The Romans in Britain: Claudius, Boudica and Hadrian’s Wall: what children learn
The Romans ruled Britain for nearly 400 years, from the invasion ordered by Emperor Claudius in AD 43 until about AD 410. Julius Caesar had come twice before, in 55 and 54 BC, but did not conquer the island. Under Roman rule, Britain gained straight stone roads, towns such as Londinium, forts, bath houses, amphitheatres and Hadrian’s Wall, and Latin became the language of government.
Not everyone welcomed them. In about AD 60–61, Boudica, ruler of the Iceni, led a huge rebellion and burned three Roman towns before her army was defeated. This game checks the key people, places and dates in the Year 4 Romans unit and the ways the Romans changed Britain.
This topic covers a Key Stage 2 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Subject content): pupils should be taught about “the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain”. The programme of study sets this for the whole of Key Stage 2, so schools choose when to teach it; we have placed this game in Year 4 (ages 8–9).
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Fix three dates. AD 43: Claudius invades. AD 122: Hadrian orders his wall. AD 410: the Romans leave. Everything else fits between them.
- Tell Boudica’s story. Why was she angry? What did her army do? Why did the Romans win in the end? Talk about whether she was a hero or a rebel.
- Spot the impact. Roads, towns, baths, Latin words, coins and calendars. Ask which changes we can still see today.
- Use the map. Find Kent (the landing), Colchester, St Albans and London (Boudica), Bath, Caerleon and Hadrian’s Wall.
- Ask why they left. Rome itself was under attack, so the soldiers were needed at home. British towns had to look after themselves.
Worked examples
Example 1: Which Roman emperor ordered the invasion of Britain in AD 43?
Working: Julius Caesar tried but did not conquer Britain. About a hundred years later another emperor sent a big army.
Answer: Claudius.
Example 2: Why was Hadrian’s Wall built?
Working: The Romans never conquered the Picts in the far north, so they marked and guarded the edge of their province.
Answer: To guard the northern edge of Roman Britain.
Example 3: About how long did the Romans rule Britain?
Working: From AD 43 to about AD 410 is 367 years.
Answer: Nearly 400 years.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Thinking Julius Caesar conquered Britain. Caesar visited twice and left. Claudius’s army conquered Britain in AD 43.
- Thinking Hadrian’s Wall is the border between England and Scotland. It is close to it, but the modern border is in a different place, and Scotland and England did not exist in Roman times.
- Mixing up BC and AD. BC dates count down to year 1; AD dates count up. 55 BC came before AD 43.
Activities to try at home
- Visit a Roman site, such as Bath, Caerleon, Chester or Hadrian’s Wall, or explore one online.
- Hunt for Latin in everyday English: “aqua”, “octo” and “video” are Latin.
- Look for straight roads on a map of Britain: many follow Roman routes.
- Print the game sheet and play it after reading about the Romans.
Ideas for the classroom
- Debate: was Boudica right to rebel?
- Make a class timeline from 55 BC to AD 410 with key events.
- Design a Roman mosaic and write the Latin numerals 1 to 10 on it.
- Use the quiz as a starter and as an end-of-unit check.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why does the game say Boudica and not Boadicea?
Boudica is the spelling used by most historians and museums today, including the British Museum. Older books often use Boadicea.
Is the date AD 410 exact?
It is the usual date for the end of Roman rule. The soldiers left gradually, and the British Museum says that by about AD 411 the army and government had gone.
Which year group studies the Romans?
Schools choose, but the Romans are often taught in Year 3 or Year 4.