New
New
Year 4

How far religion changed under Roman rule

I can explain how far religion changed in Britain after the Celts were conquered.

New
New
Year 4

How far religion changed under Roman rule

I can explain how far religion changed in Britain after the Celts were conquered.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Like the Ancient Romans, whose beliefs had been influenced by the Ancient Greeks, the Celtic people were polytheistic.
  2. In Britain, the Ancient Romans introduced their own gods and wiped out the druids (Celtic religious leaders) in 60CE.
  3. Elsewhere the Ancient Romans were tolerant of Celtic religion, allowing it to continue alongside some of their gods.
  4. Evidence shows us that religious change was slow, and often in combination with existing beliefs.

Common misconception

Pupils may gain the impression that the Ancient Romans destroyed all aspects of Celtic worship.

Remind pupils that although the druids were wiped out, the worship of Celtic gods was tolerated as long as Ancient Roman ones were also respected.

Keywords

  • Polytheism - when people believe in many gods and goddesses, it is called polytheism

  • Barbarian - a barbarian was what the Ancient Romans called anyone who did not follow Greek or Roman traditions

  • Druids - the druids were priests of the Celtic religion who believed they could communicate with their gods and goddesses

  • Ancestor - an ancestor is someone's family member from the past

Link pupils' knowledge of Ancient Greek civilisation to Ancient Roman polytheism when discussing some of these Ancient Roman gods and goddesses.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Claudius invaded in 43 CE.
Correct Answer: Britain, Britannia
Q2.
Place these events in order, starting with the oldest.
2 - Claudius invaded Britain.
3 - Caratacus resisted the Romans.
4 - Boudica rebelled against the Romans.
Q3.
Where were the lands of the Iceni tribe?
Correct answer: Eastern England
Wales
Scotland
Southern England
Q4.
Where was the Roman legion that had to march to fight Boudica?
Scotland
Ireland
Correct answer: Wales
Cornwall
Q5.
Which city did Boudica attack after Colchester?
Bath
Lincoln
Correct answer: London
Norwich
Q6.
Boudica and the Celts were trapped by their own ...
weapons.
trees.
Correct answer: wagons.
dogs.

6 Questions

Q1.
The Romans and the Celts both believed in polytheism.
Correct answer: True
False
Q2.
Select a god that was only Celtic.
Sulis Minerva
Correct answer: Cernunnos
Diana
Q3.
Which of these was a Celtic and Roman god combined?
Diana
Correct answer: Sulis Minerva
Cernunnos
Q4.
Important Celtic religious leaders were called ...
Correct Answer: druids, druid
Q5.
Why did the Romans wipe out the druids?
The Romans wanted to wipe out Celtic religion.
Correct answer: The druids encouraged the Celts to resist the Romans.
The druids were the kings of the Celts.
The druids had ambushed many Roman legions.
Q6.
Which of these statements best describes how much the Romans changed religion in Britain?
Greatly, replacing most Celtic gods.
A little, only introducing a few new gods.
Completely, replacing all the Celtic gods.
Correct answer: A fair amount, introducing new gods and combining Celtic ones with their own.

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