Revision 112038702 of "Benutzer:Merkið/Britons (Celtic people)" on dewiki

{{about|the ancient ethnic groups of Great Britain||Briton}}
{{Expert-subject|Ethnic groups|date=January 2009}}
[[File:Map Gaels Brythons Picts GB.png|thumb|right|220px|[[Great Britain]] in the mid-late 5th century [[Common Era|CE]]<br>{{colorbox|red}} Mainly [[Brythonic languages|Brythonic]] areas<br>{{colorbox|green}} Mainly [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] areas<br>{{colorbox|blue}} Mainly [[Picts|Pictish]] areas]]
The '''Britons''' (sometimes '''Brythons''' or '''British''') were the [[Celts|Celtic]] people living in [[Great Britain]] from the [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] through the [[Early Middle Ages]].<ref name="KochBritons">Koch, pp. 291–292.</ref> They spoke the [[Insular Celtic languages|Insular Celtic language]] known as [[British language (Celtic)|British]] or Brythonic. They lived throughout Britain south of about the [[Firth of Forth]]; after the 5th century Britons also migrated to continental Europe, where they established the settlements of [[Brittany]] in [[France]] and the obscure [[Britonia]] in what is now [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], [[Spain]].<ref name="KochBritons"/> Their relationship to the [[Picts]] north of the Forth has been the subject of much discussion, though most scholars accept that the [[Pictish language]] during this time was a Brythonic language related to, but perhaps distinct from, British.<ref>Forsyth, p. 9.</ref>

The earliest evidence for the Britons and their language in historical sources dates to the Iron Age.<ref name="KochBritons"/> After the [[Roman conquest of Britain|Roman conquest]] of 43 AD, a [[Romano-British culture]] began to emerge. With the advent of the [[Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|Anglo-Saxon settlement]] in the 5th century, however, the culture and language of the Britons began to fragment. By the 11th century their descendants had split into distinct groups, and are generally discussed separately as the [[Welsh people|Welsh]], [[Cornish people|Cornish]], [[Bretons]], and the people of the ''[[Hen Ogledd]]'' ("Old North"). The British language developed into the distinct branches of [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]], [[Breton language|Breton]], and [[Cumbric language|Cumbric]].<ref name="KochBritons"/>

==Etymology==
[[File:Manor 014.jpg|thumb|right|Gritstone bas-relief of Romano-British woman]]
{{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 islands collectively as αι Βρεττανιαι, which has been translated as the ''Brittanic Isles'', and the peoples of these islands of ''Prettanike'' were called the Πρεττανοι, ''Priteni'', ''[[Pritani]]'' or ''Pretani'', the painted people because they were heavily tattooed. The group included Ireland which was referred to as ''Ierne'' (''Insula sacra'', the ''sacred island'', as the Greeks interpreted it) "inhabited by the race of ''Hiberni''" (''gens hiernorum''), and Britain as ''insula Albionum'', "island of the Albions".<ref name=snyder>{{cite book
  | last = Snyder
  | first = Christopher A.
  | title = The Britons
  | publisher = [[Blackwell Publishing]]
  | year = 2003
  | 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 =
  | isbn = 0-19-280202-X }}</ref> The term ''Pritani'' may have reached Pytheas from the [[Gaul]]s, who possibly 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 AD 43.<ref>[[OED]] s.v. "Briton". See also [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Briton Online Etymology Dictionary: Briton]</ref>

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 languages|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 the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'') intended to refer to the ancient Britons specifically.

(In non-historical usage ''Briton'' and ''British'' describe a citizen of the United Kingdom &ndash; the [[British people]]; it is a collective term for the [[English people|English]], [[Scottish people|Scottish]], [[Welsh people|Welsh]], and [[Cornish people|Cornish]], as well as some people from [[Northern Ireland]].)

