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{{this|the ancient ethnic groups of Great Britain|Briton}}
{{Expert-verify|date=March 2008}}
Historically, the '''Britons''' (sometimes '''Brythons''' or '''British''') were the [[P-Celtic|P-Celtic speaking]] [[indigenous peoples]] inhabiting the island of [[Great Britain]] south of the [[river Forth]]. They were speakers of the [[Brythonic languages]] (also called P-Celtic) and shared common [[cultural]] traditions. In terms of language and culture, much of north-western Europe was mainly [[Celt]]ic during this period. The inhabitants of [[Ireland]], the [[Isle of Man]] and [[Dál Riata]] were [[Gaels]] or ''Gaelic Celts'' who spoke [[Goidelic languages]].

A number of scholars argue that the unknown [[Pictish language]] was Brythonic, but in [[Sub-Roman Britain]] the Picts were distinguished as a separate group, as were the Gaels of Dál Riata. Therefore, the term "Briton" traditionally refers to the inhabitants of ancient Britain ''excluding'' the Picts, because many Pictish cultural traits (for example their [[sculpture]], [[pottery]] and [[monument]]s) differ from those of the Britons and because ancient writers clearly distinguish the two peoples. 

==Etymology==
{{main|Britain (name)}}
{{see|Priteni|Brittia}}
The earliest known reference to the inhabitants of Britain seems to come from records of the voyage of [[Pytheas]], a [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] geographer who made a voyage of exploration around the [[British Isles]] between 330 and 320 BC. Although none of his own writings remain, writers during the time of the [[Roman Empire]] made much reference to them. Pytheas called the Britons the ''[[Pritani]]'' or ''Pretani'',<ref name=snyder>{{cite book
  | last = Snyder
  | first = Christopher A.
  | title = The Britons
  | publisher = [[Blackwell Publishing]]
  | date = 2003
  | id = ISBN 0-631-22260-X }}</ref><ref name=ohi>{{cite book
  | last = Foster (editor)
  | first = R F
  | authorlink = 
  | coauthors = Donnchadh O Corrain, Professor of Irish History at University College Cork: Prehistoric and Early Christian Ireland
  | title = The Oxford History of Ireland
  | publisher = Oxford University Press
  | date = [[1 November]] [[  2001]]
  | location = 
  | url = 
  | doi = 
  | id = ISBN 0-19-280202-X }}</ref> and referred to the islands as the ''Pritanic'' or ''Pretanic'' islands. The term may have reached Pytheas from the [[Gaul]]s, who may have used it as ''their'' term for the inhabitants of the islands.<ref name=ohi/><ref>[http://www.celticgrounds.com/chapters/encyclopedia/p.html Encyclopedia of the Celts]: Pretani</ref>

The Latin name in the early Roman Empire period was ''Britanni'' or ''Brittanni'', following the Roman conquest in 43 BC. The single ''-t-'' in modern ''Briton'' is from an erroneous Latin form ''Brito'', ''Britones'' in medieval manuscript tradition; French ''[[Breton]]'' derives from the more correct Latin form with double ''-tt-''.<ref>[[OED]] s.v. "Briton". See also [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Briton Online Etymology Dictionary: Briton] </ref>

In current usage, ''Briton'' also refers to the modern - mainly English-speaking - inhabitants of the United Kingdom, the [[British people]], that is, as a collective term for the [[English people|English]], [[Scottish people|Scottish]], [[Welsh people|Welsh]] and the [[Irish people]] from [[Northern Ireland]]. Welsh ''Brython'' was introduced into English usage by [[John Rhys]] in 1884 as a term unambiguously referring to the [[P-Celtic]] speakers of Great Britain, as complementing ''[[Goidel]]''; hence the adjective ''[[Brythonic]]'' referring to the group of languages.<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Brythonic Online Etymology Dictionary: Brythonic]</ref> ''Brittonic'' is a more recent coinage (first attested 1923 according to [[OED]]) intended to refer to the ancient Britons specifically.

==Language==
{{main|Brythonic languages}}
The Britons were speakers of the Brythonic (or Brittonic) languages. Brythonic languages are believed to have been spoken on the entire island of Britain as far north as the [[Firth of Clyde|Clyde]]-[[Firth of Forth|Forth]]. Beyond this was the territory of the [[Picts]] and [[Gaels]]. According to early medieval historical tradition, the post-Roman Celtic-speakers of [[Armorica]] were migrants from Britain, supposedly resulting in the similar [[Breton language]], a language similar to Welsh which survives there to this day. Thus the area to day is called [[Brittany]]. 

The Brythonic languages developed from [[Proto-Celtic]], after it was introduced to the British Isles from the continent. The first form of the Brythonic languages is believed to be [[British language (Celtic)|British]]. After the Roman conquest of Britain, the British language adopted some words from [[Latin]]; hence it is sometimes termed Romano-British in this period. 

Some linguistics have invented the terms [[Eastern Brythonic|Eastern]], [[Western Brythonic|Western]] and [[Southwestern Brythonic|Southwestern]] Brythonic to classify how the British language subsequently developed. The Eastern dialect was largely replaced by the invading [[Anglo-Saxons]] and their language. The Western and Southwestern developed into [[Cumbric language|Cumbric]], [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]] and [[Breton language|Breton]]. While Welsh, Cornish and Breton survive today, Cumbric became extinct in the 12th Century.

==Territory==
{{main|British Iron Age|Roman Britain|Sub-Roman Britain}}
[[Image:Britain 500 CE.png|thumb|right|450px|The British Isles during the [[Anglo-Saxon]] conquest around 500AD. Brythonic kingdoms are labelled in black, [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] kingdoms in red, [[Picts|Pictish]] kingdoms in brown, and [[Gaels|Gaelic]] kingdoms in blue.]]

