1. The Hallaton Treasure and the Romans

2. Who lived in Britain before the Romans arrived?
“I am Seren of the Corieltavi tribe.
I will tell you about Iron Age life.
The Romans are coming and we must protect our land.”

3. It was the period when people used
What was the Iron Age?
It was the period when people used
_ _ _ _
for the first time.
What did Iron Age people use
iron to make?

4. When was the Iron Age? Do you know what BC and AD mean?
It is different across the world but for
Britain it fell between c. 800 BC and AD 43
Do you know what BC and AD mean?

5. What is the Hallaton Treasure?
Around 2000 years ago, people gathered at a shrine near Hallaton to
worship their gods.
A shrine is an open-air religious site
People buried thousands
of coins and celebrated with great feasts.

6. What was found at Hallaton?
Archaeologists found coins and some silver objects, thousands of pig bones and the remains of a Roman helmet.
The oldest Roman coin ever found in Britain was found at Hallaton. It was made in 211 BC (Before Christ).
Over 5000 gold and silver coins were found
Coins being excavated from
the Iron Age shrine near Hallaton

7. What can the Hallaton Treasure tell us?
The Treasure was buried around the time of the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43
Iron Age people didn’t read or write and we don’t know much about life in the Iron Age before the Romans arrived
Iron Age people may have received gifts from the Romans and been on their side
Iron Age people were making coins and metal objects
Lots of people were meeting at Hallaton
The people at Hallaton may have been worried about Romans so asked gods for help by sacrificing things

8. What was Iron Age life like before the Romans invaded?
Some Iron Age people were farmers, some were craftsmen who made pots, jewellery and metal tools
Most Iron Age people lived in
roundhouses made of wattle and
daub (panels of woven wood and
mud used to fill the gaps) with 20–30 members of their family
The Romans said Iron Age
people wore colourful, long woollen clothes
Iron Age people wore brooches, necklaces and armlets made of bronze and gold

9. Iron Age people lived in tribes
Can you see the tribe that Seren belonged to?
It covers the area we call the East Midlands

10. Why did the Romans invade Britain?
We don’t know exactly…
They had heard from traders that Britain had many riches and wanted to take it’s land and precious metals like iron, silver and gold
Roman leaders wanted to become more popular amongst Roman people by conquering a new land and making Rome more powerful
What do you think?

11. Would you have welcomed the Romans or fought them?
The Romans said that when in battle, Iron Age people painted their skin with blue woad
They spiked their hair into points and dyed it with limewash
Iron Age women took part in battles and ruled tribes, for example Boudicca of the Iceni tribe
Iron Age warriors, Dover Museum, Stephen Arnold
Why might Iron Age people have gone into battle made up like this?

12. Why did Iron Age people make sacrifices to their gods?
Iron Age people sacrificed valuable items like coins or food to their gods
Over 300 pigs were eaten or sacrificed at the Hallaton shrine
Pigs were generally only eaten either at special occasions or by important people
The Hallaton Treasure may have been buried as sacrifices
What might Iron Age people have been asking their gods for protection from?

13. Find out more about these words
Archaeologist
Roundhouse
Excavated
Limewash
Armlet
Settlement
Tribe
Woad
Shrine
Sacrifice
Invader