Britons had taste for Roman luxuries before conquest

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 10, 2026

Archaeologists near Chelmsford have uncovered Iron Age graves containing Roman luxury items, indicating trade and diplomatic ties before the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43. These findings reveal that some local elites had early access to Roman goods, highlighting complex political and cultural interactions prior to Rome's formal takeover.

Archaeologists excavating burial sites near Chelmsford in Essex have uncovered evidence that Britain’s Iron Age elite were acquiring Roman luxury goods prior to the formal Roman conquest under Emperor Claudius in AD 43. The cemetery, dating from the 1st century, contained the cremated remains of more than 100 individuals, most housed in simple urns. However, five graves stood out for their richly furnished contents, including imported copper alloy vessels, ceramic wine jars known as amphorae, brooches, and a rare pillar-moulded glass bowl believed to be among the earliest glass vessels to reach Britain.

The discoveries were made by the Archaeology South-East team from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London. According to lead excavator Angus Forshaw, these grave goods suggest active diplomatic and economic exchanges between Iron Age communities in eastern England and the Roman world prior to the military conquest. Forshaw noted that items such as the glass bowl would have been highly valued, while the amphorae may have originally contained wine intended for the consumption of elite members of society.

The findings shed new light on Britain’s relationship with Rome before Roman legions took permanent control. While Julius Caesar launched expeditions to Britain in 55 and 54 BC, these earlier incursions resulted in limited, temporary engagements rather than lasting rule. Nonetheless, trade, diplomacy, and client alliances gradually incorporated parts of southern and eastern Britain into Rome’s sphere of influence well before Claudius’s campaign.

Claudius’s invasion followed the initial landing of forces under Aulus Plautius, with ancient records indicating the emperor spent about 16 days in Britain during the military operation. Roman control in Britain persisted, with varying degrees of authority, until roughly AD 410, when imperial power fully declined.

Samara King, project manager for Archaeology South-East, described the period around the Roman conquest as one of profound political and cultural transition. She suggested the elaborate burials may have served as a means for different communities to express their status, identities, and affiliations with Rome.

The graves are believed to be linked to one or both of two prominent Celtic groups in the region: the Catuvellauni, known for resisting both Caesar and Claudius’s invasions, and the Trinovantes, who initially sought protection from Caesar but later joined Boudica’s uprising against Roman rule in AD 60-61.

In the vicinity of the cemetery, archaeologists have also identified at least three previously unknown settlements featuring roundhouses, ditch enclosures, agricultural field systems, waterholes, and other landscape features. Researchers are currently analyzing the grave goods to establish more precise dating for the cemetery and to determine potential connections between the high-status burials and the nearby settlements.

A selection of ten items from the excavations will be exhibited at the Museum of Chelmsford beginning July 18.

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