==Language==
[[File:RomanBritBronzeBowl.JPG|thumb|right|A Romano-British bronze bowl discovered in Bedfordshire.]]
{{Main|British language (Celtic)|Brythonic languages}}
The Britons were speakers of the [[Brythonic languages|Brythonic]] (or Brittonic) languages. Brythonic languages are believed to have been spoken throughout the island of Britain.<ref name="KochBritons"/><ref>While there have been attempts in the past to align the Pictish language with non-Celtic language, the current academic view is that it was Brythonic. See: Forsyth (1997) p37: "[T]he only acceptable conclusion is that, from the time of our earliest historical sources, there was  only one language spoken in Pictland, the most northerly reflex of Brittonic."</ref> According to early mediaeval historical tradition, such as [[Breuddwyd_Macsen_Wledig#The_Dream_of_Macsen_Wledig|''The Dream of Macsen Wledig'']], the post-Roman Celtic-speakers of [[Armorica]] were colonists from Britain, resulting in the [[Breton language]], a language related to Welsh and identical to [[Cornish language|Cornish]] in the early period and still used today. Thus the area today is called [[Brittany]] (Br. ''Breizh'', Fr. ''Bretagne'', derived from ''[[Britannia]]'').

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 linguists have invented the terms [[Western Brythonic|Western]] and [[Southwestern Brythonic]] to classify subsequent developments of the British language. The Western and Southwestern developed into [[Cumbric language|Cumbric]], [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]], and [[Breton language|Breton]] in Gaul. While Welsh, Cornish and Breton survive today, Cumbric became extinct in the 12th century.

In his book ''The Origins of the British'', [[Stephen Oppenheimer]] suggests that the inhabitants of did not uniformly speak Celtic languages, and that there may have been pre-Roman British tribes who spoke Germanic languages such as [[Old English]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}} His cited evidence for this is a lack of Celtic [[placenames]] in eastern England and certain anomalies in the English language that he suggests may have developed prior to the conventional dates for the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. Oppenheimer suggests the Old English language may have already been developing in Britain before the arrival of Anglo-Saxons, and may therefore be a native development.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

==Territory==
[[Image:Britonia6hcentury.png|thumb|right|220px|Britons migrated westwards during the [[Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain|Anglo-Saxon invasion]]]]
{{Main|British Iron Age|Roman Britain|Sub-Roman Britain}}

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. {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

In 43 the [[Roman conquest of Britain|Roman Empire invaded Britain]]. The British tribes initially opposed the Roman legions, but by 84 the Romans had decisively conquered southern Britain and had pushed into what is now southern Scotland. In 122 they fortified the northern border with [[Hadrian's Wall]], which spanned across what is now [[Northern England]]. In 142 Roman forces pushed north again and began construction of the [[Antonine Wall]], which ran between the Forth-Clyde isthmus, but they retreated back to Hadrian's Wall after only twenty years. Although the native Britons mostly kept their land, they were subject to the [[Governors of Roman Britain|Roman governors]]. The Roman Empire retained control of "Britannia" until its departure about AD 430.

Around the time of the Roman departure, the [[Germanic languages|Germanic]]-speaking [[Anglo-Saxons]] began a migration to the Eastern coast of Britain, where they established their own kingdoms.<ref>Pattison, John E. (2008), Is it Necessary to Assume an Apartheid-like Social Structure in Early Anglo-Saxon England?, ''Proceedings of the Royal Society B'' '''275'''(1650):2423-2429; doi 10.1098/rspb.2008.0352.</ref> Eventually, the Brythonic language in these areas was replaced by that of the Anglo-Saxons {{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}. At the same time, some Britons established themselves in what is now called [[Brittany]]. There they set up their own small kingdoms and the [[Breton language]] developed there from [[Insular Celtic languages|Insular Celtic]] rather than [[Gaulish language|Gaulish]]. They also retained control of Cornwall and Northwest England, where Kingdoms such as [[Dumnonia]] and [[Rheged]] survived.  By the end of the 1st millennium, the Anglo-Saxons and [[Gaels]] had conquered most of the British territory in Britain, and the language and culture of the native Britons had largely been extinguished,<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13752-germanic-invaders-may-not-have-ruled-by-apartheid.html Germanic invaders may not have ruled by apartheid] New Scientist, 23 April 2008</ref> remaining only in [[Wales]], [[Cornwall]], parts of [[Cumbria]] and Eastern [[Galloway]].

