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Britain's Roman Navy - Classis Britannica

 

 

 

 

The reasons for including the Roman Navy (Classis Britannica) as part of a website on Britain's Navy are twofold.

First: Although the Romans invaded the British Isles and were not the indigenous people of the islands. They were successful in their invasion. Therefore despite being controlled from Rome, the Classis Britannica comprised the first naval forces based in and around Britain.

Second: From the arrival of the first Roman controlled naval forces in 55BC until Roman influence ended soon after 400AD was a time frame similar to that from the Armada in 1588 to the present day. So from a pure time frame the Classis Britannica and its immediate successors deserve to be counted as part of Britain's Navy.

 

 


This page last edited - 20 July, 2012.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.