There were troubles back in Italy. One after another, officers in the Roman Army stationed in Britain decided that they could make a better job of things if they were Emperor. The best known of these men was called Magnus Maximus.  Each candidate took lots of troops from Britain to fight for them in Europe, the last in AD 407. The army had made up a large part of the Roman administration and had helped the government to keep order in Britain. Their removal meant other arrangements had to be made. Attacks from the Saxons (from Northern Germany), the Picts (from Scotland) and the Irish now had to be fought off by local militia (part-time soldiers drawn from local communities) and mercenaries (hired soldiers, usually from abroad). The only 'Romans' who left Britain were those in the army (and their families). Some landowners with houses in Europe or rich merchants may also have decided it was best to return home. Most of the 'Romano-British' tried to continue their lives as normal.

Click to find out: What the British did after the Romans had gone.