Throughout their existence, the territory inhabited by the Britons was composed of numerous ever-changing areas controlled by [[Celtic tribes in Britain and Ireland|tribes]]. The extent of their territory before and during the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] period is unclear, but is generally believed to include the whole of the island of [[Great Britain]], as far north as the [[Firth of Clyde|Clyde]]-[[Firth of Forth|Forth]] [[isthmus]]. The territory north of this was largely inhabited by the [[Picts]], although a portion of it was eventually absorbed into the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] kingdom of [[Dál Riata]]. The [[Isle of Man]] was originally inhabited by Britons also, but eventually it became Gaelic territory. Meanwhile, [[Ireland]] is generally believed to have been entirely Gaelic throughout this period.

In 43 AD the [[Roman conquest of Britain|Roman Empire invaded Britain]]. The Brythonic tribes continually opposed the Roman legions, but by 84 CE the Romans had conquered as far north as the Clyde-Forth isthmus, where they built the [[Antonine Wall]]. However, after just twenty years they retreated south to [[Hadrian's Wall]]. Although the native Britons mostly kept their land, they were subject to the [[Governors of Roman Britain|Roman governers]]. The Roman Empire retained control of "Britannia" until its departure about 400 AD.

Around the time of the Roman departure, the Germanic [[Anglo-Saxons]] began migrations to the eastern coast of Britain, where they set up kingdoms. Eventually, Brythonic language and culture in these areas was largely replaced by those of the Anglo-Saxons. At the same time, some Brythonic tribes migrated across the channel to what is now called [[Brittany]], and to moorland areas like Cornwall and Northwest England, where Kingdoms such as [[Rheged]] and [[Dumnonia]] were established. There they set up their own small kingdoms and the Brythonic [[Breton language]] developed. By the end of the [[1st millennium]] AD, the Anglo-Saxons had conquered most of the Brythonic territory in Britain, and the language and culture of the native Britons had largely been extinguished, remaining only in the [[West Country|Southwestern Peninsula]] and [[Pennines|Pennine]] areas of England, and [[Wales]].

== Famous Britons ==
{{main|King of the Britons|List of legendary kings of Britain}}

* [[King Arthur|Arthur]] – Romano-British war leader [[Historical basis for King Arthur|of debatable historicity]].
* [[Boudica]] – Queen of the [[Iceni]], who led the rebellion against [[Roman Empire|Roman]] occupation in 60 CE. 
* [[Caratacus]] – a leader of the defence against the [[Roman conquest of Britain]].
* [[Cartimandua]] – Queen of the [[Brigantes]] during and after the Roman invasion.
* [[Cassivellaunus]] – led the defence against [[Julius Caesar]]'s second expedition to Britain in 54 BCE.
*[[Mailoc]] - Bishop of [[Britonia]] ([[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]) in the 6th century AD
* [[Commius]] – historical King of the [[Belgic]] nation of the [[Atrebates]], initially in [[Gaul]], then in [[Britannia]], during the 1st century BCE.
* [[Cunedda]] – post-Roman King and progenitor of the [[Kingdom of Gwynedd]].
* [[Cunobelinus]] – historical King of southern Britain between the first and second Roman invasions. The basis for Shakespeare's [[Cymbeline]].
* [[Cogidubnus]] - a British client-king, later made a citizen of Rome and awarded [[Fishbourne Roman Palace]].
* [[Pelagius]] – an influential [[Christian]] monk and [[theologian]], branded a [[Heresy|heretic]] later in life.
* [[Prasutagus]] – husband of [[Boudica]].
* [[Togodumnus]] – a leader of the defence against the Roman conquest of Britain.
* [[Urien]] – King of [[Rheged]] (modern [[Lancashire]] and [[Cumbria]]).
* [[Vortigern]] – warlord and King in the 5th century CE. Best known for inviting the [[Jutes]] to [[Kent]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
{{MultiCol}}
*[[Albion]]
*[[Anglo-Saxons]]
*[[Armorica]]
*[[Britons]]
*[[British]]
*[[Alternative words for British]]
*[[British Isles]]
*[[British Isles (terminology)]]
*[[Caledonia]]
{{ColBreak}}
*[[Celtic nations]]
*[[Cornish people]]
*[[Cornovii]]
*[[Dumbarton]]
*[[English people]]
*[[Gododdin]]
*[[Hibernia]]
*[[History of the British Isles]]
*[[Irish people]]
{{ColBreak}}
*[[King of the Britons]]
*[[List of Celtic tribes]]
*[[List of legendary kings of Britain]]
*[[Picts]]
*[[Roman Britain]]
*[[Scottish people]]
*[[Welsh people]]
{{EndMultiCol}}

==External links==
* The History Files: [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesBritain/BritishMap.htm The Island of Britain AD 450-600] (Map of British territories)
* The History Files: [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/index.html Main Index]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/iron_01.shtml BBC - History - Native Tribes of Britain]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/bloodofthevikings/genetics_results_07.shtml DNA from ethnic Britons found in Ireland]

{{Celts}}

[[Category:Ancient Britain| ]]
[[Category:Celts]]
[[Category:Iron Age Britain]]
[[Category:Roman Britain]]
[[Category:Sub-Roman Britons| ]]

[[be:Брыты]]
[[br:Brezhoned]]
[[cy:Brythoniaid]]
[[es:Britanos]]
[[fr:Bretons insulaires]]
[[gl:Bretóns]]
[[it:Britanni]]
[[lt:Britai (keltai)]]
[[ja:ブリトン]]
[[no:Britonere]]
[[ru:Бритты]]
[[uk:Брити]]