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Timeline of European and British History – An idiot’s guide!

What happened to the Romans?

218BCRome started off as a city built on Seven Hills. By about 500BC the city had conquered most of Italy

100BC By 100BC they had conquered Greece and parts of Spain, France, Turkey and Africa.

44BC

The Empire continued to expand throughout Europe and Africa

AD116 At the Height of the Empire, the only land left unconquered was land that they didn’t want. Scotland, Ireland and Northern Germany was considered poor farm land with little to offer.

AD275By About 300AD, the politicians in Rome were so busy arguing amongst themselves that the Boundaries were neglected. The Romans began to pull out of some countries.

AD450Barbarian tribes fought for their independence. The purple shading below shows the Empire of Attila the Hun. He was chief of an incredibly powerful Germanic tribe.

AD476

Eventually the Barbarians overran Italy and the great city of Rome was captured. The Roman civilisation crumbled and much of its knowledge was lost. This is why the period from 500AD to 1000AD is sometimes called the Dark Ages.

Anglo Saxon Britain 400-1000AD

Each Anglo-Saxon Kingdom had its own king. The king was responsible for making the law and protecting his people. Sometimes the different kingdoms went to war with each other.

All men over the age of 12 were organised into groups of 10. These were called Tithings.

If one member of the tithing committed a crime and wasn’t caught, the other 9 members of the tithing had to pay the fine.

Members of tithings that were chasing criminals called the Hue and Cry. This was when they asked members of other tithings to help chase criminals.

During Saxon times the position of Shire-Reeve was invented. This was an early form of Sheriff. They helped to organise the Tithings.

They were appointed by the King.

The majority of crime was Theft. This is the same for all time periods.

There was very little violent crime.

Refusing to help the Tithing was a crime.

Selling weapons that are later used in a fight was illegal in most kingdoms

Being a Witch was not strictly illegal. Although you could be executed for murdering someone with witchcraft.

It was a crime if you dog attacked someone.

Normally you were fined.

If you accidentally felled a tree onto someones’ head, you had to give the tree to the widow.

Fighting in front of a king’s official would get you into all kinds of trouble.

If you stole from Church you lost you hand

Falsely releasing the Hue & Cry would also get you in trouble.

Similar to Roman times, the AngloSaxons didn’t like slander.

Slanderers had their tongues cut off.

There weren’t really any new crimes.

Unlike Roman times, a noble sentenced to death, would be executed.

The Blood Feud was the system in which if someone killed a member of your family, you could kill a member of theirs.

In the later Saxon period it was replaced by the Wergild. This was a system of fines that had to be paid to anyone you harmed.

Slavery was given as a punishment for certain crimes.

As with the Romans, prisons were only used to hold people awaiting trial. They preferred to use Stocks and Pillory.

Mutilation is the name given to a punishment that removes part of the body. Such as cutting out the tongue, chopping off ears or removing an arm or leg.

The Kings made the laws in Anglo-Saxon England. They were advised by a council known as the Witan.

There were juries for serious cases but they were made up of people who knew the victim and the accused.

Compurgators were oath swearers who came court to defend the reputation of their friends.

If a Jury couldn’t decide guilt, it went to Trial by Ordeal. This wass based on the theory that God wouldn’t let an innocent man suffer.

There were ordeals by hot water, cold water, hot Iron and consecrated bread.

The Hierarchy of Courts

Royal Courts held by knigs for very important cases

Shire Courts held twice a year by King’s official, dealt with serious cases.

Hundred Courts held once a month to sort minor crimes and organise the tithing.

Manor courts held by lords to sort out their workers.

There were also Church Courts to punish priests that had been naughty.

The Church also began to offer Sanctuary. This was when Outlaws who has escaped their Tithings could go to the church. They would stay there for 40 days and then the priests would escort the criminals to the nearest Port and put them on a boat.