data/654/medium/medusa-roman-mosaic.jpg

http://www.itraveluk.co.uk/photos/data/654/medium/roman-floor-mosaic.jpghttp://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users12/angrylambie/default/detail-roman-bathhouse-floor-mosaic--large-msg-115980502527.jpg

Roman Amphitheatrehttp://press.rogueshakespeare.com/Roman%20Amphitheatre%20pan%202001.jpg

http://www.paracletesystems.co.uk/inj/inj050roman.htm

Fosse Way

Roman road

Bristol to Lincoln

40-50 CE

Fort by Hadrian’s Wallhttp://hawketravelpics.blogspot.com/2007/10/england2.html

http://hawketravelpics.blogspot.com/2007/10/england2.html

The wall took 8 years to build, and was built by soldiers from the occupying Roman legions under orders from Emperor Hadrian. It's 73.5 miles long (80 Roman miles) and when it was built, it was 16-20 feet high and 10 feet wide. There was a milecastle every Roman mile, and two guard towers in between each milecastle.

410 CE – Alaric I King of the Visigoths sacks Rome

Rome pulls its legions out of Britain to protect RomePicts and Scots raid BritainVortigern appeals to Germanic tribes on the continent for help449 the brothers Hengest and Horsa of the Jute tribe come to his aid and drive off the raiders

Britons seen as weak

Other tribes invited over by the Jutes

Angli

Saxons

Frisians

Germanic tribes drive off the Celtic Britons and take over their land

Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy

Northumbria

Mercia

East Anglia

Essex

Wessex

Sussex

Kent

England is prosperous

Sutton Hoo

Viking Attacks

787 first Viking attack at Dorsetshire

793 Lindisfarne sacked

865 Viking army lands at East Anglia and takes over northern England

Army moves on Wessex and chases away King Alfred

Longship

871 Alfred defeats Vikings at Ashdown

878 Alfred defeats Vikings at Edington

Treaty of Wedmore

Guthrun accepts Christianity

Vikings retreat to northern England

The Danelaw is established

Danelawhttp://people.eku.edu/bennetth/720/old_english/danelaw.gifhttp://www.chobham.info/images/com534a.jpg