About 2,000 years ago the British Isles were inhabited by the Celts. During the next 1,000 years there were many invasions:
1. The Romans. In 55 B.C. the Roman General Julius Caesar led his army across the sea from Gaul to Britain. But the Celts fought bravely, and Caesar soon went back to Gaul. Next year, the Romans came back. This time Caesar captured a Celtic hill-fort, but then again he went away. Nearly a hundred years later, in A.D. 43, the Romans returned: Emperor Claudius sent an army to invade Britain and the southern half of the island was made part of the Roman Empire. The Roman province of Britannia only covered the areas of modern England and Wales. The area of modern Scotland was never finally conquered. In calling the country 'Britannia', the Romans gave Britain its name.