==Mythology and religion==
[[File:Flying Rowan - geograph.org.uk - 194171.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Rowan#Mythology_and_folklore|flying rowan]] tree, considered magical by the ancient Britons]]
{{Main|Celtic polytheism|Welsh mythology|Breton mythology|Matter of Britain}}
{{Expand section|date=March 2009}}

==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 failed rebellion against [[Roman Empire|Roman]] occupation in 60 AD.
* [[Cadwallon ap Cadfan]] - King of Gwynedd, fought against the Anglo-Saxons.
* [[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 BC.
* [[Coel Hen]] - the "Old King Cole" of the popular nursery rhyme.
* [[Cogidubnus]] – a British client-king, later made a citizen of Rome and awarded [[Fishbourne Roman Palace]].
* [[Commius]] – historical King of the [[Belgic]] nation of the [[Atrebates]], initially in [[Gaul]], then in [[Britannia]], during the 1st century BC.
* [[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]]''.
* [[King Lot]] - grandfather of [[St Kentigern]], and eponymous king of [[Lothian]].
*[[Mailoc]] - Bishop of [[Britonia]] ([[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]) in the 6th century AD
* [[Pelagius]] – an influential [[Christian]] monk and [[theologian]], whose thought was branded [[heresy]] 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 AD. Best known for inviting the [[Jutes]] to [[Kent]].

==See also==
{{MultiCol}}
*[[Albion]]
*[[Anglo-Saxons]]
*[[Armorica]]
*[[United Kingdom|British]]
*[[Alternative words for British]]
*[[British Isles]]
*[[British Isles (terminology)]]
*[[Britonia]]
*[[Brynaich]]
*[[Caledonia]]
*[[Celtic nations]]
{{ColBreak}}
*[[Cornish people]]
*[[Coritani]]
*[[Cornovii]]{{dn}}
*[[Devon]]
*[[Dumnonia]]
*[[Dumbarton]]
*[[Elmet]]
*[[English people]]
*[[Gododdin]]
*[[Hibernia]]
{{ColBreak}}
*[[History of the British Isles]]
*[[Irish people]]
*[[Kingdom of Strathclyde]]
*[[King of the Britons]]
*[[List of Celtic tribes]]
*[[List of legendary kings of Britain]]
*[[Rheged]]
*[[Roman Britain]]
*[[Selgovae]]
*[[Scottish people]]
*[[Wales]]
*[[Welsh Language]]
*[[Welsh people]]
*[[Votadini]]
*[[Yr Hen Ogledd]]

{{EndMultiCol}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last= Forsyth|first= Katherine |coauthors=  |title= Language in Pictland |url= http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/2081/1/languagepictland.pdf| publisher= De Keltische Draak |year= 1997|month= |isbn= 90-802785-5-6}}
*{{cite book |last= Koch|first= John T.|coauthors=  |title= Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia| publisher= ABC-CLIO|year= 2006|month= |isbn=}}

==External links==
*[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}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2011}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Britons (Historical)}}
[[Category:Ancient Britain| ]]
[[Category:Celtic culture]]
[[Category:Iron Age Britain]]
[[Category:Roman Britain]]
[[Category:Sub-Roman Britons| ]]
[[Category:Sub-Roman Britain]]

[[be:Брыты]]
[[br:Brezhoned]]
[[cy:Brythoniaid]]
[[es:Britanos]]
[[fr:Bretons insulaires]]
[[gl:Bretóns]]
[[ko:브리튼족]]
[[is:Fornbretar]]
[[it:Britanni]]
[[la:Britanni]]
[[lt:Britai (keltai)]]
[[hu:Britonok]]
[[ja:ブリトン]]
[[no:Britonere]]
[[pl:Brytowie]]
[[ru:Бритты]]
[[sh:Briti]]
[[uk:Брити]]