Prehistoric Britain timeline
Here is a timeline for Britain before the Romans arrived, from the earliest human presence and the arrival of Homo Sapiens.
c700-800,000BC
The earliest humanoid presence in Britain at Happisburgh.
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c485,000BC
Boxgrove Man (Homo heidelbergensis) – the oldest humanoid fossil found in Britain so far.
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c350,000BC
Swanscombe woman.
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c25,000BC
Arrival of Homo Sapiens – our early ancestors.
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c12-10,000BC
Permanent human settlement begins.
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c8,000-6,000BC
Last Ice Age ends in Europe.
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c6,000BC
Last land bridge separating Britain from the rest of Europe was swept away.
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c4,000-2,500BC
Neolithic period – the first farmers, possibly arrivals from the east.
Early enclosures and burial chambers.
Later Neolithic period sees the construction of henges and stone circles.
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c3,000BC
Construction of Stonehenge begun.
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c2,500-750BC
Bronze Age – round barrows (burial chambers), villages and the first hill forts are built.
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c1,200BC
Construction of roundhouses.
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c750BC
The Iron Age.
The arrival of the Celts, probably in waves. Hill forts are a typical feature of settlement.
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c500BC
Construction of brochs in Scotland.
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c300BC
Somerset lake villages.
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c100BC
Coins are in use.
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55BC
Immediately before the Roman invasion, Britain is peopled by a number of different tribes. Their names come to us from Roman writers and include the Durotriges in modern Dorset/Wiltshire, the Atrebates in parts of Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire, the Iceni in Norfolk and Suffolk, the Brigantes in Yorkshire, Durham and Lancashire, the Votadini in south east Scotland, the Caledones in the Highlands and the Picts in north east Scotland.
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55 and 54BC
Julius Caesar invades southern Britain. He exacts tributes from defeated tribes but does not stay.
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43AD
Full-scale Roman conquest of Britain begins.